ABOUT ME
I am the Supervisor for the Long Term Resource Monitoring element - Lake City Field Station (MN DNR), we are part of the 5-state collaborative Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program.
Broadly, my research interests lie at the intersection of ecosystem change and human decision-making. I am particularly interested in understanding the emergent system properties arising from short-term dynamics and long-term change - such that we may consider innovative levers for positive systemic change. I have experience in river ecology, mussel biology/ecology, and resource management in Minnesota, and agricultural land management, landscape hydrologic processes, and farm policy in Idaho & Washington, and lake ecosystem ecology and social psychology in the New England the Mid-Atlantic.
RESEARCH AREAS
Socio-Environmental Systems
(or coupled-natural human systems)
Complex environmental issues require diverse disciplinary perspectives encompassing natural and social sciences. The connections and feedbacks that define how humans relate to the environment.
Landscape Ecology; Ecosystem Ecology
Here, I am most interested in the connection between landscape and regional processes and freshwater ecosystem structure and function.
Translational Ecology
Incorporating decision-makers (e.g., home owners, policy makers) into the research process will build capacity for communities to achieve environmental goals and improve research applicability. Importantly, scientists need to truly value what others bring to the table, especially in terms of experience, knowledge, and application.
Systems Thinking and Transdisciplinary Research
Innovative solutions lie in the space between sectors. I'm interested in partnerships that leverage the strengths of academia, government, the private sector, and more. I enjoy thinking about our role as scientists in the broader societal system - and thinking creatively about how to initiate positive change.
EDUCATION
2016 - 2021
Virginia Tech
Ph.D. in Biological Sciences
2013 - 2015
University of Idaho
M.S. in Water Resources Science & Management
2006 - 2010
University of Wisconsin - Madison
B.S. in Biology; Environmental Studies