I am a professor of biology specializing in genomics and bioinformatics at West Liberty University. My research is highly interdisciplinary but united by a desire to enhance knowledge and scientific excellence in Appalachia through application of second and third generation sequencing methods. As a result, current projects range in focus from microbial ecology, population genetics, bacterial genomics, and phylogenetics. I work closely with state and federal agencies on conservation genomics of threatened and endangered freshwater invertebrate species across the southeast region. Additionally, I work in collaboration with WV-INBRE (West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence) as a biomedical bioinformatics analyst and educator.