I am interested in the diversity and evolutionary history of freshwater fish. My research focuses on the freshwater fishes of Africa. With over an estimated 3,000 species (many have yet to be discovered) the African continent presents amazing opportunities. This research involves field work, phylogenetics, genomics, morphometrics, and integrative taxonomy. My research in East and West Africa has discovered dozens of new species (11 are now formally described) and revealed biogeographic patterns that suggest the presence of many more undescribed species. This research suggests that the current diversity of African fishes is drastically underestimated. With population growth, climatic change, and ongoing development; these species face an uncertain future. One group of particular interest is the small African barbs (Cyprininae: smiliogastrini) that are distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. These ~500 species (most of them remain undiscovered/described) radiated across the continent around 20 million years ago. The relationships among these barbs and how they spread across Africa is presently unknown. Another passion is working to improve the research capacity in developing countries through workshops, symposia, and training sessions.