I earned my Ph.D. at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, for work that examined how carbon enrichment redirects plants’ allocation of resources to growth, reproduction and defense.  In my postdoctoral work, I extended this line of inquiry below-ground to explore how soil microbial communities respond to plants’ carbon surplus when grown in carbon-enriched atmospheres. After coming to MSU, my research interests have shifted toward questions that provide insights into how students develop conceptual understanding in biology.  I am especially interested in the barriers and benefits that accompany learning and reasoning with visual information.