I am the Assistant Director and Head of Academic Programs at the University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island. I have previously held faculty positions at University of North Georgia, The Citadel, and the Marine Biology graduate program at the College of Charleston.  I was the PI of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Population Genetics Division within Marine Resources.

My research combines theory, field work, and population genetics to understand population biology and evolution across complex, heterogeneous landscapes.  I am particularly motivated by examining eco-evolutionary interactions and uncovering potential evolutionary pathways for adaptation to climate change and in response to bottleneck events. My work frequently features populations that have been exploited (threatened or endangered) or manipulated (stocking and sport/rec breeding).  I focus on estuarine finfishes and invertebrates as study systems.  I value translational research that is accessible to the K-12 science curriculum and undergraduates.

I previously completed a Postdoc at Yale University in the Human Nature Lab at the Yale Institute for Network Science under the mentorship of Dr. Nicholas Christakis working on human microbiome changes across complex network landscapes. I received my PhD from Yale, advised by David Post, where I explored the interactions among temperature, life history, and physiology in zooplankton species, where I did extensive field work in Eastern Siberia (Lake Baikal) and coastal Connecticut lakes.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!