ABOUT ME
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I was born on a farm near Fredericktown MO, and I lived in Potosi MO, Carrollton MO and DeSoto MO growing up. I graduated from DeSoto High School in 1996.
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I earned a BA in Biology (Minor in French) from Truman State University (Kirksville MO, 1996-2000)
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My passion for biology was sparked in the summer of 1997 as an intern for The Vermont Center for Ecostudies
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I was an itinerant field biologist and/or english teacher from 2000-2002 in Mexico, Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Vermont, New Hampshire, Michigan, Montana & France.
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I earned my PhD in Zoology from Washington State University (Pullman WA, 2002-2009)
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I was a postdoc at Laval University in Quebec from 2009-2011, working on Beluga whales and several fish species.
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I have been a Biology Professor at Maryville University since fall 2011.
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I have a wife, two children and three dogs.
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I love running, playing music (folk & traditional), gardening, birdwatching and reading & writing.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Ecology of Avian Feather Microbiome:
Little is known about the composition or ecological dynamics of microbial populations in bird feathers. Feather microbes likely have strong fitness consequences given the critical role feather structure plays in flight, thermoregulation and sexual signaling.
Foraging and Microbial Ecology of Capsaicin:
Capsaicin is thought to have evolved to deter mammalian herbivores, deter microbial pathogens and/or deter insects. We seek to characterize the ecological relationships among wild peppers and their macro-and micro-faunal counterparts.
Sustainable Agriculture & Land Use:
The ecosystem level consequences of various sustainable land use practices remain largely unexplored. We seek to investigate and quantify the effects of various practices on biodiversity - from microbes to birds.
The Physics of Bird Flight:
Little is known about the physics of flight for small songbirds. We are exploring the morphological variables that explain inter and intraspecific variation in flight performance for these birds.
Sexual Selection & Speciation:
The mechanisms of sympatric speciation remain poorly understood. We use field experiments, genetic tools and modeling to better understand speciation, including the role of sexual signals.
