​About Me

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I am an Assistant Curator and the Schlinger Chair of Arachnology at the California Academy of Sciences. 

Previously, I worked as a middle school Science Curriculum and Apps Developer in the Learning Design Group at the Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley. I was also a postdoctoral research fellow in the Evolab with Dr. Rosemary Gillespie at the Essig Museum of Entomology, UC Berkeley, supported by a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (BIO-1003087). I am also a collaborator on the Caribbean Arachnid Biogeography Project.

I am also the co-founder and co-director of a non-profit, Islands & Seas. Islands & Seas is building a network of small, independent research stations and facilities on islands and shores, where humans can make a difference in the conservation of the unique natural resources they depend on, know, and love. Our model is creating dual purpose of mini stations that encourage scientific research while providing educational opportunities for the local communities we work in and future generations of researchers and environmental stewards.

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Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, I received my BS with honors from the University of Texas in 2003, and completed my PhD in 2011 at the City University of New York under the supervision of Lorenzo Prendini (American Museum of Natural History). My research is primarily focused on the systematics and biogeography of scorpions. I am also very interested in science education, particularly in developing curricula aimed at improving science literacy. In these pages you can find more information about my current projects, publications, educational outreach and even photos from the field.