Bug Talk: Recent Episodes
Zsofia Szendrei
This podcast is created by the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University. Its hosted by multiple co-hosts and its goal is to introduce the person behind the scientist. You will hear conversations with entomologists and scientists to learn more about their lives, what inspires them and what interests them outside of work. Follow the podcast on Twitter or Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. You can direct message us on Twitter if you'd like to reach out to us. You can also follow us on YouTube on the Bug Talk channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYJf8hS87OdcxZT9K1BqKhQ/videos. Artwork illustrated by Elisabeth Darling.
Dr. Maxime Eeraerts is a new postdoctoral associate in the MSU Entomology Department (https://www.isaacslab.ent.msu.edu/people/lab-members/). He is originally from Belgium, has a background in biological engineering and got interested in honey bees during his M.S. degree. After his Ph.D., he moved to Washington State University in 2021 for 9 months to work on a blueberry pollination project. He is currently housed in Rufus Isaacs' lab and is conducting a meta-analysis to better understand the pollinator dependence of different fruit crops. He is funded by a unique foundation that is intended to increase exchange of knowledge between the US and Belgium. He is also an outdoor enthusiast, biker, runner and will be exploring MI this summer.
*Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Thanks to Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Laura Ingwell is an assistant professor of horticultural entomology at Purdue University (https://ag.purdue.edu/entm/Pages/Profile.aspx?strAlias=lingwell). First, she talked about her path from dentistry into community ecology and then to entomology. She then shared with us her thoughts about the role of extension, delivering research results to growers and the importance of building personal connections to gain trust.
*Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Thanks to Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Ke Dong is a professor at Duke University leading a research program on insect toxicology and physiology (https://kedonglab.biology.duke.edu/). In this episode she talked about her childhood growing up on a silkworm experiment station in China, playing with silkworms, and her mother's influence on her interest in biochemistry. She talked about the importance of her mentor during her PhD program, the "two-body problem", and raising her son while managing a research program at Michigan State University. She also shared with us about her new life in North Carolina, including her teaching responsibilities and a new seminar course she created.
*Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Thanks to Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode Zsofia talked with Dr. Nayeli Carvajal. Nayeli is starting her postdoc at MSU in the Entomology Department this month. She will be moving from California to Michigan in April just in time to see spring in all its glory! She completed her Ph.D. in Nov. 2021 at the University of California - Irvine studying the effects of climate change on insect-plant interactions. During her postdoc, she will be working on determining how heat waves affect potatoes and its associated pests. Outside of research, Nayeli is passionate about plants, hiking, she also enjoys reading and cooking. Check out her website: https://nayelicarvajal.weebly.com/
*Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Thanks to Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Zsofia and Jean Tsao (https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/jean_tsao; former guest of the podcast on Ep. 62) cohosted this episode featuring Dr. Jannelle Couret, a first-generation Afro-Caribbean/Latina scientist. She researches the biology of arthropod vectors and the eco-epidemiology of vector-borne human pathogens. She completed her PhD in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution of Infectious Disease at Emory University. We chatted with her about how she found her current faculty position and a unique fellowship she had as a postdoc. Check out her website for some of the fantastic art we talked about during the podcast: http://www.vectorbiology.org/
*Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Thanks to Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Dr. Megan Fritz (http://www.meganfritzlab.com/people.html) is alumna of the MSU Department of Entomology. She sat down in person with Zsofia to talk about career and family. She chatted about being an undergraduate research assistant in an entomology lab, being inspired by the people around her to choose entomology as a career, and going to grad school without getting an M.S. first. Meghan also discussed her choice to start a family in graduate school, raising children while completing her Ph.D., the role of a supportive adviser and community to be able to do this and thinking about why it might be a good option for some to have kids during this time of life.
*Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Thanks to Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Dr. Ned Walker (https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/edward_walker) is a professor in the Entomology Department at Michigan State University. His work focuses on mosquitos, ticks and other insects important from a human health perspective. In this conversation, Ned talked about his life growing up in Ohio, getting into medical entomology during his undergrad, growing his interest in mosquito ecology and eventually coming to MSU as a postdoc in Rich Merritt's aquatic entomology lab. After getting his current position, he developed an international research program that took him to many different countries around the World. It is interesting that Ned's life today would be very different if it wasn't for an early mentor he met in college who encouraged and taught him at a critical time of his life. Ned also talked about his love of music, playing the guitar and being in bands.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
In this episode Osten Echedor (MSU Bug Club President) and Nate Howder (MSU Bug Club Vice President) talked about everything MSU Bug Club related! Bug Club's mission is to provide a welcoming environment for students interested in learning about entomology to connect with fellow arthropod enthusiasts and develop professional skills. We chatted about the club's history, current activities, membership, meetings and future plans. This fun group has members from many different undergraduate majors and love to play games at their meetings. They also organize collecting trips and feed you snacks that have arthropods in them!
