This morning I received an email from Dr. Robert Fleischer, head of my former genetics lab at the Smithsonian, with the announcement that I was awarded the first 'Emerging Scientist Award' at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institue holiday party. I am humbled by the award, as I was extremely fourtunate to spend six years working on my doctorate in the Center for Conservation Genomics. This lab really shaped  my research interests, and taught me how to be a scientist. #OurLabBestLab
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Thanks to everyone at the CCG that helped me through my dissertation research, you are the top of the field, and great people, I was so lucky to have convinced Jesús Maldonado to take me in as a student!

I am proud to announce that the African wild dog genome paper is now published! This study, led by Dr. Michael Campana, sequenced two complete genomes of African wild dogs, also known as painted dogs. The wild dogs are important carnivores in the African landscape, but have been declining due to human activity. The genome resources have detailed the degree of the decline, and show a different history between the individuals from Kenya versus South Africa. So glad I was able to participate in this exciting study! Thanks everyone, and congrats on another important paper for wildlife conservation!

Find the open access paper here: bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-016-3368-9

Five years ago the MBP embarked on a startling new challenge in southeast Madagascar- planting trees. Madagascar is renown for biodiversity and unique radiations of animals, but sadly also well known for the amount of forest lost to slash and burn agriculture. In order to protect the remaining animals, the MBP began a reforestation project, putting seedlings back on barren hillsides. This monumentus effort has culminated in the countdown to reach the one million tree mark, which will happen next week! The past year has been incredibly rewarding being part of a group that has such diverse interests, from empirical research, to education and outreach. I'm very fourtunate to be able to contribute to such an interesting project, aimed at helping not only the animals, but the people living in Madagascar! Congratulations to all of the researchers, students, technicians, and Malagasy working on this project, what a huge accomplishment!

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