My career in aquatic ecology began in 1979 when I received a B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of Tampa. During two years as an environmental consultant, I developed skills in diatom and annelid taxonomy, quantified the benthic polychaete components in Gray whale diets, and described the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of rivers, lakes and estuaries in Florida and New Jersey. I obtained an M.S. in Zoology in 1986 from the University of Vermont focusing in aquatic ecology. My research demonstrated that naidid oligochaetes are common components of drifting invertebrate fauna in some streams, and that this may be a dispersal mechanism during periods of rapid population expansion through asexual budding. Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology from Florida International University. My research will improve our understanding of the population ecology and biological control of invasive plants.