I am currently a postdoctoral associate at New Mexico State University, in the department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology., where I am doing a mix of teaching and research. I am teaching Mammalogy and Natural History of Vertebrates, and conducting a diverse array of research on Southwestern ungulates.
I earned my PhD in Forest Science at Michigan Technological University in Summer of 2019, where I worked with Drs. John Vucetich and Christopher Webster, studying spatiotemporal trends in winter habitat and foraging patterns of white-tailed deer in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. My PhD research was part of a larger project studying ecosystem processes and forest community dynamics in eastern hemlock stands in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I also assessed the influence of winter severity on physiology of overwintering deer.
I have also done a great deal of work on ungulate foraging habits, including DNA metabarcoding analysis and microhistological analysis, of white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, aoudad, and bighorn sheep.
More broadly, my research interests lie in conservation physiology and wildlife-habitat interactions. Because ungulates are ubiquitous generalists, they provide important insights into ecosystem dynamics.
In addition to my research, I have had the privilege of teaching a diverse array of classes. Beginning as a PhD student, I taught Mammalogy, Wildlife Habitat, Field Techniques, and Dendrology labs for both undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, I served as a Teaching Assistant for Integrated Field Practicum, where students conduct extensive assessments of a tract of land within the Ford Forest at Michigan Technological University and ultimately develop a multi-faceted land management plan. At New Mexico State University, I am currently teaching Natural History of Vertebrates and Mammalogy.
As a teacher, my primary role is to provide content and experience to assess complex situations and diverse perspectives, as well as to encourage creative thinking and critical analysis in problem-solving. I seek to foster curiosity and tenacity in my students, to hopefully inspire innovation in the natural resource field.
I earned my PhD in Forest Science at Michigan Technological University in Summer of 2019, where I worked with Drs. John Vucetich and Christopher Webster, studying spatiotemporal trends in winter habitat and foraging patterns of white-tailed deer in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. My PhD research was part of a larger project studying ecosystem processes and forest community dynamics in eastern hemlock stands in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I also assessed the influence of winter severity on physiology of overwintering deer.
I have also done a great deal of work on ungulate foraging habits, including DNA metabarcoding analysis and microhistological analysis, of white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, aoudad, and bighorn sheep.
More broadly, my research interests lie in conservation physiology and wildlife-habitat interactions. Because ungulates are ubiquitous generalists, they provide important insights into ecosystem dynamics.
In addition to my research, I have had the privilege of teaching a diverse array of classes. Beginning as a PhD student, I taught Mammalogy, Wildlife Habitat, Field Techniques, and Dendrology labs for both undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, I served as a Teaching Assistant for Integrated Field Practicum, where students conduct extensive assessments of a tract of land within the Ford Forest at Michigan Technological University and ultimately develop a multi-faceted land management plan. At New Mexico State University, I am currently teaching Natural History of Vertebrates and Mammalogy.
As a teacher, my primary role is to provide content and experience to assess complex situations and diverse perspectives, as well as to encourage creative thinking and critical analysis in problem-solving. I seek to foster curiosity and tenacity in my students, to hopefully inspire innovation in the natural resource field.