- Managed and supervised a team of undergraduate research assistants working on insect colony rearing by training assistants to competency on regular tasks, assigning tasks, and overseeing completion while working alongside students.- Prepared samples for sequencing using DNA extraction, digestion, ligation, barcoding, and PCR- Participated in weekly meetings planning laboratory objectives and capacities- Maintained corn in a greenhouse setting for colony feed by planting new sets of seeds each week, watering and fertilizing regularly, controlling typical greenhouse pests, and discarding plants when they were too old.- Collaborated with fellow lab members regularly to execute a variety of insect bioassays on a timeline and complete lab maintenance tasks- Analyzed four biological data sets using statistical methods and software and made graphical representations of the data- Implemented and practiced safe personal protection equipment (PPE) protocols while handling various pesticides used in the lab and agricultural settings- Wrote and edited more than ten standard operating procedures (SOPs) used for tasks ranging from basic lab functions and expectations to specific protocols for experimentation- Reared multiple strains of western corn rootworm in growth chambers for experiments by following the set of standard operating procedures to collect eggs regularly, add eggs to seedling mats, maintain seedling mats to ensure larvae and a consistent food source, collect adults as they emerge and add them to bug dorms, and maintain adult populations in bug dorms by feeding them regularly and keeping their environment clean.- Interviewed and hired great than 50 undergraduate students for laboratory positions while implementing bias-reducing techniques- Planted corn for greater than 25 studies of small plot agricultural research by hand and with a tractor- Wrote and edited five manuscripts and prepared slides for professional conferences

- Extracted DNA from juvenile and adult Asian citrus psyllid using DNA extraction kits and several different methods of differential centrifugation, - Conducted survival and fitness bioassays to test the efficacy of antibiotics as a control measure by adding Asian citrus psyllid adults and larvae to petri dish feeding rings, leaf disks, leaflets, and whole plants.- Quantified endosymbiotic bacterial titer using quantitative PCR to determine the efficacy of antimicrobial agents against psyllid endosymbionts and psyllid fitness. - Assessed the uptake of antimicrobials into excised leaflets using ELISA reactions and measured reactions in a plate reader.- Collaborated with fellow lab members on experimental troubleshooting and process improvements- Analyzed a variety of bioassay datasets using statistical software- Wrote and edited one manuscript for scholarly publications.

- Reared tobacco budworms, Heliothis virescens, for in vivo assays by making early instar, late instar, and adult diet, collecting eggs on paper towels, bleaching and washing eggs, adding eggs to early instar diet, transferring larvae to late instar diet, added pupae to adult rearing jars, and maintained adults for egg collection.- Optimized DNA extraction procedures for Nudivirus DNA from viral plugs in H. virescens abdomens using the PCI extraction method.- Ran PCR followed by gel electrophoresis to determine the presence or absence of Nudivirus DNA collected from H. virescens abdomens and abdominal samples received in the mail from collaborators. - Collaborated with extension agents and farmers to sample and scout for prevalence and distribution of Nudivirus in H. virescens populations. This was conducted by sending sampling kits to participants and proving instructions on how to send specimen properly through the USPS mail system to ensure DNA quality was maintained.

- Reared aphids colonies for use in bioassays by transferring individual aphids with a paintbrush to new bean plants for the lab of Dr. Allison Hansen.

- Made casts of ant nests in a prairie setting by pouring dental plaster down the nest, letting it settle, and digging out the entire nest from the ground. Nests were then 3D imaged to obtain social structure and nest construction of different species.

- Identified insect pests and bacterial and fungal pathogens on a multitude of plant species throughout the state of Illinois using multiple microscopy techniques, referencing plant disease compendium, and consulting experts. After this, I wrote reports on what we identified from the submitted samples and provided management options to clientele.

This work was funded by a NSF research grant. - Treated pumpkin seeds with neem oil and lactic acid to reduce bacterial titer of X. campestris pv. cucurbitae and subsequently assessed efficacy by plating and culturing serial dilutions and quantifying and identifying bacterial colonies.

- Maintained one acre of mixed vegetables in plastic mulch and seven acres of pumpkins for small plot agricultural research. Installed drip irrigation in each row, replanted non-viable plants, thinned plots to desired densities, weeded on a regular basis, mixed and applied pesticidal and fungicidal spray solution, and harvested and quantified yield from each plot to assess effects of pesticides and fungicides on disease severity and yield.- Cultured and quantified several bacterial and fungal plant pathogens of cucurbitae and solenacae on specific growth media for in vitro and in vivo inoculation assays.- Maintained mixed vegetables in a greenhouse for in vivo assays and spring transplanting to plastic mulch small plot research.