Who are you? What do you do?
Hi everyone, I am a MS student in the Karpanty Lab and VT Shorebird Program, as well as a Scholar in the Disaster Resilience and Risk Management program at Virginia Tech! I’m investigating the factors that drive shorebird success on the Virginia barrier islands, which are rapidly changing due to climate change. I primarily focus on American Oystercatchers and the survival of their nests and chicks on Metompkin Island, one of the most important breeding sites for that species on the Atlantic Coast! I spend my summers searching for and monitoring oystercatcher nests on Metompkin Island and using radio telemetry to track the survival of chicks.
What’s your favorite aspect of your research?
I love that I get to collaborate with a diverse group of researchers from The Nature Conservancy, state and federal fish and wildlife agencies, and several other universities to understand the big picture of how climate change is affecting all parts of the Virginia barrier island system.
Your favorite Blacksburg activity!
I love the Blacksburg Farmers’ Market!
Departmental bio here.
