I am studying the population genetics and invasion dynamics of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in the United States. I’m currently focusing on populations from California, but I also use my lab’s genetic data from populations around the world. I’m interested in what environmental, climate, and human-created features promote or inhibit gene flow and population movement of this important disease vector.
I am also in the process of planning my dissertation project, which will probably focus on similar themes for the Aedes aegpyti mosquitos in Florida and the southeastern United States. A critical part of my current research is learning landscape genetic and remote sensing tools in preparation for that project. Understanding what remote sensing data is available, how it can be manipulated, etc. will help me plan my project, ask interesting research questions, and design a sampling scheme for field work next summer.