I am a Ph.D. student in Botany at the California Botanic Garden/Claremont Graduate University. I received a B.S. in Genetics & Plant Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, where my work at the botanical garden and herbaria fostered an interest in systematics and evolution. I am studying the evolutionary history of two sections of Astragalus (milkvetches), with the goals of clarifying relationships in this large and complicated genus and understanding montane and alpine species diversification. I hope this research will provide a replicable workflow for future phylogenetic studies on Astragalus and inform conservation of vulnerable alpine populations. Outside of work I enjoy visiting museums, sitting on the beach, and sewing.

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Astragalus is the largest plant genus in the world, with over 3,000 currently recognized species. However, the evolutionary lineages and relationships of the North American species are poorly understood. My research focuses on a subset of species that occur in the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and Rocky Mountains. Seven taxa within my section live in alpine or subalpine regions. This distribution allows me to explore the biogeographical history of montane and alpine taxa, such as whether these species originated in deserts or migrated from higher latitudes. Using molecular phylogenomics, I aim to advance our understanding of montane and alpine Astragalus diversity in western North America and the impacts of our currently changing climate.

Header photo: Blue Mountains, WA. Pictured below, left to right: Astragalus whitneyi fruit, Astragalus whitneyi flowers, Astragalus kentrophyta var. jessiae (Photos by Ava Joseph)