I’m a PhD student in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Canterbury, and I am interested in how microbial communities shape ecosystems. My current research, funded by Bioprotection Aotearoa, focuses on the history of fungal pathogen interactions with trees on the Banks Peninsula with the goal of informing restoration efforts. Specifically, I’m interested in identifying past fungal populations and how disease outbreaks throughout time have impacted historically forested areas, acting as ecosystem drivers to shape the Banks Peninsula as we know it today.

I’m from the US and did my BS in marine biology at Western Washington University (2023). There, I researched the population dynamics, life cycle, and paleoecological relevance of snow algae (a group that grows on snow surfaces in alpine environments). Before starting my PhD, I worked as a research technician at UC Santa Barbara, studying the evolution and ecology of mixotrophic marine microbes.

Outside of academia, I like to spend time mountain biking, rock climbing, and eating snacks