• Hometown: Orland Park, IL
• Faculty mentor/advisor: Maurine Neiman, Associate Professor, Biology
• What is your degree program and expected graduate date? iBio Master’s program. May 2021
• Please describe your research: I am interested in how and why invasive species invade. Specifically, I am studying the snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, native to New Zealand. They have invaded every continent but right now I am focused on the European and US invasive populations trying to reconstruct their invasion routes to see if they came from the New Zealand population or if they came from another country.
• In simple terms, why does this research matter?  Invasive species are threating our ecosystems. Understanding what drives biological invasions helps us to know how to prevent and control these invasions.
• How soon after starting at the University of Iowa were you able to participate in research? I completed my undergrad at Iowa and I started in my lab my sophomore year and continued on to my master’s degree in the same lab.
• How has being involved in research made you more successful at the University of Iowa? It’s helped me explore topics I am interested in and allowed me to have amazing opportunities, like studying Great White sharks in South Africa. It’s also connected me to people who are interested in the same topics I am.
• What are your career goals and/or plans after graduation? I plan to pursue my PhD at another University.

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