Sustainability Leadership Fellow Cohort: 2022-2023

Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Agricultural Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology

Research Summary: As an evolutionary ecologist, I study how organisms evolve when they encounter new environments, especially in systems of management concern, like invasive species. How fast invasive species spread has been difficult to predict in the past, especially when evolution of species was not considered. But, during invasions, evolution can be very rapid and can greatly impact population growth and spread. I study how an insect that helps control an invasive tree is evolving while spreading into new environments. This will improve our predictions of its rate of spread and make management of other invasive species more effective and sustainable.

Advisor: Ruth Hufbauer