About

I grew up in Champaign, Illinois, also home to a university I would later attend. I was raised by an American mother who taught me to love reading and writing, and an English father who taught me about research and science. My twin brother taught me to be ambitious (and maybe just a little bit competitive). These traits and skills have led me to pursue my PhD and a career in research.  I couldn't have gotten to where I am today without their support.

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I've known since early childhood that I wanted to work with animals, but I didn't find my career path until I was doing my undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). I was hired as a  research technician over the summer of 2015 for the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) and helped with a bold-shy behavior study on largemouth bass, after which I was hooked on the field of animal behavior. I stayed on with the INHS and worked on a similar study of my own with bluegill sunfish. After graduating from UIUC, I worked at the Chicago Zoological Society and the Smithsonian National Zoological Park on two animal behavior internships. Working with zoos has been a great way to combine my interests in animals, conservation, and outreach. While I was finding my niche in the field, I also gained experience working in animal husbandry and animal education with many species including farm animals, household pets, and lab animals. 

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In 2020, I started my PhD at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in Dr. Todd Freeberg's Comparative Communication Lab. We use mixed-species flocks of Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, and white-breasted nuthatches to examine how different species interact in a naturally forming mixed-species group. I studied communication and personality for my primary research during this time. At UTK, I had  the opportunity to work with other graduate students and faculty to explore new research interests, like animal play. Most recently, I have joined the Peleg Lab and the BioFrontiers Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder (CUB) as a postdoctoral associate to study communication across various species of invertebrates. I have also been fortunate to find time to continue to volunteer with local zoos to assist with their welfare research.

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I brought my love of animals home, and our current small menagerie includes a very friendly cat and a shyer corn snake. Over the years I've enjoyed several hobbies outside of research, from playing the trumpet to creating sets for local theater productions. Currently, when I'm not working you can usually find me reading, hiking, or playing video games with my lovely partner.