​Evolutionary Predictability: From Laboratory to nature
How predictable is evolution? My doctoral research examined this fundamental question by studying yeast adaptation in controlled laboratory settings and comparing it to natural adaptation in Connecticut apple orchards. I then used the yeast gene-gene interaction network to see whether genetic interactions, or epistasis, can predict what types of genes evolve in both the lab and in nature. I'm uncovered patterns that help us understand when evolution follows predictable pathways and when it takes unexpected turns - insights critical for both evolutionary theory and conservation.

Yeast Evolution for unique hard Cider

My collaboration with Longview Ciderhouse bridges the gap between unpredictable wild fermented ciders and commercial ciders using strains developed for wines. This $29,104 grant-funded project bridges academic research with sustainable local business, developing evolutionary solutions for artisanal cider production. I used experimental evolution to select for wild strains from Rogers Orchard to use on apple must from Rogers Orchard, creating a unique hard cider true to place. Our evolved wild yeast cider, Kanavu (meaning dream in Tamil), is now on tap at Longview Ciderhouse!

Small Bugs, Big Appetites: Herbivore Impact on Aquatic Plant Communities

My work with duckweed and water-lily aphids reveals how small herbivores can dramatically impact aquatic plant communities. Through laboratory experiments and field studies in natural pond ecosystems, I've quantified preference-performance relationships and documented how herbivory shapes plant diversity and community composition. I also determined how herbivory impacts different genotypes of duckweed, potentially resulting in evolution driven by herbivory in this system. This research enhances our understanding of coevolution and has implications for managing freshwater ecosystems.

Immunity Evolution: Pathological Responses to Parasitism

As part of a collaborative team, I contributed to research examining how stickleback immune responses to parasites evolve. Our work identified mechanisms behind both the gain and loss of pathological immune responses, providing insights into the evolutionary dynamics of host-parasite interactions with potential implications for understanding autoimmune conditions. We also uncovered used scRNA that cell types differ in rates of divergence, and that centrality influences genetic divergence. 

species concepts: one ring to rule them all

I contributed to a paper about the concept of a speciation hypercube, which integrates various species concepts into a cohesive concept rather than having to decide on a species concept to center. This concept takes the concept of a species continuum based on reproductive isolation and expands it to all of the species concepts and adding them as dimensions in a hypercube, giving a more holistic view of species divergence.