Hi! I'm Aly! I am broadly interested in marine intertidal systems, the organisms (invertebrates and algae) that are found in this habitat, and how issues of climate change (abiotic factors such as increased temperatures and biotic factors such as invasive species and species interactions) may alter this dynamic space. I consider myself someone who spans fundamental and applied ecology looking to answer questions for the sake of science but also to address issues of climate change in our coastal region of New England. I use a series of tools and techniques to answer scientific questions - laboratory experiments to better understand the effects of temperature on invertebrate physiology and effects on biotic interactions; field experiments such as manipulating substrate temperature to understand how increased temperature will effect settlement, survival, and community composition of sessile invertebrates and algae and field species identification and assessment to determine biodiversity and monitoring of important or emerging populations; synthesis and statistical modeling to understand historic/long term trends in abundance, predict future distributions, and assess levels of impact by invasive species. I have field sites across New England and work in spaces such as Long Island Sound, Narragansett Bay, and Boston Harbor. My research allows me to work with partners such as National Park Service, USGS, the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel, and Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center.  Currently I am an NE CASC fellow, ORISE Fellow with the U.S. Geological Survey,  leadership team member of the NE RISCC , and actively participate in OEB student leadership (Mentoring Committee and Spring 2023 President).

In addition to my research, I am an advocate for justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and access in STEM and STEM education. I am a first generation college student and graduate and am a community college grad, I am a disabled/differently abled person, a non traditionally aged PhD pursuant, and a mom of two kids. I'm passionate about many issues such as disability advocacy, working with various communities across UMass and have helped form the ECo Department's Disability Affinity group; women in STEM where I created the regional Pioneer Valley Women in STEM Network, have served in leadership of the UMass Graduate Women in STEM, and ran a mentoring program for women UMass graduate students and UMass alumni; issues of racism and inequalities, where I have previously chaired the Justice and Accountability committee of the IDGP DEI Committee and am currently serving on the ECo JEDIA Committee. I think it is important to be as engaged in the social aspect of what a STEM career is as the science itself in order to make it a more just, inclusive, and diverse space, which will produce better and more innovative science!