Research Interests:
I am interested in understanding the impacts of rapid environmental change to ecological systems. I received my B.S. from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Environmental Studies. After graduating, I began working as a scientific aid with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), primarily conducting the field work for a genetic mark-recapture deer population study. While in this position, I gained hands on experience with a wide variety of wildlife survey methods and species, including deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, pacific fisher, Swanson’s hawk, and porcupine. My experience with CDFW has fostered an interest in contributing to science-based wildlife management. I plan to gear my research and career towards informing resource management practices in the face of climate change.
Current Research:
I am currently a master’s student in the MECU and partnered with CDFW to study the impacts of large-scale wildfires on deer population. This study is focused on the effects of the 2018 Ranch Fire, located primarily in the Mendocino National Forest in California. I plan to analyze changes in population numbers, habitat utilization, and diet of deer after the Ranch Fire to help inform wildlife management strategies and adapt to the increasing frequency of fire in California.