Welcome!

I am a biologist, natural historian, and educator whose research explores how organisms interact with their environments across multiple spatial and temporal scales. My work integrates field ecology, natural history, conservation biology, museum collections, and quantitative analysis to better understand biodiversity and inform conservation. My research is interdisciplinary, encompassing largely herpetology and botany, with broader interests in ecology and the ecological processes that shape natural systems.

I also direct the TMCC Natural History Museum, a teaching museum that integrates scientific collections into undergraduate education, research, and public outreach. The museum provides students with hands-on experience in specimen preparation, curation, collections management, biodiversity documentation, and museum-based research while promoting stewardship of the natural world. Through its mission of discovery, preservation, education, and research, the museum advances scientific understanding while serving both our students and the broader community.

As a professor, I emphasize experiential learning and authentic scientific inquiry. I believe that natural history provides a foundation for understanding ecological systems, and I integrate meaningful opportunities for students to participate in research that develops scientific skills while contributing to biodiversity conservation and our understanding of the natural world.