Associate Professor
Biology
Office
Nicolaus Copernicus Hall
353
Education
Entomology
Michigan State University
2009
Areas of Expertise

I am an entomologist that truly enjoys learning about the most diverse and abundant group of animals on the planet – the insects.  I have two interests on which I focus my research.  The first is agricultural entomology in the nursery industry to develop improved management strategies for invasive and native wood-boring insects.  The second field of research is medical and veterinary entomology, which includes behavioral ecology, species distributions, and pathogen infection rates of insects and ticks important to human/animal health. Undergraduate and graduate students are vital members of my research team.  

Current projects my team is researching include:  1) management of wood-boring beetles that are problematic to forest ecosystems and the commercial nursery industry, and 2) species distributions of mosquito and tick vectors important for human and animal pathogens.

Courses Taught

Non-Biology Major Courses:

BIO 100 – Search in Biology: Invasive Species (winter and summer semesters)

BIO 101 – Search in Biology with Lab: Insects and Society (summer semesters)

BIO 111 – Introductory Biology

BIO 113 – Laboratory Experience in Biology

Biology Major Courses:

BIO 121 – General Biology I – lecture and laboratory

BIO 122 – General Biology II – lecture and laboratory

BIO 200 – Integrative Biology – lecture (co-taught) and laboratory

BIO 290 – Biology Research Experience

BIO 318 – Anatomy & Physiology I – laboratory

BIO 319 – Anatomy & Physiology II – laboratory

BIO 440 – Evolution

BIO 469 – Entomology – lecture and laboratory

BIO 490/540 – Topics in Biology: Medical & Veterinary Entomology

BIO 490/540 – Topics in Biology: BioInvasions

BIO 491 – Advanced Studies in Biology: Forensic Entomology