ABOUT

📚 Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan with the Conservation & Coexistence Lab

👩‍🔬 Research assistant at Sea Otter Savvy

🦦 Focused on sea otter research and conservation

📍 Based in the U.S. and Japan

I am an interdisciplinary wildlife researcher interested in the conservation of marine apex predators, namely sea otters (Enhydra lutris). I lead and support several studies that advance our ecological understanding of the endangered species, collaborating with government, academic, and non-profit partners from the U.S., Japan, and beyond. I apply a combination of field- and lab-based methods to examine food web dynamics and human-wildlife interactions within coastal socio-ecological systems. Project findings are expected to form the scientific basis for management decisions and policies that further sea otter recovery throughout the species’ range.

When away from the field, I engage in public outreach and education to increase local awareness of marine biology. I am also a strong advocate for women in science, serving in the following roles:

🔹 Graduate Women in Science, Recording Secretary & Programming Committee

🔹 The Wildlife Society Coastal & Marine Wildlife Working Group, Executive Committee

🔹 The Wildlife Society Women of Wildlife, Leadership Committee

🔹 Women in Ocean Science, University Ambassador

🔹 Society for Women in Marine Science, Mentor

🔹 Letters to a Pre-Scientist, Pen pal

Years of playing and researching on the coast have encouraged me to start documenting my ocean adventures through photography. Recently, I’ve picked up the camera and began taking photos of various wildlife, including marine mammals, seabirds, and more! These images represent tangible memories of my fieldwork and sharing them have helped better connect the public to my marine conservation efforts.