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Title: Assistant Professor of Urban/ Peri-urban Entomology
Unit: Entomology

I am a broadly trained Urban Entomologist, with interests in insect physiology, behavior, insecticide resistance, biocontrol and the unique evolutionary adaptations of indoor pests. What motivates my research is developing a biological understanding of insects at multiple levels for improving pest control strategies to better alleviate impacted people. I do this by synthesizing discoveries on different aspects of insect biology into novel techniques for managing problematic urban pests. To achieve my research goals, I take an integrative approach to research, ranging from utilizing observational approaches in the field to experimental and molecular approaches in controlled laboratory settings. I am particularly interested in exploiting life cycle vulnerabilities of urban pests toward the goal of developing innovative and sustainable strategies to manage arthropod populations. I integrate fundamental and basic research concepts with modern teaching and extension programming. Investigating the efficacy of current pest control methodologies and newly introduced products allows me to deliver timely information to stakeholders, as well as prepare students and pest management professionals to use science-based knowledge to solve pest related issues.