She received her Ph.D. in Soil Science from Oregon State University, her M.S. degree in Soil Science from University of Delaware, and her B.S. in Biology from West Chester University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in soil microbial ecology and conducts research on microbial ecosystem services, including plant-microbial interactions for improved drought tolerance in winter wheat. She is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholar Award, the Charles N. Shepardson Faculty Teaching Award, and the Gamma Sigma Delta Faculty Award.