Research interests:

My research interests are evolutionary in scope and encompass a variety of avenues into Charles Darwin’s sexual selection theory.  As a behavioral ecologist, I use a combination of fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and molecular techniques to answer questions about the evolution of mating behaviors in spiders.  I have concentrated on spiders as study organisms because of the many advantages they provide in hypothesis testing: they are relatively easy to rear in large numbers, are ecologically diverse, have short life spans, and are amenable to experimental manipulation.  Contrary to widespread perception, the behaviors of spiders and many other invertebrates are not simply rigid, stereotypical reactions to stimuli.  Many investigations have uncovered a rich matrix that comprises a marriage of complex cues and variable responses attributable to these animals.  It is a reasonable conclusion that our ability to clarify the logic of behaviors in simpler organisms like spiders is paramount to our chances of understanding the behaviors of more complex organisms such as ourselves.

Academic training:

University of Massachusetts, Amherst              Ph.D.  2005
Ball State University                                         M.S.   2000
Ohio University, Athens                                   B.S.    1997