Member Details

Prior to joining the USFS, Paula was a contributor to the Human Genome Project that developed the first microsatellite DNA markers used to identify diseases in humans. She went on to help develop microsatellites in white pine, one of the first applications of the method to study genetic diversity in trees. Her expertise in population genetics and plant physiology is a specialized combination used to determine the environmental factors that regulate plant growth, abundance, and species distributions. With this focus, Paula advises DREAM-WI on assisted migration strategies to reduce the negative impact of climate change on the genetic diversity of northeastern forests.