I'm a new Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) and am in the process of setting up my lab.

 

My research explores developmental physiology and phenotypic plasticity as as evolutionary adaptations in response to seasonal and maternal cues. Primarily work on wild wetland migratory birds, especially gulls. Focus on developmental programming that occurs early in embryogenesis, by integrating various experimental, biochemical, physiological, and ecological field techniques.

I am also interested in understanding how we, as students, learn about and integrate information from the world around us. Environmental cues (such as stressors and spatial landscapes) interact with our inherent neurophysiology to influence our learning performance. I'm especially passionate about understanding how the kinds of questions we ask evolve throughout our learning career and how we modify learning environments to increase scientific curiosity in the classroom and community.