Follow Bug Club on Discord (https://discord.gg/6tqT6fA6ZV), Instagram (@bugclubmsu), and join them at Springticipation 2022 (Student Involvement Fair on Wednesday, January 19 2022, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM at the Duffy Daugherty Building - Indoor Football Practice Center 771 Chestnut Rd , East Lansing , MI)
Email them at bugclubmsu@gmail.com.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact/follow us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
In this episode Zsofia talked with Dr. Inga Zasada, nematologist with the USDA-ARS based out of Corvallis, OR (https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/corvallis-or/horticultural-crops-research/people/zasada-inga/). We chatted about how Inga was inspired by her scientist parents and growing up in Alaska and Oregon to want to become a biologist. She also talked about her unusual path to nematology, including being a Peace Corps volunteer on the Maltese Islands for 2 years where she had to learn on the job. We chatted about her graduate education at North Carolina State University and UC Davis and then working for the USDA as a nematologist.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
On this episode of Bug Talk, Jen and Julie chat with Liz Schultheis, Kellogg Biological Station's Long Term Ecological Research Education (LTER) and Outreach Coordinator and the founder of Data Nuggets. We talk about the founding of the program, its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how you can become involved with the Data Nuggets program!
Follow Data Nuggets along on Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop!
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
This episode features Dr. Hannah Burrack, incoming chair of the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University (https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/canr-names-new-chair-to-lead-department-of-entomology). This new position starts on Jan. 1, 2022, and in this episode we chatted about her background and thoughts on leadership.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
In this episode Julie and Zsofia talked with Raul Medina (https://medinalab.tamu.edu/), professor of entomology at Texas A&M. Raul received the Entomological Society of America's 2021 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Award. We chatted about how foreign-born people currently living in the US can work with US-born minorities to strengthen each other, how he came to connect his personal experiences to societal issues and how he has been active in the DEI movement since his time as a young professional. We discussed issues such as implicit bias, you can take the Harvard test we mentioned here: (https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html). We also talked about why it is sometimes difficult to have conversations about DEI and what we can do to normalize these.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
Jen and Zsofia talked to Dr. Julio Bernal (https://entomology.tamu.edu/people/bernal-julio/), professor of entomology at Texas A&M. Julio told us about his background in agriculture and how he got interested in entomology. He also told us about his graduate education and postdoc working with citrus biocontrol. We also chatted about the structure of the A&M system and the undergraduate and graduate programs in his department.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Zsofia and Jen chat with Dr. Katja Poveda, associate professor of Entomology at Cornell University. Dr. Poveda studies plant-insect interactions from the plant to landscape scale in agroecosystems. We chat about her global research in Malawi and Kenya, her teaching interests, and some of the awesome research she has done!
You can follow the Poveda lab on Twitter @PovedaLab to stay updated with Dr. Poveda's current research!
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
The MSU Entomology Department is very fortunate to have a wonderful new group of graduate students joining us in 2021. This episode features five of these new grad students: Cynthia Fiser, Julie Michaelson, Ronnie Miller, Charlotte Schuttler and Lauren Goldstein. We talked about how they selected graduate schools, why they ended up choosing MSU and what were the things they looked for in this selection process. We also discussed their future career plans and what skills they hope to learn in graduate school that will help them in finding a job. We talked about Ecolog( https://halllab.asu.edu/how-to-join-the-ecolog-job-board/), a list serve that some people in our discipline use to find graduate student positions.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
In this episode Jen and Ariana chat with Naim Edwards about his work as an extension specialist at Michigan State University's Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning and Innovation (DPFLI). The DPFLI is an urban food research center, developing solutions to economic and nutritional challenges unique in urban environments located in a Detroit neighborhood. We talk about the formation of the DPFLI and some of its goals, along with the importance of promoting urban agriculture within communities and eating local food.
If you are interested in learning more about or becoming involved with the DPFLI you can visit their website or follow them on instagram @msu_detroit_ag!
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
If you are interested in graduate school and are considering joining our department, this episode will provide you with a wealth of information about where to start this process. Dr. Anthony Cognato (Graduate Program Director) and Heather Lenartson (Administrative Assistant to the Chairperson and Academic Programs) talk about topics related to admission to graduate school and what you should expect. You can find resources on the MSU Entomology department website about finding a major professor, funding and the application process.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
Dr. Anthony Cognato (Graduate Program Director) and Heather Lenartson (Administrative Assistant to the Chairperson and Academic Programs) talked about this year's new grad student orientation, the new Student Information System that replaces much of the physical paperwork for both PhD and MS students and allows them and their committee members to track their progress online, different types of MSU fellowship, application process for those interested in being considered for MSU fellowships/assistantships, graduate guidance committee composition, etc. We will be back with another episode about details of the application process to graduate school.
Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
Visit us on our YouTube channel.
This week, Jen chats with Jimmy Gray-Jones, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF) for Summer 2021! We talk about Jimmy's interest in data science, research and his cool project this summer looking at how COVID-19 is impacting pesticide use for farmers in Africa! We also chat about where he hopes to travel and his favorite books and video games!
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
This week, Jen and Ariana chat with Mohammad Turaani, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF) for Summer 2021! We talk about Mohammad's newfound appreciation for the research process, his favorite parts of being in the lab, the mosquito plague and the cool work he's doing this summer working on trapping methods and biological control of the Spotted Wing Drosophila! We also chat about some of his favorite hobbies like football (soccer), Arabic rapping and dancing, and some of his favorite books!
