Dr. Schwaller has a background grounded in architectural design, urban and regional planning, and demographic analysis. She earned her Masters of Architecture from Tulane University in 2013. Following this, she worked as an architect in the San Francisco Bay Area for several years before pursuing further education. She completed her Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina in 2022 and subsequently held a one-year postdoctoral position at Brown University in their Population Studies and Training Center.

Her research is motivated by the recognition that climate change will necessitate significant population shifts. Dr. Schwaller is particularly interested in understanding the dynamics between areas becoming increasingly uninhabitable and the destinations to which displaced populations migrate. Her work focuses on understanding the reasons behind migration from vulnerable regions, identifying the destinations of these displaced populations, and exploring strategies to facilitate equitable relocation amidst deteriorating environmental conditions.