I received a B.S. in Biology at the University of Minnesota, Duluth and a Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior at Indiana University and conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Glasgow in Scotland before beginning my faculty position at NDSU.
Areas of Study & Research
Physiological and evolutionary ecology
Research in the lab is focused on understanding how organisms cope with environmental challenges and the long-term consequence of stress exposures. This information is increasingly urgent and will be essential for forecasting variation in resiliency. We are currently investigating the influence of rapidly changing environmental conditions on body size along a latitudinal gradient and the influence of developmental stress exposure on the pace of aging.
Most of our research is conducted on house sparrows, a widespread songbird introduced to the U.S. and a model species in evolutionary ecology. However, the techniques we use can be readily applied to other systems and we enjoy collaborations with researchers working on diverse organisms (e.g., other birds and more recently bees). Please read more about our research and the research team here.
Courses Taught
Undergraduate: Evolution, Endocrinology, Ornithology
Graduate: Evolution, Integrative Biology, Biology of Aging, Ethics