About me

Hi, my name is Laura! I am a recent PhD graduate from UC Santa Cruz through my work with Dr. Devon Pearse in the Molecular Ecology and Genetic Analysis (MEGA) team at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Santa Cruz and Dr. Grant Pogson in UCSC’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department.

I am interested in how neutral and adaptive genetic patterns vary among different lineages of a fish species, particularly those living in modified riverscapes and high conservation value. My work includes data analysis using R, field sampling methods, and collaborative partnerships with state and federal fisheries agencies. My doctorate research investigated Oncorhynchus mykiss, known colloquially as steelhead and rainbow trout, in the California Central Valley. My dissertation results highlighted the influence of genetic lineage on observed genetic and phenotypic patterns, and that steelhead originating from the Central Valley deviate from patterns established in neighboring lineages.

Research aside, my other passion is scientific outreach. Through Flipgrid, classroom technology for increasing student engagement, I have connected with classrooms during my work as Trout in the Classroom Coordinator in Santa Cruz county, as well as during my field season in Antarctica and studying in Panama. I have also worked with other classrooms in private. If you would like to work with me through Flipgrid in your classroom, please contact me!

In my free time, I love to garden, cook, SCUBA dive, paint, and do landscape photography. I also love to travel and explore new places.