I am a physiologist and maternal health researcher at Duke University 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 under diverse lifestyles and environmental conditions.

I am currently a PhD candidate (ABD) in the Pontzer Lab in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology. For my dissertation, I am quantifying metabolic limits during pregnancy, examining patterns of gestational weight gain and body composition, and assessing 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.

For additional training in biomedical science and public health, I completed a Graduate Certificate in Global Health at the Duke Global Health Institute, and I am a Duke Scholar in Molecular Medicine (Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease track) at the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute. I have been an NSF Graduate Research Fellow since 2021.