Research

BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY and EVOLUTION INTERESTS — My research goal is to understand how interactions with community members contribute to the evolution and maintenance of behavioral phenotypes. Three research avenues that further this goal are 1) exploring how collective behavior functions in response to community interactions, 2) investigating how mating decisions are influenced by the biological community, and 3) evaluating whether the functions, costs, and benefits of such behaviors vary among populations or species.

SCHOLARSHIP of TEACHING and LEARNING INTERESTS — I am interested in benefits of integrating research with undergraduate classroom learning, and in how classroom content on the “nature of science” (e.g. how knowledge is constructed, how scientists think about problems, and the creative process of research) affects student knowledge and attitudes about science.