I completed undergraduate pre-med tract; Bachelor of Science in Biology and Associates of Science in Chemistry (I also completed a minor in Geology). I had a three-year internship with my university a... nd local health departments and studied the epidemiology of West Nile Virus and the ecology of its vector to our area, mosquitoes. I also got to inform locals about how to stop breeding grounds on their properties and led a large (>100) student volunteer project. I really enjoyed the field ecology components and furthered my career upon them and my love of paleoecology instead of the stressors of forefront virology. I do, however, study mass extinction events and global climate change and these topics bring their own weight upon them. From my postdoctoral research in coral reef disturbance ecology and evolutionary biology, reefs will survive in one form or another by their relative timeframes; but, our dependency upon them in our timeframes can only be necessitated through ecological awareness and sustainable resource practices. read more

I live in Louisville, Kentucky - home to the largest outcropping of Devonian (290 million years ago) coral reefs! The ample fossils nearby spurred my investigation into reefs from an early age, culmin... ating in my studying Scleractinian coral reef ecology on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia for my Doctor of Philosophy in Coral reef ecology. All drains lead to the ocean, and the outcropping of Devonian reef here was the lower section of what extends underground to upper New York State. Our ancient reef would have been very similar in form and function (although less diverse overall) as the Great Barrier Reef is today! We have this ancient reef to thank for all of our freshwater fish diversity across the United States! I have a genuine passion for studying life and celebrating it! I encourage positive psychology - which means both addressing your strengths and weaknesses to moderate your individual skill set! I like to help students plan for their futures, and I hope to see others achieve their dreams with less strife than I’ve endured.read more