University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

I am broadly interested in population and conservation genetics. Research in my lab focuses on using molecular methods to inform conservation and management of species in the wild and in zoos. We also investigate the evolutionary responses of populations to intensive management (in wild, semi-wild, and captive zoo populations) by studying the genetic effects of alternative management strategies, evaluating reintroduction schemes and post-release monitoring, and developing better genetic management of captive populations. We use genetic and genomic methods in non-model species, often where samples have been collected non-invasively or are from museum or other natural history collections. As a result, we employ a wide variety of analytical and statistical approaches to assess genetic variation across landscapes.

I also advise the conservation and management community on the use of molecular approaches in conservation as a member of several advisory groups, including the IUCN Conservation Genetics Specialist Group, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Molecular Data for Population Management Scientific Advisory Group, the Society for Conservation Biology’s Conservation Genetics Working Group, and The Wildlife Society’s Molecular Ecology Working Group.

I received my BS in Genetic Engineering from Cedar Crest College and PhD in Wildlife Genetics from Purdue University, and did postdoctoral work at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoological Park.

Google Scholar page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TkIj07sAAAAJ&hl=en