Part evolution enthusiast, part computer nerd and part molecular wizard-in-training, I am a cross-trained biologist interested in fundamental questions about how bacterial genomes evolve. What promotes certain evolutionary paths over others? What dictates the organization of the bacterial genome? And what on earth are bacterial species, and how can new ones evolve? I am interested in these questions and more. I find that complex evolutionary questions are best tackled with a combination of evolution experiments, comparative genomics, and theory.

Currently, I am a PhD candidate at the Barrick Lab at Michigan State University. I have been here since 2025, and I affiliated with the Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology and Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour graduate programs.