Education

Research Area

By training I am a marine ecologist, with specific interests in the study of kelp forest and coral reef ecosystems. My research focuses on the ecology of coastal marine organisms, their role in nearshore ecosystems, and the response of these ecosystems to environmental change and human impacts. My work is fundamentally empirical and field-based, and I pair field observations and experiments with cutting-edge laboratory analyses, statistical approaches, and modeling tools. My research questions range from early life stages to whole ecosystems, including: (1) understanding connectivity among populations and habitats via movements of larval and of older life stages; (2) investigation of the causes and consequences of demographic and life history variation among populations; and (3) evaluation of changes in the structure and function of kelp forest and coral reef communities associated with marine protection. My research is multi-disciplinary and conservation oriented, and as such, relies on strong collaboration with scientists from a variety of disciplines.