I teach a variety of courses, ranging from freshman science writing to plant biology laboratory to advanced courses in ecology and evolution. Trained as a marine biologist, my graduate and postdoctoral work focused on the ecology and biomechanics of intertidal macroalgae. Surrounded by the abundant freshwater habitats of Western New York, my current project is examining the hydrodynamics and material properties of local freshwater macrophytes to determine if aquatic plants structurally compensate for the changing mechanical loads experienced during development.