I am marine biologist broadly trained in molecular ecology and population genetics and have been using molecular markers to study marine mammal ecology and evolution for the past 20 years. After obtaining my masters’ degree in Zoology studying the habitat use of Guiana dolphins in Brazil, I worked for five years as a research assistant at the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center. While there, I assisted genetic projects with several Arctic marine mammals including Steller sea lions and beluga whales. Experiences with Arctic marine mammals led me to collaborate with NOAA Antarctic researchers, and I conducted my PhD program at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California San Diego), studying the recolonization process of Antarctic fur seals, which had been extirpated in several parts of their range due to sealing in the 19th century. As I prepared to graduate, I witnessed the advent and proliferation of the next generation sequencing technologies. Excited by these developments, I spent the next two years working as a post-doctoral researcher at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), which allowed me to advance my training in molecular biology and the usage of “omics” technologies, particularly epigenomics.

In 2017, I was hired at Hampton University (HU) as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences (MES), where I have since been focused on applying a variety of next-generation methodologies to study marine mammals. My research interests range from more traditional population genetics questions (e.g., - How are populations connected? and, - How does that influence patterns of species genetic diversity?) to questions regarding adaptive processes that influence phenotypic patterns in marine mammals. Also, I have always been interested in animal behavior and continue to look for ways to employ genetic approaches to address questions regarding the behavior and biology of marine mammals.