Topics for the Classroom:
- Forest and Fire Ecology
- General Ecology
- Plant Ecology
- Plant Succession
- Plant Distribution
What I Bring to the Classroom:
I enjoy teaching and love to introduce students to the world of plants. Many students are surprised simply by the diversity of species in the prairies and forests in their own backyards, and the Wyoming landscape offers endless opportunity to teach about many areas of this amazing field.
Education:
- B.A. in Environmental Science (Biology emphasis) and minor in Anthropology: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- M.S. in Biology: University of Nebraska-Omaha
- PhD. in Ecology: University of Wyoming (in progress)
Current Research:
I study forest ecology with an emphasis on climate variability, fire, and their interaction and influence on species distribution. I study these effects using western red cedar in Glacier National Park (NW Montana). I am also interested in identifying how cedar regenerates at the edge of its distribution, and how regeneration affects its successional status in the region. I have also done work on oak savanna restoration and deciduous forest succession following long-term removal of fire in the Loess Hills of western Iowa.
Background:
I have wanted to be a scientist since 2nd grade, and I started getting passionate about plant biology around the same time. I first focused specifically on plant ecology during work for my B.A. at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where I studied the incredible diversity of the short-grass prairie of western Nebraska. My work there got me interested in fire ecology, which I applied to the study of oak savannas during my M.S. at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Now I study fire and climate effects on forests in one of the most beautiful places, Glacier National Park. Throughout my graduate career I have been a teaching assistant for a wide variety of biology based classes.
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