I'm interested in helping farmers manage insect pests more sustainably. I have always been a creative problem-solver, and am passionate about interdisciplinary science. I aim to combine these skills to develop practical solutions for insect pests using collaborative, interdisciplinary, participatory research and comprehensive outreach. 

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I'm currently a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where I'm pursuing my PhD in Entomology and MS in Agroecology. I'm a part of the Fruit Crop Entomology Lab and the Fruit Crop Horticulture Lab, and am co-advised by Dr. Christelle Guédot and Dr. Amaya Atucha. 

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My graduate research spans entomology, horticulture, soil science, and more. I am working to develop a more sustainable and effective management strategy for spotted-wing drosophila, a devastating invasive pest of soft-skinned fruit crops. My research investigates the use of plastic and biodegradable mulch films as a cultural control for spotted-wing drosophila in raspberry. Using a broader agroecological lens, my work assesses the impact of the mulches on many factors important to farmers, including fruit quality, plant growth, yield, and soil health. 

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I have a strong background working with invasive crop pests. Before attending graduate school, I worked for 4 years in Dr. Jana Lee's horticultural crop entomology lab as an undergraduate and post-graduate. I contributed to work on the pupation behavior and biocontrol of spotted-wing drosophila, as well as brown marmorated stink bug monitoring. My own research investigated methods for rearing the samurai wasp (Trissolcus japonicus) for biocontrol of brown marmorated stink bug, and assessed potential floral resources and conservation strategies for the wasp. 

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