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Zsofia talks to Henry Mochida (mochidah@msu.edu), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Communications Manager at Michigan State University. Henry works to strategically elevate MSU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, practices, and programming with staff in University Communications and the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives. We talked about his cultural heritage, growing up in Hawaii, his film making career, interest in economics and his current position at MSU. Watch Henry's films:
- Blue Tarp City (master’s thesis / award winner – native Hawaiian homelessness in Waianae)
- Place of Hope (community mobilizing / raised $25k+ – impact of 2011 earthquake on potter community in Japan)
- Hula in the Zane ʻOhana (hula culture - wait for the Kamehameha butterfly!)
- Say No to Pipelines (advocacy / award winner – activism to stop the building of the Kindermorgan pipeline)
- What is IGR? (institutional storytelling / award winner – video production series)
- MSU Juneteenth Celebration (Juneteenth – institutional remarks)
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of some of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
This week, Jen chats with Natasha Mackay, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF) for Summer 2021! We talk about Natasha's childhood fascination with bugs and nature, her interest in outreach and extension, and the amazing work she's doing this summer working on trapping methods and biological control of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug on Michigan apples! We also chat about where she hopes to travel to find bones and the cool bone earrings she makes in her free time!
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode Andrea Glassmire and Kayleigh Hauri talk with a collaborative research group from Louisiana State University and the LSU Ag Center – Rodrigo Diaz, James Cronin, Laura Meyerson, Tracy Meyerson, Xuelian Meng, John Nyman, Ana Salgado, and Joshua Snook. They are collaborating on a project examining the mechanisms causing the die-off of an important wetland grass system, Phragmites australis, that stabilizes the Louisiana coastline. The Phragmites die-off is a multi-faceted problem, and each collaborator is investigating different aspects of this die-off. The restoration of Phragmites is an applied ecological challenge that will be important for stabilizing the Louisiana coastline, and the only way to accomplish this is using basic research to understand what the mechanisms are.
The Phragmites research team includes additional scientists studying the role of plant pathogens, soil microbes, plant volatiles, and Asian parasitoids. For a glimpse, please see the research topics covered here: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/environment/invasive%20species/roseau%20cane%20die-off/researchers
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode Andrea Glassmire talks with Dr. Walter Carson and graduate students, Cheyenne Moore and Castilleja Olmsted, from the University of Pittsburgh on tips for applying to graduate school in ecology and evolutionary biology. They co-authored a paper in the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America that lays out a step-by-step guide on applying to graduate school and how to succeed by choosing the right advisor and program for you. This episode covers how to prepare for graduate school, how to choose a program, the criteria for gaining admission into graduate school, selecting an advisor, selecting a program if you are a parent, and finding an equitable, inclusive, and welcoming graduate program.
Please check out their accepted paper in a forthcoming issue of the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America for more information on this topic:
Advice on applying to graduate school in ecology and evolutionary biology: how to prepare and a step-by-step guide (2021). WP Carson, SE Kuebbing, TL Betras, AS Campbell, EW McQueen, CL Moore, CF Olmsted, LB Roberts, and NN Washington. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
This week, Kayleigh talks with Alex Hitchcock, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF; Twitter: @erof_msu) for Summer 2021. We talk about career changes, his work at Josh's Frogs, and growing some of the coolest plants out there!
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Dr. Jean Tsao (Twitter: @JTsao1) from MSU's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife talks about everybody's "favorite", ticks! We also chatted about how she became an expert in this group of arthropods and she shared this list of resources with us:
- Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) page on tick-borne diseases: https://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,4579,7-186-76935---,00.html
- Current MDHHS Lyme disease risk map (to which Jean's lab has contributed much of the tick data): https://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/Lyme_risk_map2020_697081_7.pdf
- MDHHS document that summarizes the tick and disease risk trends over the last 5 years: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/2021_Tickborne_Disease_Summary_Report_725827_7.pdf
- MDHHS's webpage for ordering tick warning signs, tick ID cards, and tick collection/submission kits for tick ID [only]. You can also submit photos of ticks instead of the ticks themselves and probably get a faster turnaround time on the ID: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/Publication_Order_Form_357623_7.pdf
- Here is the link to The Tick App, a mobile health app colleagues and I developed to improve tick prevention - both through outreach/education about ticks and tick prevention, but also through community science regarding both improving tick prevention practices as well as monitoring for invasive ticks. Here's a recent write-up about the app in the MSU Today.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode, Jen and Natalie chat with Riley Bender, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF) for Summer 2021! We chat about Riley's transition into a new career, doing field work, and some of her favorite and not-so favorite movies and books! You can follow Riley on Twitter at @RileyTheRad and on Tik Tok for her cool bug videos @RileyLikesBugs!
