Hi, I'm Lizzie! 

I am a botanist and evolutionary biologist fascinated by plant diversity. What are the patterns and processes that have shaped the extraordinary diversity of plants? And how will our human actions impact plant richness in the future?

My path began in San Francisco, where I studied environmental science and ecology and spent countless hours exploring California's rich flora. I got hooked on collections-based research through internships at the California Academy of Sciences herbarium and the San Francisco Botanical Garden. I started my first proper botany job at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park as an education coordinator, connecting the public to the tropical plant collection.

Then I had the opportunity to do an MSc in Taxonomy, Biodiversity, and Evolution with Imperial College London and based at the Natural History Museum. For my thesis, I worked in the Australian Wet Tropics modeling how the mountaintop endemic plants would respond to future climate scenarios. I stayed in London for a bit to work at Kew Gardens on the New Guinea flora - the island with the highest plant diversity in the world. Plants have evolved in weird and wonderful ways on islands, but are also often highly threatened on islands.

Now, I’m finishing my PhD at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, where I study the evolution and island biogeography of Asteraceae across the Pacific. I’m currently based in Berkeley as a visiting scholar, finishing my dissertation remotely while continuing to collaborate with researchers internationally. My work combines field work, collections, and evolutionary tools to understand how plants diversify and how to protect them.

From California natives to Queensland cloud forest endemics to Polynesian aster radiations, each project centers on understanding plant evolution and conservation. Alongside research, I really enjoy teaching, mentoring students, and science outreach—helping people see how cool plants are  ;-) 

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Pronouns: She/They