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Work Address:
Department of Entomology
University of Minnesota
219 Hodson Hall; 1980 Folwell Ave
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
Education
M.S.
student in Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Advisor: L.C. Ferrington, Jr.
B.S. Biology, Loyola University Chicago, IL (2005)
B.A. History, Loyola University Chicago, IL (2001)
Research Interests
I have always had a strong interest in freshwater bodies for their aesthetic beauty and recreational uses. I began my undergraduate studies with a broad interest in science. By studying a range of scientific subjects through coursework, I discovered that I had a strong interest in ecological and environmental issues. An aquatic insects course taught by Dr. Marty Berg at Loyola University of Chicago exposed me to using benthic macroinvertebrates in bioassessment and biological monitoring.
A formative experience for me was spending 2 summers at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS). I participated in many research projects and was immersed in a scientific community that convinced me that I wanted to be trained as a scientist and to be able to ask my own questions. I sought out experts in bioassessment and this led me to the Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota and my advisor Dr. Leonard C. Ferrington Jr. and his lab.
My thesis project focuses on the St. Croix River which is a National Scenic Riverway. This river is an extremely valuable water resource with high species diversity across many taxa. I am working with the National Park Service to complete a survey of the chironomid diversity on the St. Croix. Because of the importance of the family Chironomidae in water quality monitoring, the results of this study can have applications to monitoring the long term health of this riverway, species conservation and habitat conservation.
Thesis Proposal
Chironomids in the River Continuum: Longitudinal Zonation along the Saint Croix River
Curriculum Vita