Riley's Podcast Recommendation: Hidden Brain by NPR
Riley's Book Recommendation: Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Zsofia and two guest co-hosts, Julianna Wilson (Entomology DEI committee chair) and Elizeth Cinto Meija (representative of Entomology Department on the CANR DEI committee), talked with Drs. Jabbar Bennett (MSU’s Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Professor of Medicine in the College of Human Medicine) and Quentin Tyler (Associate Dean and Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Director of MSU Extension), two leaders at MSU. We asked them about their current positions, their take on what it means to be a good leader, what the pandemic taught them about leadership, how to move forward after the lockdown, balancing personal views with the larger vision of an institution, their views on the future of the university, their mentors and people who inspire them and, what they think the future will bring. If you'd like to find out more about Dr. Bennett, take a listen here and watch this video to learn more about Dr. Tyler.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Ariana, Jen, Natalie and Zsofia chatted with Jenna Walters about the Entomology Research and Outreach Fellowship (EROF). We chatted about how Jenna (Twitter: @Jenna_M_Walters) was inspired by Insects for Inclusion to start this program, what activities had been undertaken by the EROF committee over the last year, funding the program, recruiting and interviewing fellows and finally offering 7 fellowships for this summer. You can also follow them on Twitter and Instagram @erof_msu.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
This week Ariana and Jen chatted with Dr. Harit Bal. Harit is the Senior Research Entomologist in Regulatory Sciences at Bayer Crop Science. They discussed what sparked her interest in agricultural work, and her research and experiences in graduate school. Harit also talked about the importance of networking and building soft skills while in graduate school and beyond. They also discussed Harit's hobbies outside of work and her favorite cuisines.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see video of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Dr. Amanda Lorenz is the undergraduate advisor in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University. In this episode, Natalie, Ariana and Zsofia chatted with her about our undergraduate program, current recruitment strategies, employment opportunities and courses for entomology undergraduates. Amanda described the demographic of our undergraduate students and strategies used to increase diversity. We also talked about how graduate and undergraduate students interact in our department. Amanda is our Bug House coordinator and she talked about what an important outreach tool this has been. Take a virtual tour of the Bug House! If you are interested in our undergraduate program and have questions, please feel free to send an email to Amanda (lorenzam@msu.edu). You can also find out more about our undergraduate program and how to apply to MSU on our department's website.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see video of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode, Olivia and Zsofia chatted with outgoing MSU Entomology postdocs Andrea Glassmire and Eli Bloom. They shared the challenges of the pandemic-era job market and what they’ll remember fondly about the MSU Entomology community. Andrea is starting a new position working in the Cronin Lab at Louisiana State University and can be found online at aglassmire.com. Eli is on Twitter at @susta1nabeelity and on the Szendrei lab website.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see video of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode Andrea Glassmire and Kayleigh Hauri talk with Drs. Kevin Steffey and Zsofia Szendrei, who are the co-editors in chief of American Entomologist. Kevin and Zsofia talked about how they got involved in science communication, the importance of storytelling in scientific writing and making research accessible to broad audiences, especially to those who are not in science. We talked about how social media can be an important method of communicating science to large audiences. This episode is only audio.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode, Olivia talked with recent MSU Entomology Seminar speaker Dr. Marianna Karageorgi. Marianna is a postdoc at Stanford University and studies insect adaptation to host plant toxins. We discussed her path into the fascinating world of insect behavior, differences between the US and European academic systems, and what scientific research has in common with dancing the tango.
You can follow Marianna on Twitter @m_karageorgi, follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast, and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
On this week's episode, co-hosts Jen, Natalie, and Ariana chatted with Dr. Meg Lowman ("Canopy Meg"). Dr. Lowman is a conservation biologist, educator, ecologist, writer, explorer, and public speaker. Her expertise involves canopy ecology, canopy plant-insect relationships, and constructing canopy walkways. We chatted about what it's like being a woman in science, her global travels, science communication, and her new book!
Learn more about Meg's conservation work here: https://canopymeg.com/ or follow her on twitter @canopymeg
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Ariana and Zsofia talked with Jackie Perkins about fieldwork safety guidelines and how we approach field work this upcoming field season. Jackie developed a document that contains best practices on traveling to and working at field sites while doing research. It is designed to provide information for existing employees and their supervisors, and new employees that may not have much experience working in remote locations. The document provides useful information on preparing for fieldwork, traveling, and emergencies. It includes a section on Safe Fieldwork For All, informed by the recent Demery & Pipkin article. You can follow Jackie on Instagram @msuberrybugs and follow the Isaacs Lab on Twitter @IsaacsLab.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Bug Talk is 1-year-old, so our podcast team celebrated with answering listener submitted questions. If you are interested in seeing photos of our pets, head over to our Instagram account.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Dr. Sheila Colla is an assistant professor at York University in Toronto, Canada. Her lab focuses on researching native pollinators, especially bumble bees. In this episode, Sheila talked about her undergrad research experiences that led her to study bumble bees, and the people who influenced her most in her career. We also talked about pollinator conservation more broadly, the advantages of working in an interdisciplinary department, funding for research in Canada, and community science programs. You can find Sheila on her lab's website, on Instagram @findingflowersmedia and on Twitter @SaveWildBees.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode, Andrea and Zsofia talked with Carlos Blanco, research entomologist at the USDA-APHIS. Carlos told us about how he got interested in agriculture, moving from Mexico to the U.S. to get a graduate education and being in an ecology graduate program balancing his interests in applied research and the department's focus on basic research. He told us about his experiences working in extension and industry, in Mexico and in the U.S. He shared with us some important tips about applying for USDA jobs, in particular he gave some pointers for how to prepare job application materials if you are interested in government research jobs. If you have specific questions about this, please email Carlos (carlos.blanco1206@gmail.com).
