My Research Experience

*Image of my broad research experience was generated with Gemini.

From Flies to Forests: A Journey Through the Web of Life

Scientific research often requires a deep dive into narrow questions, but some researchers pursue a broader path, following biological phenomena across levels of organization, species, and ecosystems. My research journey has taken me across this continuum: from the microscopic scale of chromosomes in house flies to the sweeping patterns of forest composition under climate change.

🧬 Fly Genomics: Unraveling the Blueprint of Life

My early work began at the genomic level, focusing on the chromosomes of house flies. I explored the architecture of their chromosomes to understand how genetic variation is structured and maintained. This foundational research deepened my appreciation for the regulatory networks and evolutionary constraints shaping genomes.

🪲 Insect Disease Dynamics: Pathogens in Action

I then moved into the dynamic world of disease ecology, studying how pathogens spread through populations of flour beetles. This work connected molecular biology with ecological interactions, examining how host-pathogen relationships evolve and persist. What drives pathogen persistence or collapse?

🌻 Sunflower Evolution: Diversity in Bloom

My next research objective scaled up to Helianthus, the sunflower genus, a group renowned for its adaptive radiation and hybridization. Here, I examined patterns of genetic divergence and speciation, connecting molecular evolution with macroevolutionary trends. Sunflowers offer a compelling case study in how plants evolve across ecological gradients, especially as they form new species through hybridization—a process that can be both creative and chaotic.

This project gave me a systems-level view of evolution, where selection, gene flow, and genetic drift leave fingerprints in the genome, often influenced by the landscape and ecological pressures.

🌲 Forest & Climate: Modeling Future Ecosystems

My work scales up even more as I study how climate change influences forest species composition. Using simulation models, I explore how warming temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and forest management practices reshape species regeneration and community dynamics.

By integrating species-specific regeneration processes—like seed production and seedling establishment—into predictive models, I aim to provide more realistic projections of future forest structure and biodiversity. This work is critical not only for understanding ecological responses but also for informing sustainable forest management in an era of rapid environmental change.

Why It Matters

From chromosomes to canopies, my research bridges scales to address a central theme: how biological systems respond to change. Whether it's genetic variation in flies or forest resilience under climate stress, these questions are interlinked by evolutionary and ecological processes. Understanding them requires not just depth, but breadth—and a willingness to cross boundaries between disciplines.

Science doesn’t always follow a straight line, and neither has my path. But in that diversity of experience lies a unique perspective: one that sees connections across levels of life, from the genes of an insect to the shifting canopy of a forest.