IMG_1125_STDoctoral Student Alumnus
skienle “at” ucsc.edu

Personal Site

I am biologist interested in the comparative feeding ecology and functional morphology of marine mammals, specifically pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses). I earned my Masters of Science degree under Dr. Annalisa Berta at San Diego State University. My master’s thesis was an investigation of the comparative feeding morphology and evolution of feeding strategies in phocids (seals). Prior to my MS degree, I taught high school and middle school biology in south Texas for three years. For my dissertation research, I am planning to conduct a comparative study of the functional feeding morphology and ecology of pinnipeds. I am interested in combining phylogenetic comparative methods with ecological data in order to understand feeding behaviors from both ecological and evolutionary perspectives.