I received my BA in Psychology (Cum Laude & Departmental Honors) from Oakland University in 2013. I then served as a Lab Manager in the psychology department at the University of Pittsburgh from 2014-2015. I returned to Oakland University in 2015 where I completed my MS in psychology in 2017 under a Graduate Fellowship funded by the King-Chavez-Parks Initiative. Currently, I am a PhD student in evolutionary psychology at Oakland University, studying under the advisement of Todd K. Shackelford. I serve as the Student Representative of the Executive Council for the Human Behavior and Evolution Society. I also serve on the Editorial Board as a Review Editor for Frontiers in Psychology, Evolutionary Psychology, as well as a Section Editor for the Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science (Editors in Chief, Todd K. Shackelford and Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford).
My research program centers on the development of human sexuality, with a primary focus on life history theory and attachment theory. I apply principles of evolutionary biology and behavioral genetics to understand the contributing factors to pubertal maturation and how attachment systems develop and change across the lifespan. I also investigate how romantic attachment bonds influence relationship behaviors in the context of committed pair-bonds. I employ various methodologies to address these research topics including self-report, longitudinal dyadic designs, experimental paradigms, mathematical simulations, and behavioral genetic modeling.
