I am currently an EEB Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Michigan State University, co-mentored by Dr. Olivia Smith and Dr. Lars Brudvig. I received my Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in May 2025. My research focuses on how ecological communities and multitrophic interactions reassemble following disturbance, with an emphasis on tropical forest ecosystems undergoing restoration or natural regeneration. By integrating field research with quantitative approaches, I investigate questions such as:

• How do ecological communities assemble following disturbance in tropical ecosystems?

• What enables species interactions to recover as tropical ecosystems regenerate?

• How do biodiversity, functional morphology, and species interactions shape ecosystem resilience and functioning in recovering landscapes?

Ultimately, my work seeks to connect biodiversity, species interactions, and ecosystem processes to inform evidence-based restoration and conservation strategies.