Originally from Houston, Texas, I completed a bachelor's degree in Zoology and a minor in Wildlife Ecology at Oklahoma State University in 2016, and a Master's in Zoology in 2018.

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Ever since I was a child I have been fascinated with wildlife, particularly anything cute and furry, and always tried to bring home way too many stray cats and dogs growing up. This passion influenced my decision to pursue a degree in Zoology and I always figured I would end up working with mammals. However, life had other plans for me.

As an undergraduate, I conducted research in the lab of Dr. Shawn Wilder, where I worked with jumping spiders. My research focused on how carbohydrates affect movement and physiology in Phidippus audax. Specifically, I examined how sugar affects respiration in P. audax, whether P. audax spends more time near a source of carbohydrates, and whether these spiders show a preference for UV florescence. Working in the Wilder lab introduced me to the field of nutritional ecology and, as a huge mammal lover, gave me a new found appreciation for working with invertebrates. 

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I conducted my Master's thesis research in the Wilder lab. My thesis research combined my experience in nutritional ecology with my interest in anthropogenic impacts on wildlife. I examined the impacts of climate change on plant-herbivore interactions using a Brussel's sprout-cabbage white butterfly study system. 

 

I currently work as an Adjunct Instructor for the Integrative Biology Department at OSU, where I oversee introductory biology labs and train new TAs. My career goal is to work with a wildlife department to work on implementing conservation and  management plans for wildlife. In my free time I enjoy going birding and spending time with my cat, Sophie.