I'm a behavioural ecologist and ecotoxicologist interested in understanding the causes and consequences of anthropogenic stressors for aquatic wildlife. Working both in the lab and field, I strive to understand how stressors, particularly pollutants, affect animals across multiple levels of biological organization. I'm especially interested in animal behaviour because it provides a valuable link between proximate or underlying mechanistic causes, and ultimate, evolutionary outcomes. At SLU, I'm researching the ecological and evolutionary consequences of exposure to emerging pollutants, like pharmaceuticals, for freshwater fishes. I'm particularly focusing on increasing the spatial complexity and natural social complexity of ecotoxicological research.
But, I'm interested in and have worked on lots of topics! In addition to my main focus, I'm also intrested in understanding the impacts of complex, dynamic pollutant mixtures on aquatic ecosystems (especially wastewater effluent); in the behaviour and management of aquatic invasive species; in how human activities impact animal migration behavior; and, how aggression shapes social or dominance structures in animal groups. I'm also an active science communicator and love writing about science for the general public.
