Princeton University

I am interested in the application of behavioral and demographic information to the conservation of endangered species. I have seen first hand what can happen when the behaviors and requirements of animals are not taken into account when conservation decisions are made. It is my opinion that a fuller understanding of these issues, particularly those involving the reproductive behaviors of different species, is of vital importance if conservation efforts are to be truly successful.

As a graduate student, I conducted a study on the mother-infant bond of wild horses, its effects on the behavior and survival of the infant, and the implications of these effects for the function of the juvenile stage in mammals. Since earning my Ph.D., I have managed two research projects in East Africa, The Zebras of Kenya Project at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the Carnivore Disease Project in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. I have also served as a Consultant to the National Park Service and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses to address questions regarding behavioral effects of contraception on the feral horse population under the their management. As the Education and Outreach Coordinator at the Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center, I directed and coordinated educational and outreach programs in desert ecology, natural resource conservation, and environmental science. I have also had the wonderful opportunity to teach at both the high school and college-level at Princeton and Rutgers universities and for the Organization for Tropical Studies South Africa Program.

Currently, my colleagues and I are investigating animal movement in equids to determine the impact of social structure on the behavior, ecology, and evolution of animals. Specifically, how do an animal’s sex, age, hierarchical status, and reproductive state affect its movements and the likelihood that it will lead or follow other animals? Such questions are important to the determination and prediction of land use by social species and can help ensure their effective conservation.