I joined the Hanks labs in January 2005, marking my return to the flatlands of Champaign-Urbana. I did my undergraduate work at U of I, majoring in NRES and graduating in 2000. I spent a couple years working at various jobs, including my favorite, driving the Soil Adventure Mobile for the Field Museum. In 2002 I decided to give up the luxurious life of employment and go to graduate school, attending Michigan Tech University located in the snowy Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I worked in Andrew Storer’s lab, studying bark beetles and chemicals that are attractive and anti-attractive to them for my Master's Degree. I worked on other projects in the lab involving spotted knapweed, beech bark disease, and plant-fire-insect interactions. I also managed a state-wide Emerald Ash Borer Detection Survey in 2004. I had a great time at MTU and learned a lot, but in the end I couldn’t handle the idea of another winter, so I decided it was time to move on.
I am interested in studying Forest Entomology, especially beetle/tree interactions. My current project involves looking at the chemicals released by stressed trees to determine what makes them attractive to cerambycid beetles. More details on this to come!!!!!
When I’m not ‘on the ball’ in 420 Morrill Hall, I can usually be found either working out, talking about my latest obsessions (Springsteen concerts, stair climbing, my cats and iguana….), or drinking a Guinness in one of Champaign-Urbana’s fine establishments.
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