Research
I am a molecular ecologist examining how populations of invasive mosquitoes primarily dispersed by humans differ in vectorial capacity over space and time, profoundly affecting epidemiological landscapes and risk estimates. I have a strong extension program where I work closely with professional mosquito control programs using my understanding of mosquito biology, ecology and evolution to develop effective and efficient strategies for control. I have also spearheaded urban mosquito control by residents through Citizen Action Through Science (Citizen AcTS) and am a founding member of InSITE (Innovative Strategies for Invasives) using environmental DNA (eDNA) and risk analysis to detect and contain invasive species.
Summary of education and employment
B.S. in Biology and Geology from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. Smithsonian Fellow at the National Zoo Institute for Conservation and Biodiversity. Then NRC Associate at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Geneticist at the Smithsonian Institution, where she is still a Research Associate, then Assistant Curator at the Academy of Natural Sciences, joined Rutgers University in 2007 as an Associate Professor. Became tenured in 2010 and Full Professor in 2014. Teaches courses in Medical and Veterinary Entomology and Molecular Methods in Entomology, Ecology and Epidemiology. Became the Interim Director of the Center for Vector Biology (CVB) in October 2016 and the CVB Director in July 2017.