About Me (as an ecologist)
As of August 2024, I am starting as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of South Florida (USF) in the Yang Lab.. At USF, I will be collaborating on a project exploring sexual imprinting of color morphs on neotropical poison frogs - more details to come!
stages towards behavioral ecology
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Introduction into Research.
I was given the opportunity to work with two different research advisors during my undergraduate life: Dr. Ryan McKelley in the Psychology Department and Dr. Barrett Klein in the Biology Department. Together, these mentors introduced me to research in different fields of study, which helped me to decide what I feel the most passionate about - animal behavior! |
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Introduction into Field Research.
After graduating with my BS, I was invited by Dr. Klein to join an ongoing project in the Bat Lab at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Gamboa, Panama. As grueling as tropical jungles can be, I absolutely loved the experience. With Dr. Klein, I worked on a comparative study examining the effects of sleep deprivation on associative learning behaviors in Jamaican Fruit Bats and Paper Wasps across two internships in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, I also joined Dr. Wcislo's Insect Neurobiology Lab as a third STRI internship working on neuroanatomy research in ants and harvestmen. |
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Introduction to Mate Choice.
In 2017 I began working with topics regarding sexual selection in frogs upon joining Dr. Gerlinde Hoebel's Anuran lab for a master's degree, although advancing to a doctoral degree in 2020. I have learned quite a lot about sexually selected behaviors in frogs throughout my years here, and am looking forward to building upon my current research during the next stage in my career. |
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Introduction to Sexual Imprinting
In August 2024, I will begin a collaborative project on a new topic - sexual imprinting! This project broadly explores the rapid evolution of color morphs of poison dart frogs. Dart frogs are immensly curious given the variation in color and degree of parental care across similar species and morphs.. More details to come soon! |
About Me (as a human)
I started life in Wisconsin, born to parents of a hobby farm with goats, sheep, cats, dogs, and whatever animals were unexpectedly donated to our barnyard. I have always loved being around animals - fascinated into why 'they do what they do' - which has grown from childhood into a career. Unsurprisingly so, I adopted a few pets in Milwaukee: dog, cat, pacman frog, african clawed frogs, and the occassional treefrog collected during field work.
In my freetime, I enjoy outdoor activities (in any season) like hiking, fishing, biking, tennis, and cross-country skiing. I also consider myself to be an artistic person, and do have hobbies in that realm as well: pottery, drawing, sculpting, jewelry-making, photography, and knitting. Although, I do admit, I am guilty of a Netflix binge every so often.
In my freetime, I enjoy outdoor activities (in any season) like hiking, fishing, biking, tennis, and cross-country skiing. I also consider myself to be an artistic person, and do have hobbies in that realm as well: pottery, drawing, sculpting, jewelry-making, photography, and knitting. Although, I do admit, I am guilty of a Netflix binge every so often.
Future Academic Goals.
As my years within academia continue, I become increasingly interested in the underpinnings of behavior. Looking forward, I hope to focus on behavioral ecology from a causational perspective, aiming to research the interface between behaviors and the elements contributing to them. I also hope to integrate mentorship and teaching elements within both research and academic life.
