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My research focuses on the evolution and ecology of male and female reproductive traits.
I am a behavioral and evolutionary ecologist by training. However, I am generally interested in the intersection of evolution and ecology and the connection between data and theory. I use a combination of mathematical models and empirical data to determine how interactions within and between groups of individuals affect evolutionary and ecological dynamics at higher levels. I have applied this general conceptual approach to a wide variety of topics including sexual selection, alternative reproductive patterns, mating systems, fisheries management and predator-prey interactions. In general, I strive to understand how ecological interactions drive evolutionary patterns and how those evolutionary processes affect ecological dynamics.
As someone who is both theoretician and empiricist, I am aware of the many challenges that arise when developing general, testable and understandable theory and then design experiments or observations to test these general concepts. My main theoretical training is in game theory, dynamic optimization and the integration of data and models. However, I have used many mathematical tools including individual based simulations, likelihood methods, analytical optimality models, genetic algorithms and quantitative genetics. I see mathematical modeling as a powerful tool when firmly grounded in an empirical understanding of the question.
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