Originally from Florida and now living in Washington DC, I have a taste for migration. I grew up surrounded by the scrub, longleaf pine, and spanish moss-covered live oaks of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - a place aptly considered a birder's paradise - though little did I appreciate it at the time. I went on to study English literature and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Florida, and it wasn't until my final year of study that I fell in love with birds.
This love took flight following a streak of field jobs spanning from a number of states within the USA all the way to the other side of the globe, to places like Australia, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Peru. Following a stint in the Atherton Tablelands of North Queensland, I found myself in the heartland - amidst the rolling hills of tallgrass prairie in Manhattan, Kansas. There I worked with Alice Boyle at Kansas State University studying the dispersal ecology of grassland birds. After finishing my masters, I moved to the Great White North of Alaska, where I worked as an Avian Ecologist for the National Park Service at Denali National Park and Preserve. At Denali, I worked on a suite of projects understanding the annual cycle ecology of both resident and migratory birds. I then crossed the country again to land in Washington DC, where I now live and work as a PhD student at Georgetown University, with Dr. Pete Marra.
Although my research interests range broadly, they are centered in movement ecology. As perhaps one of the most dynamic examples of animal movement, birds are the quintessential commuter, using the power of flight to travel. Migratory birds in particular are capable of remarkable feats of migration, sometimes traveling over 1,700 miles in one fell swoop. Even resident, non-migratory species are capable of making huge movements more than 80 kilometers between foraging or roosting sites. Whether migratory or not, birds are a fascinating taxa in which to study the ecology of movement. Many of the questions regarding the evolution of migration, or why an individual chooses to make a long-distance movement, remain unanswered. With that in mind, I am largely interested in the movements of individual animals; specifically, how and why birds migrate or disperse, and how they are uniquely adapted to cope with such energetically costly behaviors. I seek to understand how various ecological factors may drive variation in different life history strategies, especially within the context of a changing climate. Given the speed at which human populations (and with them, development and infrastructure) are increasing, I investigate how birds may cope with changing environmental conditions in an increasingly fragmented world.
While I am primarily interested in basic ecological questions pertaining to animal movement, I also realize that my science won't make much of a difference unless I bring it home to people's own backyards. Communicating science that is accessible and relevant to many, rather than the scholarly few, is critical to increasing scientific literacy, and engaging stakeholders, policymakers, and the next generation of scientists and conservationists. Increasing understanding and relevancy of science is also crucial for conservation and management of threatened and declining species. Education and outreach with members of my community and the public is thus paramount, and I continually seek opportunities to connect others with the natural world.
This love took flight following a streak of field jobs spanning from a number of states within the USA all the way to the other side of the globe, to places like Australia, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Peru. Following a stint in the Atherton Tablelands of North Queensland, I found myself in the heartland - amidst the rolling hills of tallgrass prairie in Manhattan, Kansas. There I worked with Alice Boyle at Kansas State University studying the dispersal ecology of grassland birds. After finishing my masters, I moved to the Great White North of Alaska, where I worked as an Avian Ecologist for the National Park Service at Denali National Park and Preserve. At Denali, I worked on a suite of projects understanding the annual cycle ecology of both resident and migratory birds. I then crossed the country again to land in Washington DC, where I now live and work as a PhD student at Georgetown University, with Dr. Pete Marra.
Although my research interests range broadly, they are centered in movement ecology. As perhaps one of the most dynamic examples of animal movement, birds are the quintessential commuter, using the power of flight to travel. Migratory birds in particular are capable of remarkable feats of migration, sometimes traveling over 1,700 miles in one fell swoop. Even resident, non-migratory species are capable of making huge movements more than 80 kilometers between foraging or roosting sites. Whether migratory or not, birds are a fascinating taxa in which to study the ecology of movement. Many of the questions regarding the evolution of migration, or why an individual chooses to make a long-distance movement, remain unanswered. With that in mind, I am largely interested in the movements of individual animals; specifically, how and why birds migrate or disperse, and how they are uniquely adapted to cope with such energetically costly behaviors. I seek to understand how various ecological factors may drive variation in different life history strategies, especially within the context of a changing climate. Given the speed at which human populations (and with them, development and infrastructure) are increasing, I investigate how birds may cope with changing environmental conditions in an increasingly fragmented world.
While I am primarily interested in basic ecological questions pertaining to animal movement, I also realize that my science won't make much of a difference unless I bring it home to people's own backyards. Communicating science that is accessible and relevant to many, rather than the scholarly few, is critical to increasing scientific literacy, and engaging stakeholders, policymakers, and the next generation of scientists and conservationists. Increasing understanding and relevancy of science is also crucial for conservation and management of threatened and declining species. Education and outreach with members of my community and the public is thus paramount, and I continually seek opportunities to connect others with the natural world.