I am interested in patterns of biological diversity across spatial and temporal scales. At the largest scales, I am interested in how biogeographical history and current conditions generate and maintain gradients in taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional trait diversity. At local and regional scales, I am interested in how large-scale patterns influence and constrain patterns of diversity at smaller scales.

Questions at large scales necessitate data sets with similarly large spatial scales and taxonomic breadth. My work in biodiversity informatics focuses on the generation and use of diversity databases of various taxa (e.g., plants, ants, and mammals) at continental, hemispheric and global scales. My current research ranges from large-scale patterns in the phylogenetic diversity of mammals to understanding how changes in climate over the last 100 years may have influenced the biogeographical distributions of ant species. Please see my research page for more details