About Me
I'm a Ph.D. Candidate at Utah State University, where I study the physiological adaptations that animals use to survive in changing environments. I normally work with lizards, but have also worked on newts, fish, alligators, turtles, and other animals. I have lots of research interests, so check out my CV if you're interested in learning more.
Education
Dissertation Projects
Urbanization Physiology
We've been looking at the effects of urbanization on the physiology of side-blotched lizards since 2012, and it's now one of the more expansive datasets of its kind.
Ph.D. (scheduled graduation May 2017)
Utah State University; Logan, Utah
Dissertation: Natural and anthropogenic factors affecting life-history trade-offs in the side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana)
Latitude and Life-history
We've been investigating how side-blotched lizards invest in their immune and reproductive systems across a 1000 km latitudinal gradient, from Oregon to southern Utah.
Metabolic Costs of Physiological Processes
With collaborators at Arizona State University, I have been conducting experiments to measure the energetic costs of different immune responses. I have also been looking at how these responses occur when the animals are facing increased reproductive investment and limited resources.
Master of Science (Biology; 2010)
University of Central Arkansas; Conway, Arkansas
Thesis: Do habitat characteristics limit population densities of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in Arkansas?
Bachelor's of Science (Biology; 2008)
University of Central Arkansas; Conway, Arkansas