Research
I conduct medical entomology research at the University of Maryland, College Park in the Fritz Lab. I study the community composition and West Nile virus prevalence of Chicago Culex mosquitoes. This work could inform disease ecology modeling and research as to why this region experiences such high levels of symptomatic WNV cases among residents.
[Current] Chicago Culex species diversity and WNV prevalence
Chicago, IL experiences disproportionately high rates of human cases of severe, neuroinvasive forms of WNV. I use molecular techniques to determine the species identity and WNV infection rate of three species of Culex mosquitoes that are likely important to WNV transmission in Chicago: Cx. restuans, pipiens, and salinarius.
Through this work, I hope to develop a better understanding of the transmission dynamics of the virus in this region.
Review of the Hawaiian Megaselia (Diptera: Phoridae), With New Island Records and Updated Species Key
In the early months of 2020, I traveled with the O'Grady Lab to three Hawaiian Islands. I sought to explore the diversity of the Hawaiian Megaselia, a cosmopolitan genus of scuttle flies that has native and introduced representatives in Hawaii. I combined museum work at the Bernice A. Bishop Museum and the University of Hawaii at Manoa Insect Museum with strenuous fieldwork. Please find my thesis presentation and a research poster here:
Assessing the Risk of Triatomine Exposure of National Park Service Employees in Park Housing
In the summer of 2021, I was lucky enough to participate in research on the risk kissing bugs, which can transmit Chagas disease, pose to National Park Staff at Big Bend National Park. Along with the master's student leading the project, Antonio Alvarado, I traveled to the west Texas desert. We lived in an isolated research cabin without cellular service, rarely accessing the internet. We set up three passive trap types outside and inside park rangers' homes. We also conducted active searches.