I am an ecologist with nearly 35 years of writing experience publishing on science and natural history topics. My scientific areas of expertise are birds, urban ecology, invasive species, insects (especially dragonflies and damselflies), plants in human-influenced systems, and environmental sustainability in coffee agrosystems. I was the founder of the Rouge River Bird Observatory at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, which operated for 26 years until my retirement in 2018. I maintain my association with
My editorial experience includes many peer reviews for scientific journals, technical editing for environmental consulting firms, and freelance editorial projects. I am currently on the editorial board of the journal Urban Naturalist , am an Associate Editor for The Great Lakes Entomologist , and serve on the Publications Committee of the Wilson Ornithological Society .
I have written numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles and technical reports, and I frequently distill scientific research into articles or presentations for the public. From 1993-2020, I was a Contributing Editor at BirdWatching Magazine (formerly Birder’s World ), and I have published in other magazines including Michigan Natural Resources, Bird Watcher’s Digest, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, The American Orchid Society Bulletin , and even some poetry in Rolling Stone .