​My research integrates genomic data with ecological and behavioral information in a comparative context to understand the evolutionary consequences of life-history tradeoffs and adaptation to seasonality. I especially focus on effects of movement strategies, including dispersal and seasonal migration.

I defended my PhD in the lab of Dr. Ben Winger at the University of Michigan in 2023. Beginning in fall 2024, I am an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow co-sponsored by Dr. Scott Edwards at Harvard University and Dr. Nathan Senner at UMass Amherst.

​Many species of birds adapt to seasonality by undergoing long-distance migration. To succeed, they rely on the incredible ability to fly for days without stopping and navigate to precise points across the globe. My research is motivated by curiosity about how birds succeed at these amazing feats, and how migratory life-histories influence evolution. 

Migratory animals can cross the geographic barriers that shape spatial evolution in most other species, but migration also forces species to make special tradeoffs in how they allocate their time and energy throughout the year. I study how extreme movement ability and migratory life-history tradeoffs leave an imprint on genomic patterns, and how these factors might influence the capacity of migratory populations to adapt to environmental changes.

All images © Teresa Pegan