My academic background is in analytical paleobiology; that is, the integration of evolutionary biology and geology to quantitatively interrogate the fossil record to understand evolutionary history and ecosystems in deep time. At UW I use this platform to understand reptile evolution at one of the most critical moments in Earth history: the aftermath of the End-Permian Mass Extinction.
I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, and grew up skiing, building backyard forts, and memorizing dinosaur facts. I received a B.A. in Medieval European History and French & Francophone Studies from Bates College, a B.A. in Geology from the University of Colorado Boulder, and a PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of Southern California. Paleontological Fieldwork has taken me to Antarctica, Madagascar, and all over the American West, including Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. My research investigates the quality of biological information in the fossil record of animals that preserve in incomplete, disarticulated parts, such as vertebrates, sea urchins, and corals. I want my research to help maximize the scientific information we can gain from the incompletely preserved fossils that make up the majority of the behind-the-scenes collections at universities and in museums around the world.