B.S., Biology, University of Illinois, Chicago, 1984.
M.S., Plant Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1987.
Ph.D., Plant Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1990.

Assistant Curator, Mycology, The New York Botanical Garden, 1991-1993.
Martin-Baker Research Award, Mycological Society of America, 1994.
National Research Council Associate, USDA-FS, Forest Products Lab, Madison, Wisconsin, 1995.
Participant in expeditions to Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, French Guiana, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.

Systematics, biogeography and floristics of Ascomycetes.

My research on fungi focuses on Ascomycetes, specifically Loculoascomycetes and Pyrenomycetes, organisms which are plant pathogens and agents of decomposition. My research has floristic and monographic components. I am currently working on worldwide monographs of Lasiosphaeria and Chaetosphaeria, two genera that occur on woody hosts. Recent monographic studies include works on the cosmopolitan genus Leptosphaeria and the tropical genera, Xenolophium and Pseudotrichia. Additional studies include treatments of the pantropical genus Astrosphaeriella that occurs on palms and bamboos and Trematosphaeria found on woody hosts. These systematic studies lead to improved classification and a better understanding of generic relationships in these groups and test theories of speciation and biogeography. My work involves the microscopic examination and assessment of herbarium specimens along with laboratory in vitro culture studies of fresh specimens to determine growth and reproductive characteristics.

My floristic work is focused in the West Indies and in French Guiana. In general, Ascomycetes are not well-known and have not been widely collected from many tropical habitats. Areas like the tropical, lowland, rainforest in Saül, French Guiana and the Caribbean National Forest in Puerto Rico offer the possibility to survey and inventory the Ascomycete mycota and ask questions about biology, ecology, distribution and host specificity. These projects involve an active field work program as well as laboratory studies. These surveys will serve as models for assessing Ascomycete biodiversity in other tropical forests and ultimately, the information on fungal biodiversity will lead to a manual for identifying tropical Ascomycetes.