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
On this episode, Jen and Ariana chatted with Dr. Julie Lesnik, an associate professor of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit. She studies the evolution of humans eating insects and has even wrote a book on it called Edible Insects and Human Evolution. We chatted about how humans evolved to eat insects, her time studying chimpanzees in Africa, and she gave some advice to graduate students in STEM. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @JulieLesnik. To watch this episode on YouTube with closed captioning, click here.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this podcast Jen and Zsofia talked to Rebecca Tonietto, assistant professor of biology at the University of Michigan-Flint. Rebecca is a pollination ecologist, who got her start with Ann Fraser's entomology course at Kalamazoo College. She then worked with Rachael Winfree as a research assistant on melon pollination in New Jersey where her interest in pollinators began. She is a native of Michigan and has found her way back to the Flint area after going to graduate school at Northwestern University where she worked - among other things - on pollinators on roof gardens. Rebecca gave some really nice examples from her life of how following your gut and staying open to opportunities can land you in the 'right' place. Follow Rebecca on Twitter @beckytonietto.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode Jen, Olivia, Andrea and Zsofia chatted with MSU alumna, Jaree Johnson. She is a medical-veterinary entomologist in the military and she talked to us about growing up in Indiana, getting into entomology, working in industry, getting an M.S. from the MSU Entomology Department and then going to work in the military. She also chatted about what her life is like living in different countries, her love for travel and food, and hobbies. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @AllIKnowAreBugs. To watch this conversation on YouTube, click here.
Here is a link to a previous conversation with Jaree on YouTube.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Kayleigh, Natalie, Ariana, Zsofia welcomed Dr. Olivia Cope to the department, she is a new postdoc in the Wetzel Lab. Olivia will also be joining our podcast team as a co-host, so keep an eye out for new episodes with her. Olivia told us about her life growing up in Seattle, doing her undergrad at Berkley and getting a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin with Rick Lindroth. She shared with us her passion for biking. Olivia moved to East Lansing in the fall of 2020 and she is eagerly looking forward to making new acquaintances in the department in person in the near future. Olivia is found on Twitter @ocopeo.
You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this episode Ali and Zsofia chatted with Yolanda Chen, an associate professor at the University of Vermont. Yolanda shared with us how she got interested in evolutionary biology, her experience working at the International Rice Institute in the Philippines and talked to us about having kids while establishing her career as an assistant professor. We also discussed differences between working at a smaller, teaching focused institution such as UVT and larger universities like MSU. Follow Yolanda on Instagram @insectagroeco and on Twitter @Yolanda_H_Chen.
You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this week’s episode of Bug Talk, Natalie talked with her undergraduate research advisor, Dr. Kate Boersma. Kate is an assistant professor at the University of San Diego, California. She is an entomologist who focuses on arid land aquatic ecology. Natalie and Kate talk about the research they've done together, what it is like to be a first generation student, and strategies for recruiting a diverse lab. Follow @kateboersma on Instagram and Twitter for more information on desert aquatic entomology!
You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
In this fun conversation with Dr. Samuel Ramsey, Jen, Natalie and Zsofia asked him about how he came to love insects, his life as a singer / performing artist and his passion for science communication. We mentioned his YouTube channel called Doctor Buggs, his appearance on American Idol and his 3-min thesis summary. Samuel is currently a postdoc at the USDA Bee Lab in Beltsville, MD where he works on Varroa mites - a topic he presented during a department seminar at MSU in Dec. 2020. Follow Samuel @drsammytweets and @drsammygrams or visit his website at drsammy.online
You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast and find out more about the podcast on the entomology department website. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the conversations with guests.*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
Dr. Kelsey Graham was a postdoc in the Isaacs Lab until Dec. 2020, she is now a research scientist at the USDA-ARS Bee Lab in Utah. She and Zsofia discussed her job application and interview process during lockdown, she also talked about her new job responsibilities and what her expectations are for the future. The tea that Kelsey likes is called PU-ERH tea and can be found here. Kelsey is active on Twitter @kelsey_k_graham.
*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality and for Matt Grieshop for the music!
We talked to Jessica Ware and Megan Wilson, both part of the #entopoc team. Check out Episode 29 for an earlier podcast with 3 other members of this organization to find out more about who they are and how they were created. In this episode Zsofia talked with Jessica and Megan about how they paired 40 students with mentors for the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America and how #entopoc provides support for the best meeting experience for these students. We also talked about their recent publication in American Entomologist about "Why diversity matters among those who study diversity". This article is about the state of diversity in entomology, if you don't have access to it and would like to read it, please email entopoc@gmail.com for a copy. We also chatted about Jessica's role as the current vice-president and future president of the Entomological Society of America. Please follow #entopoc on Twitter and Instagram @entopoc and if you have a job opening for an entomologist at any career level, consider posting the ad on their website.
*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality and for Matt Grieshop for the music!
