She received her Ph.D in Ecology from the University of California, Davis. Her research employs a range of methods and models to better understand the evolution and social dynamics of family-living species. Her current work focuses on the impact of family structure and resources on child growth in Timor-Leste. Since 2009, her lab has investigated children’s growth relative to family and community characteristics in two ecologically distinctive regions of Timor-Leste. This research follows approximately 1250 children in over 200 families to understand the social, resource, and developmental influences on children’s growth. This work contributes basic science to the development of health policy in Timor-Leste and to NGOs formulating on-the-ground interventions. https://www.facebook.com/childgrowthTimorLeste/