PhD Candidate
Room 139 Giltner Hall
Department of Integrative Biology
Michigan State University
Research Interests
I am dual PhD candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology and the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program. My research interests include evolutionary biology broadly, but especially the evolution of unique reproductive traits. Reproduction is a pivotal part of an organism’s life and a species’ continued survival and therefore is ripe with opportunity for evolutionary forces (including male-male competition and cryptic female choice) to bring about new reproductive traits or even bring about the loss of traits.
My dissertation research in the Gallant lab focuses on the reproductive biology of mormyrid fishes with a special interest in their tail-less sperm cells. My work aims to 1) investigate the genetic basis of sperm aflagellism in mormyrids, 2) determine if there are pleiotropic consequences of this genetic basis for somatic cilia (a structure that is similar to flagella), and 3) to examine the understudied mormyrid eggs in greater detail.
Science Communication and Outreach
I am passionate about sharing the joy of science with others thorugh science communication and outreach efforts. Much science outreach foucses on reaching K12 audiences, but my projects have primarily focused on reaching what some may consider “non-traditional” outreach audiences such as local bar patrons, cat cafe customers, pop culture convention attendees, and the online crochet community. My goals with this work are to bring science to people who may not otherwise engage with it and to make that science accessible and enjoyable. To learn more about my science communication and outreach efforts, check out my LinkedIn or Instagram pages linked above.