
ABOUT ME
Biologists Love Life
Growing up in Maryland, I was more of a bookworm than a play-in-the-mud kind of kid, but living in the suburbs of D.C. and Baltimore meant that I had ample opportunity to explore these cities’ museums, zoos, and aquariums. Consequently, it was a high-school internship at the National Aquarium in Baltimore that helped convert this would-be primatologist to an aspiring marine biologist. As an undergrad at Penn State University, I learned how to do research in a physiological ecology lab and, after graduation, I spent the next years exploring conservation-oriented career paths in science education, wildlife research, and animal husbandry. Along the way, across the country, I discovered new ecosystems, met all sorts of people, and learned a lot about myself. In short, I became a play-in-the-mud kind of person and found that some of my happiest moments revolved around research and field work in far-flung places.
“The true biologist deals with life, with teeming boisterous life, and learns something from it, learns that the first rule of life is living.“
– John Steinbeck
Eventually, I realized that the kind of research-driven career I wanted to pursue required more than just field experience, so I turned my attention to graduate school. I earned my MSc at Alaska Pacific University, studying the vocal repertoires of Bigg’s killer whales in western Alaska and am now a PhD student at the University of Victoria. Currently, my research is focused on evaluating how increasing levels of vessel noise in the Arctic (which correspond to diminishing sea ice coverage) may be affecting marine species like ringed seals and narwhals. BUT, as anyone who has completed a PhD knows, things can change – so check back often to see how my research is evolving. And, of course, if you have any ideas, I’d love to hear from you!