Principal investigator
Martha R. Weiss
Graduate students
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Brady Thexton
Brady is a third year PhD student studying the arthropods that colonize native, non-indigenous, and invasive host plants in the D.C. area. Brady is a proud member of Georgetown’s Alliance of Graduate Employees (G.A.G.E.) and enjoys their work as a Teaching Assistant. |
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Emma K Lederer
Emma is a second year PhD student studying ecosystem engineering caterpillars. Her research is focused on understanding the cues that guide primary and secondary occupancy in caterpillar-built leaf shelters as well as other aspects of caterpillar behavior and ecology. Emma is a proud member of Georgetown’s Alliance of Graduate Employees (G.A.G.E.) and enjoys her work as a Teaching Assistant for Foundations in Biology II (alongside Brian and Sophie who are both S.A.A.s!) |
Undergraduate students
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Brian Schlitt (Summer 2022-present)
Brian is a senior Biology major. He is working on his RISE project this fall/spring in the lab, looking at larval preference and performance in Desmia leafrolling caterpillars on multiple grape species. |
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Charlotte Wallsten (Summer 2022)
Charlotte is a sophomore at the University of Chicago, and spent Summer 2022 in the lab looking at larval behavior in multiple Lepidoptera species. |
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Sophie Hermelin (Fall 2022-present)
Sophie is a junior majoring in Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavioral Biology and minoring in Statistics. She is interested in community ecology and invasive species. Sophie has been a Student Academic Assistant (SAA) for Ecology and Foundations in Biology II, and loves learning about new research in ecology. |
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Catherine Dell'Olio (Spring 2023)
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Alumni
Graduate Alumni
Allison Brackley Ph.D.
Allison graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. At UIC, she completed several semesters of independent research, investing the architecture of pollination networks as well as the interaction between an invasive shrub and its detritovores. During the summer of 2014, she participated in the Research Experience for Undergraduates program at the Chicago Botanic Garden. You can read about her experience as an REU intern here (http://www.cbgreu.org/view-interns/user/2311). Her primary research interests are in understanding species interactions and community-level dynamics. Her website can be found here.
Allison graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. At UIC, she completed several semesters of independent research, investing the architecture of pollination networks as well as the interaction between an invasive shrub and its detritovores. During the summer of 2014, she participated in the Research Experience for Undergraduates program at the Chicago Botanic Garden. You can read about her experience as an REU intern here (http://www.cbgreu.org/view-interns/user/2311). Her primary research interests are in understanding species interactions and community-level dynamics. Her website can be found here.
Jean Tsai Ph.D.
- Cosmos Scholar Grant Program (2013)
- Animal Behaviour Society Grant (2013)
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant (2011, 2012, 2013)
- Georgetown University Department of Biology Outstanding Graduate Student Award (2014)
- Entomological Society of America President’s Prize (Oral presentation, 2nd place, 2013)
- Cosmos Scholar Grant Program (2013)
- Animal Behaviour Society Grant (2013)
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant (2011, 2012, 2013)
- Georgetown University Department of Biology Outstanding Graduate Student Award (2014)
- Entomological Society of America President’s Prize (Oral presentation, 2nd place, 2013)
Lillian D. Power (2010-2013) M.S.
Exploring variation in learning ability in Pieris rapae, the cabbage white butterfly
- Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research (2013)
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Honorable Mention, 2012)
- Washington Biologists' Field Club Research Grant (2012)
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant (2011, 2012, 2013)
Lillian is currently working at the Anacostia Watershed Society as an Environmental Educator.
Exploring variation in learning ability in Pieris rapae, the cabbage white butterfly
- Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research (2013)
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Honorable Mention, 2012)
- Washington Biologists' Field Club Research Grant (2012)
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant (2011, 2012, 2013)
Lillian is currently working at the Anacostia Watershed Society as an Environmental Educator.
Heather S. Mallory (2005-2011) Ph.D.
Learning brain plasticity, and foraging in hemimetabolous insects
- Center for Brain Basis of Cognition at Georgetown University Seed Grant
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant
- Georgetown University Department of Biology Outstanding Graduate Student Award
- Entomological Society of America President's Price (Poster Presentation, 1st place, 2006)
Heather is currently working at Hamilton College as a Visiting Assistant Professor. Check out her website here.
Learning brain plasticity, and foraging in hemimetabolous insects
- Center for Brain Basis of Cognition at Georgetown University Seed Grant
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant
- Georgetown University Department of Biology Outstanding Graduate Student Award
- Entomological Society of America President's Price (Poster Presentation, 1st place, 2006)
Heather is currently working at Hamilton College as a Visiting Assistant Professor. Check out her website here.
Divya B. Uma (2004-2010) Ph.D.
Behavioral ecology of wasp-spider interactions: the role of webs, chemicals, and deception
- NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant
- Washington Biologists' Field Club Research Grant
- Arachnological Society of America Grant
- Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research Grant
- Animal Behaviour Society Grant
- American Museum of Natural History Theodore Roosevelt Grant
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant
- Ecological Society of America's Buell Award for Excellence in Ecology (Oral presentation, 2010)
Divya is currently working at the Azim Premji University as an Assistant Professor.
