Hello! Thank you for visiting my website. I look forward to sharing my research with you. I am a Research Associate with the Invasion Ecology Group in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas at Austin. I am based at UT Austin's Brackenridge Field Laboratory, where I work with Dr. Rob Plowes and Dr. Larry Gilbert.
I am a broadly trained ecologist who studies species interactions and how they shape community structure, stability, and ecosystem function. Much of my research is motivated by a simple question: Why do most herbivorous insects specialize on only a few host plants? Understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that drive specialization provides insight into how species interact, how communities assemble, and how ecosystems respond to environmental change.
My research spans several complementary areas. I study herbivore-parasitoid interactions to understand how natural enemies regulate insect populations and influence the outcomes of biological invasions and biological control programs. I investigate plant-herbivore interactions to uncover how host plants shape insect ecology, specialization, and community dynamics. Through chemical ecology, I examine how plant chemistry mediates interactions among plants, herbivores, parasitoids, and other organisms. I also study grassland ecology, restoration, and invasion biology to better understand the processes that govern ecosystem resilience and the management of invasive species.
I have worked in a variety of ecological systems and am experienced in chemical ecology, metabolomics, greenhouse experiments, long-term observational studies, biodiversity surveys, and experimental design. I strive to ground my work in natural history while drawing on ecological and evolutionary theory. Ultimately, my goal is to apply fundamental ecological research toward mitigating the ecological and economic impacts of introduced plants and insects.
Hello! Thank you for visiting my website. I look forward to sharing my research with you. I am a Research Associate with the Invasion Ecology Group in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas at Austin. I am based at UT Austin's Brackenridge Field Laboratory, where I work with Dr. Rob Plowes and Dr. Larry Gilbert.
I am a broadly trained ecologist who studies species interactions and how they shape community structure, stability, and ecosystem function. Much of my research is motivated by a simple question: Why do most herbivorous insects specialize on only a few host plants? Understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that drive specialization provides insight into how species interact, how communities assemble, and how ecosystems respond to environmental change.
My research spans several complementary areas. I study herbivore-parasitoid interactions to understand how natural enemies regulate insect populations and influence the outcomes of biological invasions and biological control programs. I investigate plant-herbivore interactions to uncover how host plants shape insect ecology, specialization, and community dynamics. Through chemical ecology, I examine how plant chemistry mediates interactions among plants, herbivores, parasitoids, and other organisms. I also study grassland ecology, restoration, and invasion biology to better understand the processes that govern ecosystem resilience and the management of invasive species.
I have worked in a variety of ecological systems and am experienced in chemical ecology, metabolomics, greenhouse experiments, long-term observational studies, biodiversity surveys, and experimental design. I strive to ground my work in natural history while drawing on ecological and evolutionary theory. Ultimately, my goal is to apply fundamental ecological research toward mitigating the ecological and economic impacts of introduced plants and insects.
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Heredia Pr., Costa Rica looking west towards the Carribbean. Photo taken above La Selva Biological Station Arboretum -August, 2018.