I’m excited to share that I started a short-term internship this week with Atlanta Botanical Garden, where I’ll be working on the population genetics of rare and imperiled plants.

This opportunity is especially exciting because it allows me to build experience in genetics and wet lab techniques, areas that are new to me and I’m eager to develop.

I’m very grateful to University of Georgia - Franklin College of Arts and Sciences for funding this experience through the ASCEND Award, and to Atlanta Botanical Garden for hosting me and providing the opportunity to learn from their team.

I’m looking forward to the skills, collaborations, and discoveries ahead!

The fourth year of my Trillium persistens demography censuses are underway! With state and federal partners, I am working to better understand the drivers behind recent population declines in this federally endangered species. Excited to be back in the field and digging deeper into these dynamics! 

I’m excited to share a new commentary I just published in collaboration with my advisor, Dr. Megan DeMarche - Uniting Range and Phenological Shifts to Better Understand Effects of Climate Change on Communities (https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70764).

We discuss an interesting new paper by Ramirez-Parada et al. showing that shifts in phenology and species ranges can synergistically change both the timing and composition of flowering communities under climate change. It’s a great example of why we need to think about spatial and temporal responses together when considering how communities are being reshaped. 

I am incredibly honored to receive the Wilbur Duncan Outstanding Graduate Student Award from my department. This recognition would not have been possible without the constant support of my mentors, collaborators, friends, and family. Their guidance and encouragement have been instrumental in my academic journey, and I am deeply grateful for the community that has supported me throughout this process. 

I’m excited to share that I was recently awarded an ASCEND Award from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at UGA to support a research internship at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. During this internship, I will investigate the population genetics of the critically imperiled mountain purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea var. montana) and assess how well its genotypes are represented in safeguarded populations maintained by botanical gardens.

Photo Credit: Michael Kunz, North Carolina Botanical Garden

Working with state agencies and Tennessee Valley Authority partners, we have established long-term demographic monitoring of the federally listed Pityopsis ruthii, a species endemic to two riverbeds in East Tennessee. Our goal is to understand how hydrology and dam releases influence populations of this highly threatened plant.

Just got back from an incredible experience contributing to a 30-year plant demographic study in the Alaskan Arctic. What an amazing, beautiful, and wild place. Can’t wait to go back! 

Had an amazing time at Evolution 2025— Grateful for the chance to share my work on how phenological shifts are impacting plant fitness. Until next time!

I had a wonderful experience presenting my spring wildflower phenology research at the British Ecological Society Meeting in Liverpool! So many great connections and future collaborations.

Just wrapped up a fantastic weekend at the Southeastern Population Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Meeting! Great talks, conversations, and amazing people. Honored to be recognized as the runner-up in the student lightning talk competition!