Name: Dan Hahn
Hometown: Hallandale, Florida, USA
Position: Chief e-mail writer and form filler-outer (PI)
Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences from
Florida State University
Ph.D. in Insect Science from the University of Arizona
Prized publication: Our next paper is going to be amazing because…
I am fascinated by evolution, particularly adaptation and diversification. About half of my work is driven by the desire to understand the vast diversity of life histories one can observe in across every group of animals and plants. As a comparative physiologist, I like to study diversification through the mechanistic lenses of cell biology, biochemistry, development, and genetics. We have studied diversification in a number of contexts including the evolution of phenotypic plasticity – particularly in life-history timing, and hardiness to environmental stressors. The other half of my interests lie in using this mechanistic perspective on how insects work to improve environmentally friendly facets of pest management. For example, our group has contributed to enhancing the performance of insect biological control agents and developing non-chemical treatments to eliminate insect pests from fresh fruits and vegetables. When I am not working, I like to spend time with my family. I love traveling, being outdoors, and eating.
Name: Chao Chen
Hometown: Yongxiu County, Jiangxi, China
Position: Postdoc Associate
Education: B.S. in Plant Protection from
Jiangxi Agricultural University
Ph.D. in Crop Protection from Jiangxi Agricultural University
Prized publication: Inheritance of photoperiodic control of pupal diapause in the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)
My research project in Hahn lab focuses on 1) the mechanisms of energetic regulation in insect diapause by using the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis; 2) improving environmentally friendly methods SIT (sterile insect technique) for mosquito control and facilitating phytosanitary irradiation treatments for commodities. Beside these project, I’m always interested in utilizing beneficial insect such as black soldier fly for improving sustainable lifestyle.
Name: Clancy Short
Hometown: Goshen, Indiana, USA
Position: Ph.D. Student
Education: B.S. in Entomology from The Ohio State University
M.S. in Entomology from the University of Florida
Prized publication: Entrainment of eclosion and preliminary ontogeny of circadian clock gene expression in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis
I'm fascinated by how insects, with their tiny brains, are still capable of making "smart" decisions. More specifically, I research how insects can change their reproductive development and behavior in response to malnutrition. The investigate this question, I use males of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa. When I feed these males enough dietary protein, they display more reproductive behavior. But how are they sensing that they've eaten enough protein? I think proteins called hexamerin storage proteins, are used as a circulating signal of how much protein an insect has consumed, and then insects use this information to make "smart" decisions about behavior and development. One day SIT programs may be able to use my findings to trick insect males into displaying more courtship behavior, generating more efficient SIT programs. As my work continues, I want to investigate how insects integrate time-of-day/time-of-year information with nutritional information to make decisions about development and behavior. When I'm not in the lab, I like to play water polo and electric bass.
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Name: Maria Fiorta
Hometown: Mentor, Ohio, USA
Position: MS Student
Education: B.S. Biological Sciences from The Ohio State University
I am interested in how environmental factors impact seasonal life-history traits of insects allowing for hardiness to these stressors. Additionally, I am interested in how these life-history traits can be used for vector insect control. I will be working on SIT and improving environmentally friendly methods for controlling the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. When I am not in the lab, I enjoy aquarium keeping, SCUBA diving, and walking my dog.
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Photo by Dylan Tussey
Postgraduate Alumni
Clancy Short
MS Student 2019-2021
PhD Student 2021-2025
Last Known Whereabouts:
Postdoc at UMichigan?
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Dylan Tussey
PhD Student
Last Known Whereabouts:
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Andrew Nguyen
Postdoc 2017-2019
Last Known Whereabouts:
PETA International Science Consortium Ltd.
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James Brown
MS Student 2016-2019
Last Known Whereabouts:
Biologist, USDA-ARS-CMAVE
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Leigh Boardman
Postdoc 2015-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Postdoc, University of Florida
http://leighboardman.blogspot.com
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Vanessa Simoes Dias De Castro
PhD Student 2014-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Research Scientist, FAO/IAEA Insect Pest Control Laboratory
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Tom Powell
Postdoc 2013-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, Binghamton University
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Nick Teets
Postdoc 2013-2015
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, University of Kentucky
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/person/nicholas-teets
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Catriona Condon
Postdoc 2013-2015
Last Known Whereabouts:
Patent Examiner, IP Australia based at Canberra University Medical School
Internet Ghost
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Caroline Williams
Postdoc 2012-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, University of California Berkeley
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Bo Idsardi
MS Student 2012-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD in Science Education, University of Georgia
Faculty, Eastern Washington University
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Dehlia Albrecht:
MS Student 2011-2013
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD Student, UF Agricultural Education and Communication
Program Coordinator, UF Center for Precollegiate Education and Training
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Giancarlo Lopez-Martinez
Postdoc 2009-2013
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, North Dakota State University
https://www.ndsu.edu/biology/people/faculty/
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Bertanne Visser
Postdoc 2012
Last Known Whereabouts:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium
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Greg Ragland
Postdoc 2007-2011
Last Known Whereabouts:
Faculty, University of Colorado-Denver
https://seasonaladaptation.org
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Sharon Clemmensen
MS Student 2008-2010
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD in Ecology & Evolution, University of Tennessee
Lecturer, University of Tennessee
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Frank Wessels
PhD Student, 2005-2010
Last Known Whereabouts:
Scientist, DowAgroSciences/Corteva
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Geoffrey Broadhead
Postdoc
Last Known Whereabouts:
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Qinwen Xia
Postdoc
Last Known Whereabouts:
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Dylan A. Tussey
PhD Student
Last Known Whereabouts:
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California Riverside
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Olivia Smith
Lab Technician
Last Known Whereabouts:
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Undergraduate Alumni
Samantha Thomas
2017-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Bone Histology Lab at UF
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Johanna Schwartz
2016-2018
Last Known Whereabouts:
Unknown
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Nicole DeLorenzo
2016-2017
Last Known Whereabouts:
Full-time lab tech NOVA Southeastern Medical School
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Andre Szjner-Sigal
2012-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
PhD program in Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley
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Bailey Pierce
2014-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
Florida Atlantic University Medical School
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Megan Laughrey
2014-2016
Last Known Whereabouts:
Taking a year off before applying to medical school
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Emily Richter
2013-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Undergrad
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Jennifer Kight
2013-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Pharmacy School
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Theodore Cogley
2013-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
Biology PhD program at Arizona State University
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Sabrina White
2012-2014
Last Known Whereabouts:
Helicopter-flying EMT and rock-climbing guide in Utah
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Laura Castellanos
2011-2013
Last Known Whereabouts:
Univ. South Florida Medical Arts MS program
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Rachel Silverberg
2011-2012
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Undergrad
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Lazaro Dias
2010-2011
Last Known Whereabouts:
NOVA Southeastern Physicians Assistants School
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Gabi Cervoni
2009-2011
Last Known Whereabouts:
UF Medical School
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Valeriya Prytkova
Last Known Whereabouts: