Garrison Piel

BS Insect Conservation/Wildlife Conservation, University of Delaware

Garrison is using population genomics and bioinformatics to examine whitefly predator movement patterns across the southeast to inform landscape management decisions for conservation biocontrol.

Krishna Patel

PhD Student

Sofia Varriano

PhD Student

Sofie is examining the contributions of wild birds and pastured poultry to food safety risks and biocontrol on farms, with the goal of increasing farm management safety and sustainability.

Priscilla Howard

Priscilla is researching the effects of the natural surrounding landscape and farming system on pollinator biodiversity within southeast Georgia’s blueberry farms. In doing so, she hopes to offer valuable information on the native pollinator population and the factors that may be affecting their community health.

Carly Sharp

BS Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan

Carly’s research explores the links between soil nutrients and densities of weeds and insect-pests. The objective of her research is to use organic fertility-management strategies to create more balance while promoting natural pest suppression.

Joseph Taylor
BS Biology, Washington and Lee University

Joseph is using stable isotope & molecular gut-content analyses to track the feeding habits of predatory insects, to determine how/why predator diets differ in organic versus conventional farming systems.

Olivia Smith
BS Siena Heights University, MS Ohio State U

Olivia is examining how local- and landscape-scale habitat features impact bird populations on vegetable and integrated-livestock farms.

Yang Ge
Visiting PhD student from China Agricultural University, 2017-2018

Yang examined the genetic basis of host-plant use by a polyphagous herbivore, the potato psyllid.

Karol Krey (PhD 2017)
BS Entomology/Nematology at University of Florida

Karol examined how organic farming impacts plant “health” – the ability of crops to defend themselves against herbivores. She is currently a postdoctoral scholar with the USDA in Wapato, Washington.

Carmen Castillo Carrillo (PhD 2015)

Carmen examined the ecology of the potato psyllid, an insect that vectors zebra chip disease of potato, in agricultural and natural habitats. She is a Research Scientist studying potato agroecology at INIAP in Ecuador.

Elliott Moon
MS student in Statistics, 2013

Elliott examined the influence of landscape structure on pest and predator populations in potato. He now works as a statistical consultant in Seattle.

Tobin Northfield

PhD 2011

Tobin examined predator complementarity and niche-breadth differences. He currently is an assistant professor in the Entomology Department at WSU (Dave Crowder is the other Snyder lab alum in a faculty position at Washington State).

Shawn Steffan
PhD 2009

Shawn is currently an Associate Professor of Entomology and USDA Scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. more 

Cory Straub
PhD 2006

Cory examined predator biodiversity & herbivore suppression. Cory completed a postdoc at UW-Madison, and now is an Associate Professor of Biology at Ursinus College. more

Jessa Thurman
BS Biology, Hendrix College

Jessa is interested in conservation biological control at the local and landscape scales. Jessa is completing a Fulbright year in Australia.

Matt Jones
PhD 2018

Matt looked at natural approaches to reducing food-safety risks on organic farms, and the ecology of human pathogens in farm soils. He currently is a postdoctoral scholar with Vince Jones at WSU-Wenatchee.

Amanda Meadows (PhD 2016)

Amanda investigated the community ecology of medically-important mosquitoes, and how aquatic predators impact mosquito immune function. She is a postdoc at Oregon State University.

Christine Lynch

PhD 2013

Christine used molecular gut-content analysis to study the feeding habits of predatory bugs. She is a scientist with USDA-APHIS based in Hawaii.

Joyce Parker
PhD 2012

Joyce explored trap cropping to control the crucifer flea beetle on organic vegetable farms. Joyce is Program Specialist at the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Lessando Gontijo
PhD 2011

Lessando explored biological control of the woolly apple aphid. He now is an Assistant Professor of Entomology at the Universidad Federal de Vicosa (Brazil).

Ricardo Ramirez

PhD 2008

Ricardo examined the interactive effects of predators and pathogens. He now is an Associate Professor of Biology at Utah State University. more

Renee Prasad
PhD 2005

Renee examined the use of “beetle banks” for predator conservation. Currently, Renee is an Agriculture faculty member at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia. more

Deirdre Prischmann-Voldseth
PhD 2005

Deirdre studied mite biocontrol in wine grape vineyards. Currently, Deirdre is an Associate Professor of Entomology at North Dakota State University. more