Prior to UMN, I completed a B.S. in Psychology and Computer science from the University of North Carolina, worked in software engineering, and then joined the University of Michigan for an M.S. in Environment and Sustainability and subsequently to work as a research assistant. I have worked on several projects during this time which have allowed me to gain skills in spatial ecological modeling, remote sensing, and urban sustainability. Through these experiences, I have gained an appreciation for the importance of connecting environmental change at global scales with how it manifests locally. My PhD will focus on forest changes in tropical mountains and ongoing land use transformations shaping these systems.