Research Projects
My research integrates fieldwork, natural history collections, genomics, and the development of digital tools to address speciation, biogeography, and conservation questions. In particular, it centers on identifying patterns of small mammal diversity and understanding speciation processes within and across islands in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. I have also engaged in projects focusing on other taxa and in different regions. Most of the tools I develop are taxon-agnostic. My collaborative work involves more than a dozen people in some projects. I strive to make research using natural history collections and genomic data accessible to students and researchers with limited technical knowledge and access to computing resources.
Small Mammal Diversity & Speciation
Understanding patterns that generate species diversity within a complex island system
This project studies small mammal diversity and speciation in Sulawesi and islands on the Sunda Shelf, Southeast Asia. During the Pleistocene, the islands on the Sunda Shelf—such as Sumatra, Java, and Borneo— were connected as a continuous landmass. In contrast, Sulawesi were formed from separate islands. The isolated mountains on these islands promote other opportunities for speciation. We conduct extensive fieldwork, perform genomic studies, and describe undocumented species as necessary.
My dissertation focuses on the in-situ diversification of hill rats (the Bunomys species group) in Sulawesi. I aim to improve phylogenetic resolution and understand how the island's geological history has shaped the group's diversity. Ultimately, I aim to deepen our understanding of speciation on a large, isolated island like Sulawesi and aid conservation efforts by improving our knowledge of species diversity and endemism.
