Assistant Professor Environmental Studies Program 084 Ruth Williams Hall The College of Wooster Email: [email protected] Voicemail: 330-287-1982
As an agroecologist and entomologist, my research centers on ecological and social questions in agricultural and natural systems, with a particular focus on human-insect-plant interactions. My work explores three general areas of inquiry: 1) the effect of biodiversity-based agriculture on arthropod predator-prey interactions and ecosystem services, 2) the role of knowledge transfer and collective action in the adoption of integrated pest management practices, and 3) the use of participatory action research approaches to address local sustainability issues.
Ash Arons, Class of 2023 Pronouns: Xe/xey/xeir Hometown: Midland, MI Major: Environmental Studies, Environmental Conservation
A care-taker of a couple pollinator gardens on campus, Ash has recently unearthed an interest in studying insects post undergrad. Inspired by flowers, bees, beetles, and leaves, xe curated a Pollinator Plot Blog that documents xeir last couple years at the college. Zoë Jurkowski, Class of 2024 Pronouns: She/her/hers Hometown: Chicago, IL Major: Environmental Studies, Environmental Humanities
Zoë is a long-time environment lover, having first discovered her passion for environmental conservation spending summers on her aunt's farm. She has a special appreciation for animals and has made a mini cat-map to catalogue The College of Wooster's stray and domestic cats.
Current Independent Study (Undergraduate thesis) students
Ash Arons, Environmental Studies Major, Class of 2023 Owen Barnard, Environmental Studies and Biology Double Major, Class of 2023 Jakeb-Eligah Milan, Environmental Studies Major, Class of 2023 Temuul Munkhtur, Environmental Studies Major, Class of 2023 Brendan Ortiz, Environmental Studies Major, Class of 2023
Previous lab members
Research assistants Shane Epstein-Petrullo, Class of 2024 Wenshuo (Fred) Zhao, Geology Major, Class of 2023 Dani Manzo, Environmental Studies Major, Class of 2022 Lucas Stengl, Environmental Studies Major, Class of 2022 Nick Wyckoff, Environmental Studies Major, Class of 2022 Cydney Hall, Sociology Major, Class of 2021 Virginia (Ginny) Roberts, Biology Major, Class of 2021
Independent Study students and thesis projects Manasi Desai, '22: Microplastics As Carrier Of Pahs Released From Oil Spills: Measuring Ingestion And Bioaccumulation Rates In Copepods Virginia (Ginny) Roberts '21: Resource-Driven Control of Cavity-Nesting Wasp Densities: Importance of Deadwood Density and Plant Resource Heterogeneity Emma Russell '21: Mycoremediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Relation to Urban Agricultural and Food Deserts: A Review Wiley Phelps '21: Why Give a Dam? Exploring the Impacts of Castor canadensis Inundation of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Populations and on the Perception of Biologists Who Work with Them Dylan Phillipson '21: Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities Suggest No-Till Agricultural Practices Can Improve Great Lakes Aquatic Ecosystem Health Ava Chamberlain '20: Get the Lead Out: Evaluating the Influence of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil on Urban Agriculture. Alex Montalbano '19: Insight into Environmental Concern: An Examination of Development and Variation of Concern Towards Sea Turtle Conservation. Bridget Gross '18: Drone Brood Removal: A Bee-utiful Form of Varroa Control and Source of Edible Insect Protein.