I prefer to go  by Arden, but still use my legal name for professional purposes. My personal interests include just about any and all activities that are outdoors and/or active—running, hiking, backpacking, yoga, rockclimbing, biking, skiing, and weight training. These days, I also love to spend my free time playing the guitar, singing and songwriting, cooking, going to concerts, doing yardwork, gardening, Latin dancing, or sometimes reading a good book (especially science fiction).

 

I grew up in the Blue Ridge region of the Appalachians in North Carolina, and I still have not found the end of my love for mountains and forests. Although I am now interested in questions about the ecology of a variety of taxa, I cannot deny that I was particularly fascinated with catching “hoppy toads” (as my brother and I called them) when I was a kid.
 

Most of all, I love being in nature! so I consider myself very fortunate to be in a field that allows me to work outdoors and contribute understanding to something I am very passionate about.