Hi! I am a research scientist and the Director of the Yale Applied Science Synthesis Program in The Forest School at the Yale School of the Environment.

I am trained as an ecologist with expertise in conservation biology, invasion biology, plant ecology, community ecology, and ecosystem ecology. I conduct research on how humans can make informed decisions on how to best protect and conserve landscapes, ecosystems, and all the species that lives within them. I work with a variety of scientists, land managers, and policymakers to focus my research questions and share my results. you can read more specifics about my research here.

Prior to moving to YSE, I was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh where I ran an empirical research lab in plant ecology and invasion biology. My research training includes postdoctoral positions with the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and the Smith Conservation Fellows Program, a PhD from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee and a BS from the Department of Entomology & Wildlife Conservation at the University of Delaware.

I am excited to be the inaugural director of this new program, where we envision to be a space for open collaboration among practitioners, academics, and policymakers to develop applied science that guides sustainable land management.

Please take a look around and get in touch if you have any questions or are interested in collaborating with YASSP!

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