I’ve always been interested in the ecology and evolution of animal populations; my early interest was color variation in snakes. I enjoy using molecular tools and manipulative experiments. At Cornell, I have worked with invasive insects, their pathogens, symbionts, and predators. These include a wood borer (Sirex noctilio), a defoliator (Lymantria dispar), and a plant-sucking insect (Adelges tsugae), all attacking North American trees. The complex ecological interactions of forest invasives are fascinating and understanding them is necessary for management efforts. As a Research Associate in the New York State Hemlock Initiative (NYSHI), I work with classical biological control agents of the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA, Adelges tsugae), an introduced pest infesting eastern and Carolina hemlock trees in North America, frequently causing tree mortality.
