As an urban ecologist I am interested in the impact of human activities on the functioning of freshwater ecosystems and the cascading effect on human communities and societies. My research has focused on urban and forested stream ecosystems and how human-driven stressors (organic and inorganic chemical contaminants, heat, and hydrologic "flashiness") impact primary and secondary biological production, food web interactions, and the resulting fate and transport of chemical contaminants. I'm particularly interested in engaging stakeholders within the broader community to conduct research and communicate results to inform water resource management decisions and policies. My research engages concepts, theories, and methods from the fields of biological, chemical, and social sciences. In particular: ecosystem and community ecology, environmental chemistry, biogeochemistry, and ecotoxicology.
I am an ecology PhD candidate within the interdisciplinary Duke University River Center, with a planned defense in April 2024. My PhD studies began in Fall 2019, and I am co-advised by Dr. Emily Bernhardt and Dr. Martin Doyle. |