Combining mathematics and experiments lets us understand how and why populations can have outbreak cycles.
Research
I study the interaction between individual-scale life histories and the dynamics of populations and communities, which are key to understanding things like insect outbreak cycles and eco-evolutionary dynamics. My lab combines mathematical modeling, laboratory experiments, and field-based mesocosm experiments in a range of invertebrate systems from freshwater zooplankton to tortrix moths.
Teaching
Biological systems interact at scales from cells to ecosystems, and one of the interesting challenges is to figure out what processes are most important. My classes emphasize connections across disciplines and the role of innovative approaches to solving biological problems.
Topics
- Biostatistics
- Community ecology
- Invertebrate diversity
