One theme that I emphasize in my research is aeolian geomorphology, due to its importance in understanding desert landscape dynamics and because dust emission from deserts produces mineral aerosols that strongly influence downwind ecosystems and impact the Earth’s climate. Another major theme of my research is the interaction between soils, vegetation, and climate in deserts. I conduct field and laboratory research and employ remote sensing and spatial modeling to understand fine-scale processes, meso-scale patterns, and global-scale Earth system interactions. My research program reflects my interest in fundamental questions of scale that transcend disciplinary boundaries: how do physical, chemical, and biological processes act across landscapes to produce observed environmental patterns and how, in turn, do these patterns modulate large-scale spatial and temporal interactions within the Earth system?

I am always looking for new graduate students and undergraduates who are interested in research.  Please contact me if you’re interested.