Alumni

Graduate Student Alumni

Grace Anderson, MS, 2017, Shultz Lab
Research: Revision of the North American Harvestman Genus Hadrobunus (Opiliones, Sclerosomatidae)
Current position: Senior Study Director, Smithers Viscient

Olivia Bernauer, MS, 2017, vanEngelsdorp Lab
Research: The Maryland Native Pollinator Survey: combining Citizen Scientists with a specimen collection to determine the floral preferences of Maryland’s native pollinators.

Maira Bezerra, PhD, 2017, MEES, Palmer Lab

Mercedes Burns, PhD, 2014, BEES, Shultz Lab
Research: Phylogenetic Exploration of Mating System Evolution in the Eastern North American Leiobunine Harvestmen (Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae)
Current position: Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, UMBC

Mengyao Chen, MS, 2018, Pick Lab
Research: Evolution of segmentation genes in non-holometabolous insects.

Crystal Cooke, PhD, 2018, Mitter Lab
Research: Hymenopteran biology, taxonomy, and systematics.

Steve Epting, MS, MEES, Palmer Lab
Research: Using landscape metrics to predict hydrologic connectivity patterns between forested wetlands and streams in a coastal plain watershed.
Current position: Biologist with the EPA Healthy Watersheds Program and National Tribal Nonpoint Source Coordinator

Rosemary Fanelli, PhD, 2016, MEES, Palmer Lab
Research: Effects of urbanization and infiltration-based watershed restoration on the hydro-ecology of headwater streams.
Current Position: Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Baltimore, MD

Andrew Garavito, MS, 2017, vanEngelsdorp Lab
Research: Pollen Nutrition, Pesticides, and Pathogens: Interactive Effects on Honey Bee Health.
Current position: Faculty Research Assistant, vanEngelsdorp Lab, UMD Department of Entomology
agaravit@umd.edu

Ryan Gott, PhD, 2016, Lamp/Hawthorne Lab
Research: Tying the molecular to the ecological: Gene expression as a biomarker of exposure in the amphipod Hyalella azteca.
Current position: IPM Specialist, Phipps Conservatory, Pittsburgh, PA

Jessica Grant, MS, 2016, Lamp Lab
Research: Phenology and Cold Tolerance of Megacopta cribraria: An Invasive Soybean Pest at its Northern Limit.
Current Position: Insect Zoo and Butterfly Pavilion Contractor, Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of Natural History

Jackie Hoban, MS student, Shrewsbury Lab
Research: Investigating the effectiveness of biological control and other mortality factors on the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), along an urbanization gradient and the response of an established biological control agent, Tetrastichus planipennisi, to a novel host plant of emerald ash borer, white fringetree (Chionanthus virginucus).
Current position: Technical Specialist, Home Paramount Pest Control

Jake Hosen, PhD, 2015, MEES, Palmer Lab
Research: Alterations to headwater stream microbial communities and carbon cycling in response to environmental change.
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University

Lauren Hunt, MS, 2016, Hooks Lab
Research: Influence of a native insectary plant, Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michx.) on organic field corn and arthropod communities.
Current Position: Data Analyst at Keyrus USA, New York, New York

Ana Jesovnik, PhD, 2016, Mitter Lab
Research: Taxonomy, phylogenomics, and natural history of the fungus-farming ant genus Sericomyrmex.

Cora Ann Johnston, PhD, 2016, BEES, Gruner Lab
Research: Marine community assembly in a dynamic ecotone.
Current Position: Post-doctoral Researcher, USGS, Parasite Ecology Lab, University of California, Santa Barbara

Hanna Kahl, MS student, Hooks Lab

Alan Leslie, PhD, 2014, Lamp Lab
Research: The diversity of burrowing benthic invertebrates and their impact on phosphorus dynamics in agricultural drainage ditches
Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Hooks Lab, Entomology Department, University of Maryland

Samuel Ramsey, PhD, 2018, vanEngelsdorp Lab
Research: Egg parasitoid behavior

Armando Rosario-Lebron, MS, 2016, Hooks Lab
Research: The effect of barley cover crop residue and herbicide management on the arthropod community in no-till soybeans.

Elanor Spadafora, PhD, 2016, BEES, Lamp Lab
Research: Analysis of macroinvertebrate communities in seasonal wetlands through time, space, and species traits.

Andrew Sensenig, PhD, 2009, Shultz Lab
Research: Elastic Sclerites and Hydraulics in Arachnid Locomotion
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Biology, Fresno Pacific University

Nathalie Steinhauer, PhD student, vanEngelsdorp Lab
nsteinha@umd.edu

Christopher Taylor, PhD, 2016, Mitter/Dively Lab
Research: Understanding the Relationship between the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), and its symbiont, Candidatus Pantoea carbekii, with implications for stink bug management.