Overview
I hail from the great mountain states of Montana (the state of my birth) and Wyoming (the state of my childhood). I have a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Wisconsin and a bachelor's degree in the evolutionary biology from Columbia University. I completed my PhD in evolutionary anthropology at Duke University in March 2017, working with Dr. Doug M. Boyer. I have taught gross and microanatomy to Duke University School of Medicine students since 2018. In 2021, I joined the DUSOM MD program as an Assistant Professor of the Practice of Medical Education and Director of Accreditation and Continuous Quality Improvement.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Assistant Professor of the Practice of Medical Education
·
2021 - Present
Medical Education,
School of Medicine
Recent Publications
Comparative biomechanical analysis of jumping between the arboreal northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius)
Journal Article Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society · December 1, 2025 Jumping allows arboreal mammals to navigate disparate canopy supports. Existing research suggests that the long, mobile limbs of many small primates—including basal primate ancestors—facilitate arboreal jumping performance by extending centre of mass (CoM) ... Full text CiteBiomechanical and morphological determinants of maximal jumping performance in callitrichine monkeys.
Journal Article The Journal of experimental biology · September 2024 Jumping is a crucial behavior in fitness-critical activities including locomotion, resource acquisition, courtship displays and predator avoidance. In primates, paleontological evidence suggests selection for enhanced jumping ability during their early evo ... Full text CiteJumping performance in tree squirrels: Insights into primate evolution.
Journal Article Journal of human evolution · July 2023 Morphological traits suggesting powerful jumping abilities are characteristic of early crown primate fossils. Because tree squirrels lack certain 'primatelike' grasping features but frequently travel on the narrow terminal branches of trees, they make a vi ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Collaborative Research: Measuring Leaping Performance, Evaluating its Anatomical Correlates, and Reconsidering the Importance of Leaping in Primate Origins and Early Evolution
ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2021 - 2026Doctoral Dissertation Research: Generation and Evaluation of Body Mass Prediction Equations Using Articular Surface Areas of the Primate Tarsus
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPI-Fellow · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2015 - 2017View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Duke University ·
2017
Ph.D.