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I am an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at Siena College in Albany, NY. Before coming to Siena, I was a postdoctoral fellow in Jake Esselstyn's lab at LSU's Museum of Natural Science. I completed my Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota under the mentorship of Sharon Jansa in 2013.

My research focuses on the taxonomy and evolutionary history of tropical mammals, particularly the factors associated with their diversification. I use genomic, biogeographic, and ecological data to connect population-level processes to macroevolutionary patterns. I've studied the evolutionary history of marsupials, rodents, and shrews from South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. 

If you're a Siena undergrad and this work interests you, please get in touch! I have several openings in my lab, including laboratory and computational biology opportunities.

Collecting mammals in the Andes near Cachi, Argentina

How do ecology and geography shape the diversification of small mammals? More details ›

U of M advisee Courtney Comar presents her work in April 2012

Getting students excited about biology both inside and outside the classroom. More details ›

ILLUSTRATION OF COLOMYS LUMUMBAI, A NEWLY DESCRIBED SEMI-AQUATIC RODENT FROM THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND ANGOLA. ART BY VELIZAR SIMEONOVSKI FROM GIARLA ET AL. (2020).

A comprehensive list of all of my publications, along with links. More details ›