Research Interests: I am interested in how humans have and continue to alter predator-prey interactions in urban systems. My dissertation work has focused on assessing the role of humans in mitigating or facilitating hunting behavior in the domestic cat (Felis catus) – an urban predator capable of decimating local vulnerable wildlife, while being incredibly abundant and accessible as study subjects in and out of people’s homes. At MECU, I am using noninvasive fecal DNA metabarcoding as a tool to assess owned cats’ consumption of wild prey.
Prior to my PhD work, I received my B.S. in Biology at Temple University, where I studied the evolutionary biology of Anolis lizards, and the ecology of deep-sea corals.
Current Research: My current research focuses on assessing movement and diet of domestic cats across the San Francisco Bay and Central Valley areas. I am also actively involved with Dr. Jenn Smith’s research on the California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) in Briones Regional Park, specifically on their consumption of voles.