About me
I am currently an ATER (temporary research and teaching attaché) at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE) and the Institute for Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM).
I earned my PhD in Biology in December 2019 at University of Washington, where I have been a member of the Strömberg Lab. For my dissertation, I have focused on the study of phytoliths - microscopic plant silica bodies preserved in ancient sediments. One of the objectives of my PhD dissertation was to establish modern calibrations in the Neotropics that explicitly consider important functional aspects of vegetation (such as structure, composition, diversity, and spatial heterogeneity) and ultimately can be applied to the deep-time fossil record to reconstruct vegetation through time and space. I then used phytolith analysis to investigate vegetation heterogeneity and change at the onset of the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum, in Patagonia, Argentina. I am also passionate about angiosperm evolution, and angiosperm eco-physiological leaf traits. My Masters work focused on leaf vein density. My future objective is to integrate phytolith analysis to other paleobotanical tools through collaborations with colleagues in the field of (paleo and modern) ecology, geology, paleontology, plant science. During this transition phase, I happy to discuss future research and collaboration opportunities! ![]()
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