Areas of expertise
- plant ecology
- hybridization and polyploidy
- conservation biology
BIO
I grew up in New Jersey and later moved to California, where I earned a B.S. in Biology at UCLA. As an undergrad, I became fascinated by the diverse plants of the California Floristic Province in the field and at the UCLA Herbarium. I also became heavily involved in native plant restoration, conservation, and urban green space activism in Los Angeles’s 5th District. Following undergrad, I worked at the Willowwood Arboretum, where I curated a special collection of cultivated plants for the Chrysler Herbarium at Rutgers University. Outside of my academic pursuits, I love to read, travel, dance, and do yoga!
In the Testo lab, I use a combination of fieldwork, flow cytometry, and phylogenetic work to investigate the polyploid hybrid origins of one Vermont's most cryptic threatened species, Helianthus strumosus. I am extremely passionate about rare plant conservation, and I am mostly drawn to scientific questions that are relevant to environmental policy and regulations. Beyond my work in the lab, I am involved in ecological outreach and student mentorship for UVM's Fellowship for Restoration Ecologies and Culture.
Bio
I grew up in New Jersey and later moved to California, where I earned a B.S. in Biology at UCLA. As an undergrad, I became fascinated by the diverse plants of the California Floristic Province in the field and at the UCLA Herbarium. I also became heavily involved in native plant restoration, conservation, and urban green space activism in Los Angeles’s 5th District. Following undergrad, I worked at the Willowwood Arboretum, where I curated a special collection of cultivated plants for the Chrysler Herbarium at Rutgers University. Outside of my academic pursuits, I love to read, travel, dance, and do yoga!
In the Testo lab, I use a combination of fieldwork, flow cytometry, and phylogenetic work to investigate the polyploid hybrid origins of one Vermont's most cryptic threatened species, Helianthus strumosus. I am extremely passionate about rare plant conservation, and I am mostly drawn to scientific questions that are relevant to environmental policy and regulations. Beyond my work in the lab, I am involved in ecological outreach and student mentorship for UVM's Fellowship for Restoration Ecologies and Culture.