ABOUT ME
A Michigan native, I attended MSU as an undergraduate in the Department of Zoology. In 2010 I earned a minor in Conservation Biology at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and developed an interest in the human dimensions of wildlife conservation. Intrigued by the more applied approach to understanding human-wildlife interactions, I made the transition to the Fisheries and Wildlife Department for the completion of my Masters Degree. I am now a doctoral candidate in the Department of Geography studying the biogeography of nonmigratory and neotropical migratory birds. I have worked with mammals, reptiles, and birds, but the country, people, and ecosystems of Nicaragua unite my diverse taxonomic interests.
EDUCATION
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Modeling landscape-level human-wildlife interactions in the face of global change
2017
Master of Science: Fisheries and Wildlife
Michigan State University
Conservation assessment and planning that acknowledges and accounts for the needs of remote communities
Developing methods to detect elusive species
by testing novel baiting techniques for camera traps
2010
Minor: Conservation Biology
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
2016
Tropical Biology: An Ecological Approach
Organization for Tropical Studies; Graduate Program
Modeling species distributions for threatened neotropical migratory birds
In-progress
Doctor of Philosophy: Geography
University of Nevada, Reno
3D habitat characterization using affordable UAS systems with off-the-shelf equipment
Modeling migration phenology using Modus wildlife tracking technology
2012
Bachelor of Science: Zoology
Specialization: Environmental Studies
Michigan State University