I am a National Research Council Postdoctoral Associate with the Marine Turtle Ecology & Assessment Program at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center.
I am also affiliated with the Jumby Bay Hawksbill Project in Antigua, West Indies as a Senior Research Associate.
As an applied ecologist, my research is geared toward supporting the conservation of at-risk species. My research background is diverse, but my projects generally fall within three focal areas:
- Animal biotelemetry: Using satellite telemetry, multi-sensor biologgers, and quantitative tools for resulting data, my research integrates observed patterns in movement with spatial environmental data to reveal trends in habitat use, resource selection, and energetics.
- Population ecology: My research utilizes rigorous field sampling and leading models to quantify important demographic parameters like vital rates and sex ratios. Through this work, I seek to understand the status of populations and what is driving population trends.
- Global change biology: Global change poses a suite of threats to at-risk species. Some threats are relatively well-understood (e.g., global warming), whereas others arise seemingly out of the blue (e.g., when thresholds are crossed). I pursue a range of interdisciplinary projects aimed at understanding the effects of global change on populations.
My background spans many systems and species (as evidenced by previous publications), but I am foremost a sea turtle biologist. I conduct research on sea turtles ranging from satellite tracking, to mark-recapture sampling on boats and beaches, stable isotope analyses, and measuring/modeling egg incubation temperatures. I take pride in being both a field biologist and a quantitative ecologist, meaning that I enjoy not only collecting data, but also manipulating and modeling it.
I am committed to making the life sciences more equitable—take a look at my former lab’s statement on diversity and inclusion for an example of my ideas on these topics.
Finally, I place major importance on my roles in mentorship, education, and community engagement. Please see my page covering these subjects for more info.