In this podcast our co-host team (Andrea, Kayleigh, Ariana, Natalie, Jen, Zsofia) chatted about plans for the podcast's future, such as starting a YouTube channel for posting the recorded zoom videos, making public service announcements at the beginning of episodes about open positions, new people in our department, etc. We are also looking for people to join our podcast team or come on as a guest. We would like to build a network of podcast hosts across entomology departments, the only qualification you need is a passion for entomology. We also looked back on our favorite moments from all the episodes we published since March. Please send us a message and follow us on Twitter or Instagram @bugtalkpodcast.
*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality!
In this podcast Kayleigh and Zsofia talked to Emily Proctor from MSU Extension about her role in connecting MSU with MI Indigenous People. We also talked about her life growing up, her perception of the Land Acknowledgement and how to recruit indigenous students.
MSU Land Acknowledgement
Article by Emily Proctor about Tribal Colleges
*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality!
In this episode Ariana and Zsofia talked to Dr. Ivette Perfecto, James E. Crowfoot Collegiate Professor of Environmental Justice at the University of Michigan. She gave the MSU entomology department seminar on Nov. 2 where she shared her current work on ants in coffee agroecosystems. In this podcast, she talked about her origins and undergrad in Puerto Rico and her graduate studies at the University of Michigan. She shared with us how she became a professor at the University of Michigan and how the collaboration with her husband evolved over time. We also asked Ivette about her coffee drinking habits.
*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality!
In this episode, Zsofia talked to Dr. Tatiana Cornelissen, a Brazilian scientist working on insect-plant interactions. Tati recently gave an entomology department seminar over Zoom about her research. In this podcast we explored her life growing up in Brazil, how she developed a passion for science, her graduate studies including her Ph.D. in the US and, how she perceives the current status of science in Brazil. She also gave some great pointers for people interested in collaborating with Brazilian scientists. Follow her on Twitter @Taticornelissen.
*Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving the sound quality!
In this weeks episode, Natalie talks with MSU Entomology undergraduate student, Taylor Hori. Taylor is returning to school for a second degree, this time in entomology! Taylor and Natalie talk about the pros and cons of being an older returning student, what led Taylor from English to Entomology, and what it is like moving from the west coast to the mid west!
In this episode, Zsofia, Jennifer and Kayleigh talk to Dr. Jessica Kansman who got her B.S. in Entomology from MSU. She then went on to complete a Ph.D. at the University of Missouri and is now a postdoc with Dr. Sara Hermann (listen to Episode 14 for a chat with her) at Penn State. We talked about how Jessica became an entomology major at MSU, what she did as an undergrad research assistant and her research as a Ph.D. student. Jessica also told us about her passion for outreach, in particular she mentioned Skype a Scientist, Letters to a pre-scientist, and the "Be the Nerd: Extension Entomology Share Fair" workshop at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America. You can follow Jessica on Twitter @jesskansperson. Her outreach Instagram is 'kansibugyou'.
In this episode, Zsofia talked to Willye Bryan about her career in entomology and her involvement in editing "Memoirs of Black Entomologists: Reflections on childhood, University and career experiences", a book published by the Entomological Society of America in 2015 and now available online free of charge. Willye talked about her activism in the 1960 to integrate classrooms and her initiatives during her time at the USDA-ARS in Stoneville, MS to bring people of color into research.
This week cohosts Ariana and Natalie talked with Bryan Stanley, a second year PhD student in the physics department here at MSU and an outreach coordinator for Women and Minorities in Physical Sciences (WaMPS, follow them on instagram @msuwamps). We discussed Bryan's culinary skills and how he tragically lost an oven-mitt, how we are all figuring out living on your own, and his hobbies. We also talked about his passion for outreach, his current goals and how his time at Colorado State University helped lead him to where he is now.
In this episode, Jen talks with MSU Vegetable Extension Educator Dr. Ben Werling. We talk about Ben's journey through grad school, what it's like to work in extension, playing cello in a music group about Michigan's Great Lakes, and advice for aspiring extension educators.
Co-hosts Andrea Glassmire and Zsofia Szendrei chatted with MSU Entomology undergraduate Michael Kalwajtys, who is starting his junior year in our department this fall. Mike discovered entomology after finding out that his passion for video games does not translate well to a career in computer sciences. He told us about a summer job he had that taught him about endangered species. We asked him about what life is like as an entomology undergraduate, how he is dealing with online courses, what he did during the summer in lock-down and how his summer plans were changed due to the pandemic. Mike also shared with us his work experiences in entomology and his passion for doing research in the field. He is an avid Star Wars fan and we talked about the possibility of meeting aliens and the chance for finding life in our solar system. Mike's top two favorite video games are Skyrim and Apex Legends. To learn more about Mike, check out Joy Landis' article about him on the department's website.
In this episode, we talked with Manpreet Kaur Kohli, Aaron Goodman, and Melissa Sanchez Herrera, three members of the Entomologists of Color (EntoPOC) initiative. We chat about the origin of EntoPOC, how you can get involved, and their future plans! We also get to know a little bit more about what these entomologists research, their favorite podcasts and TV shows, and memories as entomologists!
