research vision
transmission is not random; it is gated.
my research interrogates the mechanism of spillover. i investigate how animal movement, behavioral states, and environmental reservoirs interact to generate—or prevent—pathogen transmission.
traditional risk models often treat space as a static hazard, relying on broad overlaps between species. my work aims to fill the “mechanistic gap” by quantifying the specific biological processes that unlock exposure. by integrating biotelemetry, hierarchical modeling, and field epidemiology, i build frameworks that treat transmission as a dynamic, behaviorally driven ecological process.
01. mechanistic behavioral ecology
the question: how do distinct behavioral states (foraging, resting, migrating) alter the probability of contact?
animals move through landscapes, but not all movement carries equal risk. rather than treating “presence” as a proxy for exposure, i focus on behavior-specific contact processes. using gps and accelerometer data, i classify latent behavioral states to weigh exposure risk based on what the animal is actually doing in a contaminated environment. this moves the field from describing spatial overlap to quantifying functional contact.
02. environmental persistence
the question: how do landscapes function as dynamic reservoirs?
for pathogens like bacillus anthracis (anthrax) or cvd prions, the environment is not a passive background; it is an active pool of risk. my work examines the temporal dynamics of reservoirs—how long pathogens persist, how environmental conditions modulate their viability, and how host use patterns deposit or re-acquire these agents over time.
03. surveillance & translation
the question: how do we turn mechanistic insight into one health policy?
understanding mechanism is only useful if it informs intervention. my goal is to translate ecological complexity into operational surveillance tools. by defining the “behavioral gate” of transmission, i aim to help agencies move from reactive case-counting to targeted, risk-based surveillance that anticipates outbreaks before they expand.
current system: chronic wasting disease
currently, i apply these frameworks to chronic wasting disease (cwd) in white-tailed deer. cwd offers a robust model for environmentally mediated transmission because it involves persistent prions, complex host sociability, and significant management urgency.
however, the frameworks i am developing are designed for cross-system applicability, including vector-borne diseases where host movement shapes vector contact, and zoonotic spillover systems at the wildlife-livestock interface.
long-term vision
ultimately, my objective is to create integrated, mechanistic models of disease risk that move beyond description to prediction. i am building frameworks designed to:
01. predict how behavioral shifts—driven by migration changes, land use, or climate—alter transmission pathways before outbreaks occur.
02. inform adaptive surveillance and targeted intervention, ensuring that management resources are deployed where risk is functionally highest.
03. support ecosystem-level one health planning that respects the complexity of wildlife systems while protecting public and animal health.