Research
Research
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My research lives at the interface of mathematics and biology, specifically the mathematical modeling of population dynamics in ecology, evolutionary biology, and epidemiology. I'm especially drawn to models of birds, bats, plants, and paleoecosystems. The questions this work can answer are concrete ones, like "How long until this population goes extinct?" or "How many people must we vaccinate to eradicate this disease?"
The parts of mathematical modeling I most enjoy are parameter estimation, model selection, and agent-based modeling. Parameter estimation works backwards: instead of computing a model's output, you start with data and try to recover the parameters that best explain it. Model selection asks which model best represents a system, balancing simplicity against fit. Agent-based models let us track individuals separately, each with its own behavior, rather than aggregating them into a single population; they're especially good for showing that a particular behavior is enough to cause some system-level pattern.
I've applied these to dog domestication (covered in National Geographic, Live Science, and the American Kennel Club), pollen competition, white-nose syndrome in bats, the overkill of mammoths, and the de-extinction of passenger pigeons. Much of this happens alongside undergraduate students, many of whom go on to publish original findings. If that sounds like the kind of work you'd like to do, let me know!
Publication List
Publication List
Undergraduate Research Mentored
Undergraduate Research Mentored
James Madison University
19. Clarissa Azurin, Lois Carpenter, and Grace Gorreck, "Optimizing the Distribution of Fruiting Agave on Bat-Friendly Tequila Plantations" JMU Math REU 2025.
18. Bethany Droubay, “Modeling Bacterial Control of White-Nose Syndrome in Bats" Summer 2025.
17. Josephine Funderburg, “A Simulation of the Population Dynamics and Life History of Maiasaura,” FYRE 2025.
16. Haynes Scholar Program cohort of 17 students, co-mentored with Dr. Laura Tipton, “Modeling White-Nose Syndrome in Bats," MATH 297 Spring 2025.
15. Griffin Mahoney, “A Simulation of the Population Dynamics and Life History of Maiasaura,” FYRE 2024.
Valparaiso University
14. Nathan Randle, “Estimating Average Boston Marathon Time from the Winning Times,” Summer 2020.
13. Charlotte Beckford, Montana Ferita, and Julie Fucarino, “Biomath Modeling: Pollen Competition” VERUM 2019.
12. Ryan Kulwicki, “Agent-based Modeling of the Evolution of the Domestic Dog,” MATH 497-498, 2018-19.
11. Katherine Bassett, in consultation with Dr. Rob Swanson and his student Craig Garzella,”Agent-based Modeling of Pollen Competition,” MATH 496, Spring 2018.
10. Ashley Hire, Samuel Iselin, Michael Revor “Mathematical Modeling of the Evolution of the Domestic Dog,” MATH 496, 2017-18.
9. Eva Cornwell, David Elzinga, Shelby Stowe, “Mathematical Modeling in Ecology: White-Nose Syndrome in North American Bats,” VERUM 2017.
8. Matthew Klapman, “A Simulation of Anthropogenic Mammoth Extinction,” MATH 497-498, 2016-17.
7. Jordan Bauer, “Mathematical Modeling of Vaccination Noncompliance,” summer 2016, MATH 492, Spring 2017.
6. Samuel Iselin, Shannon Segin, in consultation with Dr. Laurie Eberhardt and her students Sylas Buller, Kathleen Hebble, “An Agent-Based Modeling Approach to Determine Winter Survival Rates of American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds,” MATH 492, 2015-16.
5. Erin Boggess, Jordan Collignon, Alanna Riederer, “Mathematical Modeling in Ecology: Simulating the Reintroduction of the Extinct Passenger Pigeon,” VERUM 2015.
4. Michael Frank, Anneliese Slaton, Teresa Tinta, “Mathematical Modeling in Ecology: What Killed the Mammoth?” VERUM 2013.
3. Ana Eveler, Tayler Grashel, Abby Kenyon, Jessica Richardson, “Optimizing the Allocation of Vaccines in the Presence of Multiple Strains of the Influenza Virus,” MATH 492, 2012-13.
2. Sydney Philipps, Dan Rossi, Rachel Von Arb, “Mathematical Models in Infectious Diseases: Multistrain Infections in Metapopulations,” VERUM 2011.
1. Teryn Gehred, Justin Nettrouer, Patrick Slattery, “Modeling Humans Vs. Zombies with Differential Equations,” MATH 492, 2010-11.
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