I work with local and international organizations to study natural systems under human disturbance, utilizing innovative tools in endocrinology, mathematical and spatial modeling, and classic ecological approaches to better understand environmental influences on wildlife adaptations and behavior.

I am currently a Ph.D. student in the Integrative Anthropological Sciences program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. My work focuses on food-web interactions in several species of fruit-eating monkeys in Kibale National Park, Uganda. I also collaborate with US Geological Survey to study bobcat (Lynx rufus) prey preference with changing climate in Southern California.

 Research. Conservation. Outreach.

Earth is amidst the worst species die-off since the loss of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago.

99% of threatened species are at risk from human activities, primarily those driving habitat loss, introduction of exotic species, and global warming. We are losing species at 1,000 (and some say up to 10,000) times the background rate, with dozens of species going extinct every day (Source: Center for Biological Diversity).

Ecology explores the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. The study of species interactions is key in assessing drivers of species persistence or decline. By studying the factors influencing the distribution and density of threatened species, we can better understand how to manage and conserve them.

That is my mission.