I graduated with my PhD from the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia in August 2015 and am currently enjoying my time as an Assistant Professor of Biology at Georgia State University - Perimeter College. My broad research interests include life history evolution, population ecology, tropical conservation, and how students best learn.
I LOVE thinking about how various life history strategies evolve, and how changing environments may shift optimal strategies. I am also a bit obsessed with the Neotropics. So, my dissertation research focused on using demographic data to understand the life history evolution and population dynamics of a Neotropical plant. Basically, I worked toward understanding how seasonal and stochastic variation in demographic rates influence population dynamics, reproductive schedule, and defense strategy of tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, a perennial weed that populates disturbed areas in Monteverde, Costa Rica. I also used data collected from my dissertation to predict how populations of these plants will respond to future changes in climate.
Although I greatly enjoy my research, my true passion is for effectively teaching Biology, especially Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, to undergraduates. As an instructor, I strive for a classroom in which students facilitate their own learning through use of active learning and inquiry-based learning strategies. You can find my complete teaching portfolio under "teaching philosophy and experience."
I LOVE thinking about how various life history strategies evolve, and how changing environments may shift optimal strategies. I am also a bit obsessed with the Neotropics. So, my dissertation research focused on using demographic data to understand the life history evolution and population dynamics of a Neotropical plant. Basically, I worked toward understanding how seasonal and stochastic variation in demographic rates influence population dynamics, reproductive schedule, and defense strategy of tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, a perennial weed that populates disturbed areas in Monteverde, Costa Rica. I also used data collected from my dissertation to predict how populations of these plants will respond to future changes in climate.
Although I greatly enjoy my research, my true passion is for effectively teaching Biology, especially Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, to undergraduates. As an instructor, I strive for a classroom in which students facilitate their own learning through use of active learning and inquiry-based learning strategies. You can find my complete teaching portfolio under "teaching philosophy and experience."