I am originally from a small town in south Louisiana named Arnaudville. I grew up immersed in Cajun culture and loved fishing and exploring the nearby Atchafalaya Basin. After finishing high-school, I attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; my local university. During my undergraduate studies, I was able to work with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries as both a unpaid intern and as a student worker. After graduating from ULL in 2018, I began working as an intern at the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in coastal southwest Louisiana. After completing my internship, I began working for the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana with Brad Glorioso and the Amphibian Research Monitoring Initiative.
In 2021, I left Louisiana and began pursuing a Master's degree at Georgia Southern University under the supervision of Dr. J. Checo Colon-Gaud in the Freshwater Ecology Lab. My thesis research focuses on better understanding the current ecological impacts of historical hydrological modifications on Sapelo Island, Georgia. I utilize water parameter sensors and standard macroinvertebrate-based methods to assess the hydrological dynamics and functional and compositional effects of salinity intrusion.
My general research interests revolve around the conservation of aquatic habitats. Community and Ecosystem-level impacts of anthropogenic stressors are of particular interest to me. I have greatly enjoyed my experiences researching the topics of landscape modification and invasive species. I have worked in a variety of habitats throughout the southeastern United States along with a variety of taxa including birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and macroinvertebrates.
In 2024, I joined the Georgia Southern Biology Department as the Life Science Program Coordinator. My main responsibility is to oversee the NSF Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates program at Georgia Southern. The program, named MROC2S (Mentoring and Research Opportunities for Careers in Coastal Science) aims to develop researchers who have recently completed their undergraduate studies through a combination of research, training, networking, and exposure to program partners.
In 2021, I left Louisiana and began pursuing a Master's degree at Georgia Southern University under the supervision of Dr. J. Checo Colon-Gaud in the Freshwater Ecology Lab. My thesis research focuses on better understanding the current ecological impacts of historical hydrological modifications on Sapelo Island, Georgia. I utilize water parameter sensors and standard macroinvertebrate-based methods to assess the hydrological dynamics and functional and compositional effects of salinity intrusion.
My general research interests revolve around the conservation of aquatic habitats. Community and Ecosystem-level impacts of anthropogenic stressors are of particular interest to me. I have greatly enjoyed my experiences researching the topics of landscape modification and invasive species. I have worked in a variety of habitats throughout the southeastern United States along with a variety of taxa including birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and macroinvertebrates.
In 2024, I joined the Georgia Southern Biology Department as the Life Science Program Coordinator. My main responsibility is to oversee the NSF Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates program at Georgia Southern. The program, named MROC2S (Mentoring and Research Opportunities for Careers in Coastal Science) aims to develop researchers who have recently completed their undergraduate studies through a combination of research, training, networking, and exposure to program partners.