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Associate Professor, James Cook University

I am interested in how human-induced environmental changes affect interactions among species, particularly those between plants and insects. These relationships fascinate me because they drive many of the ecological processes in the world around us, and yet are often overlooked. Much of my research has investigated invasive social insects and how their interactions differ from native species, in particular, how they enter into new, or disrupt existing, mutualistic interactions with other insects or plants. Answering these questions not only advances our understanding of biological invasions and potential to mitigate their effects, but adds to our knowledge of community and trophic ecology and the ecology and evolution of mutualisms. I primarily use field-based experimental approaches to answer questions that are relevant to conservation and restoration.

Experience

  • 2019–present
    Associate Professor, James Cook University
  • 2016–2019
    Senior lecturer, James Cook University
  • 2013–2016
    Lecturer, James Cook University

Education

  • 2004 
    Cornell University, PhD
  • 1993 
    University of California, Berkeley, Masters of Public Health