Research

My main research interests include mate selection, sexual dimorphism, and the evolution of avian coloration and plumage patterns. As an undergraduate, I researched an array of topics including male mate choice in fruit flies and zebra finches, predator-prey interactions of urban mammals, and sexual dimorphism in Darwin’s finch beak morphology.
 Currently, I am interested in exploring the potential signaling function of spatially repetitive contrasting plumage patterns such as spots and stripes. I use zebra finches as my study species, but in the future I plan to study other species which similarly display black and white patterned plumage. 
CV