ABOUT

My research addresses both basic and applied questions on three broad, interconnected themes that complement existing research in your department: 1) tracing energy flow at various levels of biological organization and among a diverse array of taxa; 2) quantifying pollutant loads relative to the physiology and trophic ecology of consumers; and 3) use of endocrinology and isotopes to study reproduction, stress, metabolism, and water balance at the individual level.

Please see my research and publications pages for details. 

I completed my undergraduate, honors, M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in the Department of Zoology & Entomology at the University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa (SA). I gained extensive field and laboratory experience through collaborations with various institutions, conducting research on a variety of taxa. My early career work focused on aquatic ecology. My training expanded into marine ecosystems after spending 13 months on Marion Island. I developed biochemical biomarkers during my Ph.D. assess how the physiology or organism respond to environmental changes. This endeavor combines compound-specific isotope analysis with demographic, telemetry, pollutant and steroid data. I work on reptiles, turtles, birds, and marine mammals with international collaborators. I have also expanded my research to desert ecosystems by co-leading a monthly small mammal trapping program at the Sevilleta Long-Term Ecological Research (SEV-LTER) site in central New Mexico and am collecting blood samples from a guild of reptiles across habitats in the American Southwest, conducted in collaboration with the Museum of Southwestern Biology.

As a scientist, educator, and mentor, I pledge to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion of previously underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. I am dedicated to mentoring and teaching the next generation of biologists based on experiential learning; student mentoring is one of the primary reasons why a career in academia appeals to me. The goal is to inspire the next generation of critical thinkers, foster independence, and stimulate creativity.