About Me
In 2019, I joined the laboratory of Dr. Chelsea Wood as a Washington Research Foundation postdoctoral fellow. I am using compound-specific stable isotope analysis of museum specimens from the UW Fish Collection to reconstruct century-long change in the trophic position of Puget Sound fishes. In conjunction with this project I am also examining these specimens to quantify and describe how parasite abundance and diversity have changed over time.
From 2016-2019, I was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Prof Nico Smit as a Claude Leon Foundation of South Africa postdoctoral fellow. As part of the Water Research Group, I conducted in-situ field studies to quantify the activity patterns and prevalence of numerous ectoparasites. I also traveled extensively to collect rare cymothoid parasites in order to identify them using both morphological and molecular approaches.
From 2010-2015, I completed my dissertation research in the laboratory of Dr. Paul Sikkel. I studied the direct and indirect effects of Caribbean cymothoid skin-infesting parasites on fish energetics, behavior and trophic interactions. I also participated in numerous studies examining the activity patterns and preferences of gnathiid ectoparasitic isopods.
From 2008-2010, I completed my Masters research in the laboratory of Dr. Jeanette Wyneken. I conducted a retrospective analysis of sea turtle nest depredation patterns using a 40-year dataset and contemporary field data collection.
My work has come full circle as I am still studying predator-prey interactions via fish–parasite trophic dynamics and collecting information from large (100-year old!) datasets.
From 2016-2019, I was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Prof Nico Smit as a Claude Leon Foundation of South Africa postdoctoral fellow. As part of the Water Research Group, I conducted in-situ field studies to quantify the activity patterns and prevalence of numerous ectoparasites. I also traveled extensively to collect rare cymothoid parasites in order to identify them using both morphological and molecular approaches.
From 2010-2015, I completed my dissertation research in the laboratory of Dr. Paul Sikkel. I studied the direct and indirect effects of Caribbean cymothoid skin-infesting parasites on fish energetics, behavior and trophic interactions. I also participated in numerous studies examining the activity patterns and preferences of gnathiid ectoparasitic isopods.
From 2008-2010, I completed my Masters research in the laboratory of Dr. Jeanette Wyneken. I conducted a retrospective analysis of sea turtle nest depredation patterns using a 40-year dataset and contemporary field data collection.
My work has come full circle as I am still studying predator-prey interactions via fish–parasite trophic dynamics and collecting information from large (100-year old!) datasets.