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I conduct research in behavior, ecology, evolution, and genetics of free-living animals.  I am interested in the ways that ecology and behavior affect evolutionary processes and genetic structure in natural populations.  I am currently investigating the genetic structure of populations of Mexican jays, communally nesting birds that live on sky islands in Arizona and northern Mexico.  I use several molecular genetic techniques, including mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA to assess genetic structure. 

I am also using molecular genetic techniques to examine the genetic relationships among populations of freshwater mussels, a group of animals that has suffered large-scale population declines in recent years.  I am using mitochondrial DNA sequence variation to study differences among populations of Higgins' Eye Pearlymussel, Lampsilis higginsii, an Endangered Species  in the Upper Mississippi River.  Go to my Research page to learn more about these projects and to see my CV and list of recent publications.

I am the Director and co-PI of the ISU ADVANCE Program.  The ISU ADVANCE Program, supported by the National Science Foundation through 2011, has as its goals:  to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers and to make Iowa State an optimal environment for all faculty in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  Visit the ISU ADVANCE Program Web site for more information about this exciting program.

From 2004-2006 I was the Executive Director/Director of Academics & Research of Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, a field station on West Okoboji Lake in Northwest Iowa.  The Lakeside Web site has information about academic courses, research opportunities, and outreach activities. 

I teach courses in animal behavior and ecology and evolutionary biology.  Go to my Teaching page for more information about these courses.  I am a member of the faculty of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology graduate program. 

I am a Past-President of the Cooper Ornithological Society, which publishes the journal The Condor. Abstracts of recent issues are available on The Condor web page.  The full content of any Condor article appearing in volumes 1 through 102 (years 1899 through 2000 C.E.) can be downloaded or displayed for free from SORA, the Searchable Ornithological Research Archive, maintained at the University of New Mexico.  Click here to access SORA.

I am the Chair of OSNA, the Ornithological Societies of North America, a consortium of six ornithological societies -- The American Ornithologists' Union (AOU), tthe Association of Field Ornithologists (AFO), the Cooper Ornithological Society (COS), the Raptor Research Foundation (RRF), the Waterbird Society (WS), and the Wilson Ornithological Society (WOS).  OSNA publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, the Ornithological Newsletter and the societies have a shared membership database.  The Ornithological Newsletter includes Ornithological Jobs--an online database of positions and opportunities for students and professionals who work on birds.