About Me

Checking out the Frontage Glacier in Alaska during the Animal Behavior Society Meeting

I was born and raised in Connecticut. My interest in ecology started as a youngster, staring up at the massive dinosaur skeletons at the Yale Peabody Museum, wondering what it would be like to observe such a creature in the wild. In August, 2014, I married my high school sweetheart, Clare, who inspires me to go after my dreams, no matter how difficult that may be, but also to loosen up and have fun and relax as well. We are the proud cat parents of adopted INDOOR cats, Pauly and Tortie.

 

 

Although science is my passion, I enjoy all sorts of subjects and activities: history, politics, fiction reading and writing. I love learning and discussing any topic. I am first and foremost a writer and communicator at heart, and I love visualizing models, systems and abstractions and communicating them to people. The outdoors is where I truly belong, and every chance I get I will go hiking, biking, camping, kayaking and anything that gets into the sun or the water. I am also into music and audio-visual arts: creating it, going to concerts and film screenings, editing and listening to any and all genres. I’ve been in bands, musicals, and recorded music as well. My “art” hobbies are in the audio-video realm, and I’m one of the few that enjoys the torture of locking myself in an editing room for nine hours straight with nothing but pizza and caffeine.

Another passion of mine is travel and experiencing new things. I attained a pilot license, SCUBA PADI open water certificate, and will try almost anything when I get the opportunity. I love travel and experiencing new foods, cultures, and ecosystems.

My main goal in life is to give back to this world through my efforts in conservation research, activism, outreach, and volunteering. I feel so fortunate to be born in a time and a place that affords me the ability to work in a profession I love. Community service projects, teaching the next generation, getting the public excited about science and aiding in ecological conservation are just as important to me as research and professional development.