About Me

I have developed a deep expertise in population genetics and genomics and approach my work from an interdisciplinary perspective. Both my past and current work focus on management of wild populations and the interaction of that management with nature and society. My research as a master’s student employed a responsible approach to identify the best population improvement strategy for an economically important fish species. This work resulted in a money-saving protocol that has been used by both governmental and private organizations to improve wild populations and commercial sale of the species. 

My PhD work examined the evolution of insecticide resistance in the mosquito that transmits zika and dengue viruses. The data I generated is important for understanding the evolutionary processes of insecticide resistance that are acting in this mosquito.  This work was honored several times, including with awards from BASF and the Entomological Society of America. In addition, it is the research foundation for an NIH R01 grant that funded my postdoc position. 

Another major aspect of my graduate research training was my involvement in the NSF-IGERT, an interdisciplinary group of students focused on issues related to genetic engineering and its relationship with society. Through this fellowship, I worked with a diverse group of colleagues to publish two papers highlighting technical and social complexities that may surround the development and deployment of gene drive insects for agriculture. In addition, I conducted interdisciplinary research with an agricultural economist in Mexico to assess the bio-economic importance of a pernicious storage pest of maize to subsistence farmers. I value the various voices contributing to these interdisciplinary discussions and want to always work with a diverse group of individuals. My career goal is to lead a distinct, vibrant, and productive team working to solve today’s “wicked problems.”