Alexander H. Smith Distinguished University Professor of Ecology
Arthur F. Thurnau Professor
Burton V. Barnes Collegiate Professor of Ecology
University of Michigan
School for Environment & Sustainability

Affiliate Faculty Member
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Adjunct Professor
Department of Earth and Environmental Science

PhD 1987, Michigan State University
MS 1983, University of Idaho
BS 1981, Cum Laude, Ohio State University

I received a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 2012 and completed my M.S. in Conservation Ecology in 2015, both from the University of Michigan. My thesis research focused on the microbial ecology of wetland soil communities in the context of ecological restoration, specifically how community composition and functional potential vary in wetlands under differing hydrological management regimes. I have been a member of the Zak lab since 2012, first as a research assistant and now as a research technician. My general research interests revolve around the responses of microbial communities to disturbances and how these responses influence ecosystem processes.

I graduated with a BS in Environment at the University of Michigan in 2020. Currently, I am pursuing a MS in Conservation Ecology and starting my position as a research assistant in Zak Lab. My interests are in forest conservation, focusing on how the interactions between soil, plants, and microorganisms influence ecosystem health. By drawing upon microbial ecology for my thesis, I aim to explore different ways of understanding ecosystem-level changes in temperate and potentially boreal forests. In addition to my academic interests, I also enjoy camping, digital illustration, and just being in cold weather.