I grew up in Iowa and followed two generations and a couple of siblings to Iowa State University, but was the first to pursue an NREM career! As an undergraduate in Forestry, I took courses in forest and wildlife ecology, wildlife care, and ecosystem management, along with a minor in Hispanic Studies which included studying abroad in Valencia, Spain. I wanted to continue my education in conservation and natural resources, specifically in the prairie ecosystems I grew up with on and near my parent's farms in Iowa.
My research involves nutrient input through dairy manure in prairie ecosystems and the impacts on the growth and development of plant communities and the abundance and diversity of insect communities. I'm particularly interested in the implications it may have to plant/pollinator composition as well as waste disposal management in the midwest.