Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

My research is motivated by a deep fascination of the complexity of nature and a desire to contribute to its conservation.  I seek to improve our understanding of central aspects of the biology, evolution and ecology of plant species as well as develop molecular tools for implementation in conservation and nature management.

As a Carlsberg Postdoctoral Fellow at SERC, I explore how fungi contribute to speciation and diversification in the orchid genus Platanthera and investigate how preferences for fungal use are inherited by studying parent species and their hybrid offspring: Fungal interactions and speciation in orchids

Prior to immersing in the complex interactions between orchids and fungi, I have worked with evolution of plant mating systems at the Galapagos Islands, conservation and landscape genetics of timber trees in Indochina, as well as application of eDNA and NGS barcoding methods in biodiversity monitoring and nature management. I graduated from University of Copenhagen, Denmark, which I remain affiliated with through an ongoing project on population genomics and fungal use in European Platanthera species.