I am a wildlife biologist with an emphasis on integrating behavioral ecology and demography to conserve threatened species. My PhD (co-supervised by Barbara König and Arpat Ozgul) and recent postdoctoral research focused on social and ecological factors influencing demography of giraffes in a coupled natural-human ecosystem in northern Tanzania. My current post-doctoral research is examining effects of individual traits of giraffes on population dynamics. Our international collaboration of scientists from the University of Zurich, Pennsylvania State University, Grumeti Fund, Estación Biológica de Doñana, and the Wild Nature Institute is conducting long-term demographic studies of thousands of individually identified giraffes in the Tarangire/Manyara and Serengeti/Ngorongoro Ecosystems of Tanzania. This research aims to understand factors underlying social and spatial population dynamics. We also analyze population trends and habitat selection of several species of antelope in the Tarangire/Manyara Ecosystem using distance sampling data collected over 8 years. Results from our research have important implications for conservation and management of tropical ungulates inhabiting increasingly fragmented ecosystems.
Current research project:
Masai Giraffe Ecology and Conservation
CV
- 2023-, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Switzerland
- 2022-2023, Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar, Estación Biológica de Doñana EBD (CSIC), Seville, Spain
- 2021, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Switzerland
- 2017-2020, PhD Candidate, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Switzerland
- 2011-, Principal Scientist, Wild Nature Institute
- 2011, Biologist, The Institute for Bird Populations, Lassen National Forest, California
- 2004-2010, Research Assistant, Point Blue Conservation Science, SE Farallon Island, California
- 2008-2009, Field Biologist, NMFS Pacific Islands Marine Science Center, Tern Island, Hawaii
- 2006-2007, Biologist and Co-Principal Investigator, The Institute for Bird Populations, Sequoia National Forest, California
- 2001-2006, Staff Biologist, Center for Biological Diversity, Idyllwild, California
- 1999-2001, Research Fellow, University of Minnesota Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Biology
- 1996-1999, MSc Wildlife Science, Oregon State University