About

I am currently a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology program at Washington University in Saint Louis. I am in the lab of Michael Landis, where we develop mathematical models to study evolution.

My work focuses on phylgenetic methods for historical biogeography. I am especially interested in investigating the relationships between evolving lineages and their environments, developing models that incorporate paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental information alongside phylogenetic and species range data. I have done work on both lizards and plants, but herpetology will always have my heart.

Methods development also involves the creation of user-friendly software, tutorials, and workshops. To make the phylogenetic software required to run our models more approachable, I created a containerized set of programs using Docker. The PhyloDocker image allows users to bypass the lengthy installation process and version compatibility problems. I also participated in the creation of a series of RevBayes tutorials and teaching materials for the Phylogenetic Biogeography Workshop, which I co-instructed at Washington University in Saint Louis (June 2024) and at Evolution (June 2025).

I am also committed to teaching and pedagogical research. I have obtained a Teaching Citation and completed the Professional Development in Teaching program through the Washington University Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), which involved several teaching and mentorship experiences, workshops, and the implementation of an education research project. My project centers on assessing the efficacy of the Phylogenetic Biogeography Workshop and the activities we incorporated. I was also awarded a graduate student fellowship by the CTL, and will be working on developing and implementing programming for other students starting in the fall.

My career goals are to teach biology at a primarily undergraduate institution, to mentor undergraduate researchers, and to continue engaging in pedagogical research. I am planning to defend my dissertation in Summer 2026, and I will be applying to positions starting this fall. A full CV can be found here: CV