Biography
I have always been fascinated by the outdoors and the kinds of life that occupy it. For much of my research career, I have conducted field-based and experimental research that addresses questions related to community and evolutionary ecology. This work has taken the form of investigating the relationship between birds and plants, and how that can influence the broader ecological community. Out of this research, I developed an interest in seed dispersal by animals – primarily birds – and have developed research investigating the evolutionary ecology of birds and plants and how that relates to seed dispersal interactions. To engage in this research, I combine multiple fields of ecology and methodologies including stable isotopes, field and laboratory experiments, network analyses, and field observation. Now I am expanding my interests by investigating the influence of human-mediated processes on the biogeography, coexistence, and conservation of species and communities at and across multiple macroecological scales.
I also believe that scientific outreach, mentorship, and teaching are extremely important for any scientist, and therefore, have spent much of my time developing outreach programs to bring research to the general public and teach future generations of scientists. No matter the outcome of my research, I believe that if through outreach, mentoring, and teaching I have inspired and provided opportunities for people, especially those of underrepresented groups, to undertake a career of scientific inquiry, then I have succeeded as a scientist.