To learn more about getting involved with EntoPOC, you can visit:
https://www.entopoc.org/
Or to connect with EntoPOC:
Email: entoPOC@gmail.com
Twitter: @EntoPOC
This week cohosts Ariana and Jen chatted with graduate students Jessica Maccarro and Magda Argueta-Guzman from University of California Riverside. We discussed their research, how the awesome idea for 'Insects for Inclusion' was started (follow them on Instagram @insects4inclusion), which is a platform they use to sell insect art from which all of the proceeds go to a fund supporting paid research opportunities for undergraduates in underrepresented communities in science! They also discussed hobbies, favorite food, podcasts, books, and locations to visit!
Dr. John Clark is the recipient of this year's MSU Entomology Alumnus Award. He is a professor and environmental toxicologist at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. In this episode Kayleigh and Zsofia talked to John about how he got into entomology, his experiences as a graduate student, mentorship, transitioning to a faculty position straight out of a PhD, starting new projects and of course, his time at MSU. To learn more, please visit Joy Landis' article on the department's website.
In this podcast Zsofia and Joy Landis - communications manager and assistant coordinator of the IPM Program - talked about how she got into communication, her interest in design, photography and relationship to digital and social media platforms. We also chatted about her family, travel, things she misses during lockdown, her favorite food, and coffee/tea drinking habits - Joy buys bulk coffee online from Equal Exchange, a fair trade company. Joy is into running, ran the Chicago marathon, and also likes biking and walking.
In this episode Zsofia talked to Dr. Henry Chung, assistant professor in the MSU Entomology Department. He talked about his life growing up in Singapore, the cultural and linguistic diversity and school system, the geographic restrictions of a small nation. He then lived in Melbourne, Australia where he did his PhD and he shared his love of the great weather and life style there. Henry also talked about being in the army where he played in the band on the flute and was first hand witness to the comings and goings of state heads. We also chatted about his coffee drinking habits and his recent review article on climate change and insecticide resistance. Follow Henry on Twitter @henrywchung.
This week Ariana chatted with M.S. students Ellie Camerato and Jenna Walters. They discussed what led them to where they are now, with Ellie doing systematic research in entomology and Jenna studying pollination ecology in blueberries. They also discussed how COVID-19 and the campus shut down affected their research, how working from home has been, and hobbies they had during quarantine (find Ellie's block prints on Instagram @juniperprints_). They concluded with giving advice to anyone in grad school currently or thinking about applying for grad school.
In this podcast Kayleigh and Zsofia talked with Dan Turner, graduate student in the Wetzel lab. He is currently the graduate student representative on the Entomology Department's Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee so we touched on topics related to this issue. We talked about why he is passionate about DEI, the DEI book club for graduate students, educational inequities in the Lansing region, his experience with socioeconomically disadvantaged students as a teaching assistant this spring, etc. We also talked about what graduate students have been doing in our department to bring light to areas for improvement, such as reimbursement for moving expenses, access to laptops, etc. Dan mentioned the following books: The Privileged Poor, Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. Please consider purchasing these books from one of these POC-owned bookstores. To contact Dan with questions or to join the book club email him at turne400@msu.edu.
In this episode of Bug Talk, Andrea chats with Oscar Castaneda, a GIS specialist at Michigan State University. In his spare time, Oscar is an activist for the civil rights of immigrants and is Vice President of the Action of Greater Lansing organization. Oscar was born in Guatemala and was educated in the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship. He has been living and working in the States for over 25 years and is still struggling to obtain his green card. Instead of letting obstacles deter him, Oscar faced the problem head on by playing a prominent role in establishing Lansing, MI as a Sanctuary City. Oscar continues to help other immigrants understand the legality of the United States immigration system.
In this episode, Ariana and Zsofia talked to Dr. Marisol Quintanilla, nematologist at MSU Entomology. Marisol talked to us about how she got an M.S. and Ph.D. in nematology in Dr. George Bird's lab, and her life as an entomologist in Guam. She also talked to us about her three children and husband and how she manages to balance work and life.
In this podcast we talked to Drs. Felicia Wu and David Hennessy from the Departments of Food Science & Human Nutrition and Agricultural, Food, & Resource Economics about their recent USDA grant investigating the relationship between the prevalence of aflatoxin and Bt corn. We also chatted with them about transgenic crops more generally, their future and public perception.
This episode's guest is Marianna Szucs, assistant professor in the entomology department. She and Zsofia chatted about her path from geology to entomology, why she chose evolutionary biology as her research theme and what life is like as a foreigner. Marianna also talked about her hobbies.
In this podcast Kayleigh and Zsofia talked to Dr. Mary Gardiner, entomology professor at The Ohio State University. She received her Ph.D. in the Landis lab and since became well-known for her work on vacant lots. Mary is the incoming president of the Northcentral Branch ESA, starting in 2021, and we chatted with her about her path to leadership and her future plans in this role.
In this episode of Bug Talk, Jen chats with MSU alumnus, Dr. Rob Morrison. Rob is currently a Research Entomologist for the USDA-ARS Center for Animal Health and Grain Research in Manhattan, KS. We chat about his work in stored product pest management and chemical ecology, grad school in Germany, photography, and tips for achieving a good work-life balance in graduate school. This one was really fun to record, and you won't want to miss it!
