Mike is originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania and received his B.S. in Oceanography from the United States Naval Academy in 2011 as well as a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University in 2025. Before returning to academia, he spent 11 years in the Marine Corps as a C-130 pilot. While his interests are broad, he is currently interested in both trophic and disturbance ecology. For his PhD research he’s seeking to assess the relative effects of predator-prey interactions on plant community structure in the context of large-scale ecosystem change. He is hopeful his research can help to inform future rewilding and restoration initiatives. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the outdoors with family and introducing his son to the wonders of nature.