Research

PhD: University of Pittsburgh

I'm starting some preliminary work at Pitt during the summer of 2020, but still open to project ideas! Currently, I have some interest in knotweed (giant, Japanese, and their hybrid) as well as exploring genetics of resiliant native species. I want my PhD work to have management applications, so if you are a resource manager and have interests or ideas, please reach out!

Masters: Bucknell University

From June 2018 to June 2020 I have been working on my M.S. thesis with Dr. Chris Martine. My work focuses on the natural history and population genomics of the Pennsylvania rare plant, Baptisia australis var. australis. This work was done in partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the PA Natural Heritage Program. I'm currently working on publishing two manuscripts; one will focus on granivory in Pennsylvania B. australis and the other will contain the bulk of my M.S. work which cneters around the population genomics of the taxon in PA. For a brief, entertaining overview, check out this video.

Undergrad: Dickinson College

My first research project at Dickinson was studying diet of the red-spotted newt Notophthalmus viridescens in Pennsylvania.

My primary research built off as several year study Dr. Carol Loeffler has been conducting comparing hemlock woolly adegid impacts on high and low elevation stands of hemlock trees. Through out my junior and senior year I collected data on tree health and adelgid presence. This work is currently in manuscript prep! I also collected data on understory vegetation to better understand impacts of tree health and adelgid presence on the understory, particularly light gaps created by adelgid damage. This work will be published at a later date.