This week cohosts Ariana and Jen talked with MSU undergrad Osten Eschedor. They discussed what led her to major in entomology, why she chose MSU, if eating insects is ethical, her favorite and least favorite field days, and how she ended up having a pet raccoon.
Today's podcast guest is Dr. Julianna Wilson who is the applied tree fruit academic specialist in our department. She is also chair of the department's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and member of the CANR diversity committee. We talked to her about the role of these committees and the actions that they are taking to promote diversity. Co-hosts Kayleigh Hauri, Jen Zavalnitskaya and Natalie Constancio discussed with her how students can make changes in this area in the department.
In this podcast Dr. Sara Hermann, assistant professor at Penn State University, chats with Andrea Glassmire, Ali Zahorec and Kayleigh Hauri. Sara is an alumna of our department - Landis lab - earning her Ph.D. in 2019. In this episode she describes what it's like juggling a dual career position and starting a new lab, all while being a mom of two beautiful kids. Check out her lab's website: https://whatsconsumingyou.wordpress.com/
Send any questions regarding this episode to Andrea: glassmi5@msu.edu
On this episode of Bug Talk, Ariana and Jen chat with Dr. Marjorie Weber, evolutionary ecologist and assistant professor at Michigan State University's Plant Biology department. We chat about the importance of art, diversity in science, and her career journey researching plant-arthropod mutualisms!
Check out the Weber lab's platform for education in diversity throughout science!
https://projectbiodiversify.org/
This week our cohosts, Ariana and Natalie, talked with M.S. students Colin Bailey and Ellie Darling from MSU. We discussed their love for drawing, crazy things you can get from yard sales, if they are team Friends or The Office, and team Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. Listen in to hear our controversial opinions on these TV shows and movies!
In this episode Ali and Zsofia chatted with Dr. Jen Pechal about maintaining insect colonies at home during quarantine, traveling to do research on different continents, her childhood inspiration for studying decomposition, her garden and animals in her backyard, and teaching.
This week Logan Appenfeller and Kayleigh Hauri discuss Zoom defenses and post-graduation plans, fantasy books, and real-life superpowers. Congratulations Logan, and good luck with the move and the new job!
In today’s podcast Andrea Glassmire talks to four current postdocs in the Entomology Department, Drs. Eli Bloom, Kelsey Graham, Nate Haan, and Benjamin Jarrett, to find out what life is like as a postdoc at Michigan State University. Our conversation spanned many topics including how we found our current postdoc, the importance of networking, and balancing work and life. It turns out we all took different strategies to get to where we are today. We are all successful because we are doing what we love….Entomology!! Send any questions in regard to this episode to Andrea’s email: glassmi5@msu.edu.
In this podcast Ariana, Jen and Zsofia talk to Dr. Therese Poland about her life growing up in Canada, how she found a career in forest entomology focusing on chemical ecology, and running 20 marathons. We also chatted about the Michigan Entomological Society and her recently becoming the coeditor-in-chief of Environmental Entomology. Therese works for the US Forest Service and is also an adjunct professor in our department. The book Therese recommended in this podcast is “Buzz - The nature and necessity of bees” by Thor Hanson. The gods of technology were not with us during the recording, so we expose how the sausage gets made since we don’t edit the audio files - sorry about that - we hope you still enjoy this episode.
This week we chat with Brianna Alred, graduate student in the Szucs Lab, about the transition to grad school and best places to go hiking in Michigan. Hosts of this episode were Ariana and Kayleigh.
Join us this week as we chat with Dr. Rufus Isaacs and discuss hobbies outside of science, how to tell someone they have their facts wrong, and Detroit’s top museums. Hosts of this episode were Andrea, Jen, and Kayleigh. Rufus’s band recommendation: https://newenafrobeat.bandcamp.com/
In this episode we talk to Dr. Meghan Milbrath about her love of the outdoors, being an EMT in Maine and California, going abroad to do research in Tanzania and Ecuador, getting a PhD in human epidemiology at the University of Michigan and then choosing to pursue a career working with honey bees at MSU. She is currentlythe coordinator of the Michigan Pollinator Initiative and also keeps honey bees as a hobby. Meghan has found a way to blend her personal passions with a professional career.
In this weeks podcast we meet Dr. Adam Ingrao, alumnus of our department, where he got his PhD in 2018. Adam wears many hats, he is currently working with MSU Extension as a Veteran's Liaison, runs the Heros to Hives Program, and is State Co-Coordinator for North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR SARE). He and his wife live full time on the Upper Peninsula where they have a lavender farm and keep honey bees (beewisefarms.com). Adam has many interests, and he is able to juggle them all at the same time, with a great sense of humor.
Join in this week as we meet Ali. This week's episode is about Natalie's kitchen design woes, Game Day Fridays, our pets, and the hot topic debate about whether animals are truly, innately good. Host of this episode were Ariana and Natalie.
In today's episode two graduate students, Max and Ariana, talked to us about how their lives changed in light of the corona virus, we also discussed gaming and superpowers. Hosts of this episode were Kayleigh, Natalie and Zsofia.
25 video games for social isolation
Pandemic
This is the first episode of Bug Talk, a podcast created by members of the Entomology Department at Michigan State University. In this podcast we introduce ourselves and talk about the purpose of the podcast.