Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland and Fish Ecology and Evolution, EAWAG, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
B.Sc. Ecology, Evolution, & Environmental Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Ph.D. Population Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
Tens of thousands of fish species inhabit diverse aquatic settings, partly due to the evolution of functional innovations. Such traits enable new interactions with the environment and enhanced access to resources, often promoting increased diversification. My research combines functional morphology, kinematics, and phylogenetic comparative methods to explore how key innovations impact patterns of disparity, integration, and rates of evolution within musculoskeletal systems. My work primarily focuses on key innovations within the oral and pharyngeal jaws of fishes with the ultimate goal of understanding how major trait changes contribute to the incredible morphological, functional, and even lineage diversification seen across this vertebrate group.
Evolutionary biologist; functional morphologist; and diversity, equity, &...