My Research Focus
I want to understand…
Why certain species adapt to human-centric environments better than others
How behavioral and cognitive flexibility contribute to an animal’s ability to thrive in novel situations
How we can apply these learnings to minimize human-wildlife conflict and improve conservation strategies for areas of increasing anthropogenic impact
Using raccoons as a model to understand the role of behavior and cognitive problem-solving in urban success
Past Projects
American Bison Behavior
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance and the Lambert Lab at CU Boulder
This project explored the relationship between maternal effects, ectoparasite loads, and offspring boldness in a herd of Bison bison living at Daniels Park in Sedalia, CO.
As the primary researcher on this project I collected behavioral samples throughout the summer field season, organized and analyzed the data in RStudio, and wrote and defended the final manuscript to my thesis committee. I received summa cum laude Latin honors for my work.
Ugandan Household Demographics & Farming Outcomes
WELS (Wellbeing, Environment, Livelihoods, & Sustainability) Lab at CU Boulder
This project spans multiple research groups, with data coming from rural Uganda and analysis being conducted in Colorado. This particular paper analyzed household variables such as level of education, highest age, and gender ratio to determine potential correlates with various farming practices and outcomes, including main crop types, strategies for improving soil health, and yield.
Alongside one lab partner I organized and coded the appropriate data and wrote a manuscript for journal submission.
Pilot Research: Yellowstone Canids
Lambert Lab at CU Boulder
Headed by Dr. Joanna Lambert, this pilot project hopes to investigate potential genomic differences between coyotes living with varying levels of human pressures, different predator populations, and a range of available food resources. This research takes on a non-invasive approach to data collection, using fresh scat as the primary samples for analysis.
I served as a temporary field technician for this project.
Coyote Behavior: Urban-Rural Comparisons
Lambert Lab at CU Boulder
This research focused on coyote behavior along an urban-rural gradient in Broomfield, Colorado as part of a Masters thesis. The research team tracked vigilance behaviors, distances from human traffic, flight data, and within-pack interactions for several coyote populations, as well as the presence of both humans and dogs at each field site.
I served as one of two primary field technicians for this project.
POSTER
SESSIONS
Posters are one of my favorite ways to share research. They are a visual-first, intuitive approach to scientific communication that is still widely accepted in academic circles and forces me to summarize my work succinctly, without losing the nuance inherent to the research methodologies.
Here are two posters I created during my undergraduate career for course-based research projects.
