|
BiographyI work as a
I am a Ph.D. student testing the reliability of trait based frameworks for prediction in community ecology and macroecology. I am testing whether functional traits can be used to explain how plant communities assemble in the context of drought and if the global distribution of woody plants can be predicted by traits. Last, I have developed the Global Vegetation Project alongside a fantastic team of science communicators (directed by my PhD advisor, Daniel Laughlin) at the University of Wyoming. During my M.Sc., I worked on multi-trophic species invasion in the Canadian Gulf Islands with Peter Arcese, Tara Martin, and Amanda Rodewald. I paired mesocosms with island-wide surveys of non-native earthworms and plant communities to examine how biological invasions would threaten the already endangered Garry Oak Ecosystem. Prior to starting my masters, I completed a B.S. in Conservation and Restoration Ecology at Utah State University. While in Utah, I worked at the National Aquatic Monitoring Center investigating life history bottlenecks in macroinvertebrate communities below large hydroelectric dams. Additionally, I was a REU fellow at the University of Maryland where I developed numerical models of salt marsh sediment dynamics for the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island, MD. I am working toward meshing experimental, theoretical, and spatial ecology to create a framework for effective conservation management. I am committed to sharing my knowledge and experience as an ecologist with the public. Get in touch ([email protected]) if you are interested in inviting me to speak at an event, engage in a scientific workshop/classroom, or for a quick chat! |