About

I am a Ph.D. student in the Zipkin Lab at Michigan State University. My dissertation work is focused on understanding the demographic and environmental drivers that shape avian populations and communities. I collaborate with several different groups on a diverse set of research questions. I work with federal agency partners as part of the Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species [GoMMAPPS] to develop study design approaches for at-sea aerial surveys and models to estimate the factors influencing seabird distributions and abundance. I am also working with collaborators at National Audubon Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop statistical models to understand the best management approaches to abate declines and recover threatened species' populations in the face of climate change. Prior to my Ph.D. work, I received my M.S. in Fish and Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech where I studied seabird behavior and demography. I am broadly interested in using novel statistical methods to understand how global change is expected to affect the distributions and demography of bird populations and communities.