Education
- Ph.D Evolution, Ecology and Population Biology – Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- Expected – Winter 2020
- Advisors – Dr. Kenneth Olsen (WUSTL), Dr. Elizabeth Kellogg (DDPSC)
- Thesis topic – The genetic and physiological mechanisms controlling salt tolerance in seashore paspalum
- BSc. Biology – Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
- Received – May 2014
- Advisor – Dr Robert Swanson
- Research topic – The genetic basis of pollen competition and seed weight in Arabidopsis thaliana
Other Research Experience
- Field Research Assistant – Pinney-Purdue Agricultural Center, Wanatah, IN
- May 2012 – November 2013
- Duties – Data collection, experimental design, plant care, outreach with local farmers
- Main projects – Sweetcorn variety trials, Tomato nutrient management
Awards and Funding
- William H. Danforth Plant Science Fellowship, 2015 – 2019
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship – Honorable mention – 2014, 2015
- US Golf Association Turfgrass Improvement Grant – $70,000
- Magna Cum Laude – Valparaiso University – 2014
Teaching
- Teaching Assistant – Bio3501 Evolution (WUSTL) – Fall 2015
- Teaching Assistant – U29Bio525 Biological Evolution (WUSTL) – Summer 2016
- Supplemental instruction leader – Bio171,Bio172 (VU) – Fall 2013, Spring 2014
- Guest lectures
- “Introduction to genetic drift” – Bio3501 – Fall 2017, Fall 2018
- “Mate choice: How and why do female preferences arise?” – Bio3501 – Fall 2019
- “Genomic selection scans” – SLU graduate seminar – Fall 2017
- Grader – Bio3501 Evolution (WUSTL) – Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018
Outreach
- Young Scientist Program – Evolution and Ecology teaching team, 2014 – present
- Young Scientist Program – Materials coordinator – 2017