I am a physiologist and maternal health researcher studying energy balance (energy intake & expenditure), physical activity, body composition, and health outcomes during pregnancy. I am interested in how women manage the energy costs of pregnancy given diverse lifestyles and environments.
Currently, I am a Donnelley Postdoctoral Associate in the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and Department of Anthropology at Yale University.
I recently completed my Ph.D. in Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University. For my dissertation, I quantified metabolic limits during pregnancy, examined patterns of gestational weight gain and body composition, and assessed how maternal and fetal health outcomes are impacted by physiological trade-offs within a limited energy budget.
I use a variety of laboratory, field, and survey methods to address my research questions. I have expertise in the doubly labeled water (DLW) method, indirect calorimetry, accelerometry, anthropometric & cardiometabolic assessments, consumer wearable devices, quantitative & statistical methods, survey design, project management, technical writing, and patient-centered communication.