About

I grew up in a western suburb of Chicago, IL called Downers Grove. Not far from my hometown, I completed my B.S. in Biology at a small liberal arts college called North Central College where I got interested in grassland ecology, nutrient dynamics and plant-microbe interactions from my variety of undergraduate research experiences.

I moved two states away from Illinois to start my graduate program at the University of Kansas where I have begun work with Sara Baer. In the Baer lab, I investigate broadly how environmental heterogeneity and soil resource availability affect plant community diversity and ecosystem functioning in a long-term restored prairie. I also look at how reduced precipitation and long-term nutrient fertilization may interact with plant community diversity, soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity, and aboveground productivity in restored prairie.

Outside of research, I enjoy being active in the KU EEB Graduate Student Organization and have co-managed the KU Community Garden where garden grown produce is donated to local food pantries.