I am a marine ecologist interested in using integrative approaches to understand and predict community responses to climate change. Currently, I am a post-doctoral researcher in the Kremer Lab in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
My post-doc research primarily focuses on the thermal performance and distribution of marine phytoplankton. Previous research conducted as a doctoral student in the Sorte Lab at the University of California, Irvine has focused on the direct and indirect effects of climate change across ecological scales, from physiological responses to temperature at the individual level to changes in ecosystem functioning as species undergo range shifts. I have worked in several systems including temperate rocky intertidal and benthic communities, coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. I use a combination of fieldwork, manipulative experiments, and theory to understand and predict how marine communities are likely to respond to their changing environments.
While scientific research is essential for expanding our understanding of the natural world, I believe that education and outreach are vital components of effecting greater change. In addition to research, I also participate in a number of diverse outreach programs.