Currently, my research is centered on climate-related emerging environmental issues, such as benthic toxic cyanobacterial blooms and algal tolerance to desiccation. Molecular phylogeny, systematics, and taxonomy of freshwater algae are other foci for continuing research. I apply an integrated approach to address scientific questions incorporating a variety of field, laboratory, experimental, observational, microbiological, and molecular methods. I study the aquatic ecosystems of both the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts of the United States. I am also involved in international efforts related to biogeography, diversity, and ecology of algae cyanobacteria.

• URoL:EN: Understanding the rule of life facilitating the proliferation of toxic cyanobacterial benthic mats in flowing freshwaters, NSF Award (collaborators Ramesh Goel, Harry Sundar - The University of Utah, Joanna Blaszczak, Robert Shriver - University of Nevada, Reno)
• Taxonomic, molecular, and ecological studies of harmful cyanobacteria and nuisance algae in rivers and lakes in Virginia (collaborators Chris Jones, Greg Foster – GMU)
• Integrative molecular, morphological, and ecological studies of stream diatoms (collaborators Regine Jahn, Nelida Abarca, Oliver Skibbe, Jonas Zimmermann – Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum, Berlin, Germany)
• Stream diatoms from Mediterranean climates – comparison between diatom flora of southern California and Cyprus (collaborators Kalina Manoylov – Georgia College and State University, Marco Cantonati – University of Bologna, Italy)
• Biogeography, phylogeny, and ecology of desiccation-tolerant charophyte alga Zygogonium (Andreas Holzinger – University of Innsbruck, Austria, Lowise Lewis – University of Connecticut)