Biography

I am an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Environment and the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University. I work at the interface of disciplines to show how innovations in plant structure-function relationships impact evolution and diversity. My work elucidates: (1) how basic biophysical rules influence plant development, structure, function, and evolution and (2) how multiple agents of selection interact with these basic rules to influence phenotypic and functional diversity across space and time. While most of my work focuses on vascular plants, many of the principles I elucidate are applicable to other kingdoms of life.