I am a post-doctoral research associate in Eric DeChaine's lab at Western Washington University. I study patterns of genetic diversity in wild organisms (especially mammals, but also plants and helminth endoparasites) to try to understand how historical influences such as glaciations and climatic fluctuations influenced their population histories, and ultimately their evolution. This work opens a window onto the past that may provide insight into the potential effects of current and future environmental changes.

Research and teaching in the biological sciences open doors to exploration and discovery. For me this has manifested itself most vividly in field expeditions into remote parts of Siberia, Alaska, China, and North America's Intermountain West (where the above photos were taken), but it is also evident in the thrill of examining new data or in helping a student to reach a new level of biological understanding. On this site you will find information on the research and teaching projects that have fostered my enthusiasm for biology over the years, and you will meet some of the folks who have played a big roll in shaping my growth as a biologist.

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