Research & Teaching Interests

I love the outdoors and all creatures, especially the little beasts that rule the earth--the INSECTS!!! What has attracted me particularly to studying beetles are their diverse beauty and the relationships each beetle species holds with other organisms, from bacteria to fungi to flowers and so on....

So naturally, my studies have focused on the systematics of beetles. For my Master's degree I conducted a comprehensive state survey of two closely related groups of beetles, Nitidulidae ("sap beetles") & Kateretidae ("short-winged flower beetles"), in Wisconsin. I traveled to various natural areas, including unique habitats (e.g. oak savanna, old growth hemlock forest) and recorded the beetles' distribution and natural history. Prior to this survey, species diversity, habitat and food preferences of these beetles in Wisconsin were little known.

Currently, I am conducting doctoral research on a particular "sap beetle", Conotelus, which occurs mainly in the tropics on flowering plants. I am revising and conducting a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Conotelus. Revision of this taxon is badly needed and much remains unknown about these magnificent creatures, including species distributions and plant relationships.

In addition to research, another passion of mine is teaching. I have been teaching for nearly 10 years at a variety of levels from outreach programs for young children to college level biology and entomology classes. Teaching has provided me the opportunity to continue to challenge myself and my students, explore my creativity, learn, and inspire future scientists. I look forward to creating hands-on learning experiences to help individuals, young and old, connect to the natural world.