I am a National Science Foundation (NSF) Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology, co-hosted between the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (Colorado, USA) and the Field Museum (Chicago, Illinois, USA). I love paleobotany and using biologic units of plant diversity to reconstruct past environments and answer big picture geologic and botanic questions through time. I am originally from Los Angeles, California. I got my start in paleontology as an intern at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Colorado in 2014. As a graduate of Colorado College in Geology and employee of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, I spent a lot of time performing fieldwork in Western North America, as well as managing paleobotany collections and working in the preparation lab. My next chapter began in the Southern Hemisphere in my father's home country, Argentina, where I conducted my graduate research on Paleogene fossil floras of Patagonia. I finished my MS at PSU in August 2019, and completed my PhD in December 2023. Beginning in January 2024, I will be investigating the recovery of vegetation after the K-Pg extinction in the Denver Basin, CO, USA and its possible links to the origins of rainforests. I am currently based out of Colorado Springs, CO. Check out an abbreviated CV, here.
In my research, I use fossil plants alongside stratigraphic and geochronologic frameworks to investigate the biotic response to changes in climate and paleogeography through paleoecologic, taxonomic, and biogeographic analyses. I have a strong interest in collections management and fossil resource preservation, biodiversity conservation, and public outreach. I am passionate about creating an inclusive, equitable community that intentionally increases accessibility to the geosciences, especially for historically excluded groups, and critically builds a strong sense of belonging to retain diversity of people and ideas in my field.
When I'm not doing science, I love to cook delicious food and test out new recipes, do Zumba, make quilts for my 13 (and counting!) nieces and nephews, and spend time with my husband and children exploring the Front Range.