I am interested in how behaviors evolve, and how they influence gene flow and speciation. I am currently studying the evolution of migration in birds by: 1) using comparative phylogenetics to understand the role of migration in diversification, and 2) studying the genomic signatures of divergent genomic migratory phenotypes in a recent radiation within the Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica species complex) to test hypotheses about how such migratory divides contribute to reproductive isolation and divergence in sexual and morphological traits.
I did my PhD work at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in the lab of Karin Pfennig, studying the ecological and evolutionary processes driving variation in mating behaviors among populations of New Mexico Spadefoot toads (Spea multiplicata), including sexual selection, climate change, reinforcement, and introgression. During my Masters I studied the sensory ecology of mate signals with Molly Cummings at UT Austin. |
My research uses a combination of field sampling, laboratory experiments, curation/use of long-term datasets, and analysis of acoustic and visual signals. I was very excited to receive a training fellowship for my postdoc to further develop my skills in comparative phyIogenomics and learn genomics methods, in collaboration with Rebecca Safran (CU Boulder), Kira Delmore (TAMU), and Jochen Wolf (LMU-Munich).
I enjoy field work and have extensive experience in the desert Southwest of the USA, as well as British Columbia, Mexico, and the Carribean. I love wildlife and natural spaces, and have particular fondness for desert and montane landscapes. My teaching experience spans 11 years and 8 courses, and I have developed original teaching materials using evidence-based approaches to STEM education.