Behavioral ecology of wasp-spider interactions: the role of webs, chemicals, and deception
- NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant
- Washington Biologists' Field Club Research Grant
- Arachnological Society of America Grant
- Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research Grant
- Animal Behaviour Society Grant
- American Museum of Natural History Theodore Roosevelt Grant
- Georgetown University Center for the Environment Grant
- Ecological Society of America's Buell Award for Excellence in Ecology (Oral presentation, 2010)
Divya is currently working at the Azim Premji University as an Assistant Professor.
Douglas J. Blackiston (2002-2007) Ph.D.
Doug is a postdoctoral associate working at The Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology at Tufts University. His research combines developmental biology and animal behavior to examine the effects of embryonic defects on the cognitive abilities of living animals. He is currently investigating the role of serotonin in both visceral (body) and brain patterning, and how disruption in serotonin signaling affects the learning abilities of the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis), a vertebrate model species which shares many genetic pathways with humans. Breakthroughs in his research have the potential to shed light on a number of human cognitive disorders including autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and general learning disabilities. His website can be found here.
Doug is a postdoctoral associate working at The Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology at Tufts University. His research combines developmental biology and animal behavior to examine the effects of embryonic defects on the cognitive abilities of living animals. He is currently investigating the role of serotonin in both visceral (body) and brain patterning, and how disruption in serotonin signaling affects the learning abilities of the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis), a vertebrate model species which shares many genetic pathways with humans. Breakthroughs in his research have the potential to shed light on a number of human cognitive disorders including autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and general learning disabilities. His website can be found here.
Undergraduate Alumni
A'lece Moore (Summer 2018)
A’lece is originally from Omaha, NE, and is a senior at Iowa State University. She is majoring in biology with a minor in women and gender studies. She is working with the Weiss lab this summer as a part of the Environmental Science and Policy REU.
Contact: armoore@iastate.edu
A’lece is originally from Omaha, NE, and is a senior at Iowa State University. She is majoring in biology with a minor in women and gender studies. She is working with the Weiss lab this summer as a part of the Environmental Science and Policy REU.
Contact: armoore@iastate.edu
Tara Bretzfelder (Summer 2018)
Tara is an incoming freshman at UCLA where she will be majoring in biology. In the Weiss lab, Tara became an expert in Image J by analyzing images of head capsules and assisted with other lab experiments.
Contact: tara.bretzfelder@gmail.com
Tara is an incoming freshman at UCLA where she will be majoring in biology. In the Weiss lab, Tara became an expert in Image J by analyzing images of head capsules and assisted with other lab experiments.
Contact: tara.bretzfelder@gmail.com
Will Hamlin (Summer 2018)
Will is a rising sophomore at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is originally from Washington DC. This summer he has been researching inate preference of neonate larvae.
Contact: willhamlin99@gmail.com
Will is a rising sophomore at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is originally from Washington DC. This summer he has been researching inate preference of neonate larvae.
Contact: willhamlin99@gmail.com
Amanda Klingler (Summer 2018)
Amanda is a rising junior at Illinois State University where she in majoring in biology with a concentration in zoology. As part of the Environmental Science and Policy REU, Amanda completed a project examining the behavioral and developmental responses of larvae to predation threat.
Contact: ankling@ilstu.edu
Amanda is a rising junior at Illinois State University where she in majoring in biology with a concentration in zoology. As part of the Environmental Science and Policy REU, Amanda completed a project examining the behavioral and developmental responses of larvae to predation threat.
Contact: ankling@ilstu.edu
Emily Lu (Summer 2018)
Emily is a rising sophomore at Georgetown University and is majoring in biology. Emily analyzed data related to larval development time on different host plants and assisted with other lab experiments. She is interested in conducting research on the types of chemical cues larvae prefer when selecting a host plant in the future.
Contact: lue50218@georgetown.edu
Emily is a rising sophomore at Georgetown University and is majoring in biology. Emily analyzed data related to larval development time on different host plants and assisted with other lab experiments. She is interested in conducting research on the types of chemical cues larvae prefer when selecting a host plant in the future.
Contact: lue50218@georgetown.edu
Meagan Wallace (Summer 2017)
Meagan is a senior from St. Edwards College in Austin, Texas. She is working with the Weiss lab this summer as part of Georgetown's REU program.
Contact: mwallace@stedwards.edu
Meagan is a senior from St. Edwards College in Austin, Texas. She is working with the Weiss lab this summer as part of Georgetown's REU program.
Contact: mwallace@stedwards.edu
Claudia Gaither (Summer 2017)
Claudia is a rising sophomore at Yale University. This summer, she will be working with the Weiss Lab and Hamilton Lab as part of Georgetown's summer REU program.
Contact: cgaither98@gmail.com
Claudia is a rising sophomore at Yale University. This summer, she will be working with the Weiss Lab and Hamilton Lab as part of Georgetown's summer REU program.
Contact: cgaither98@gmail.com
Michael Khan (Jan 2016 - 2018)
Michael is from Buffalo, New York and attends Georgetown University, where he is a French major and on a pre-med track. Since January, Michael has been working in the Weiss lab with Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies, specifically examining the potential fecundity of females.
Contact: mak297@georgetown.edu
Michael is from Buffalo, New York and attends Georgetown University, where he is a French major and on a pre-med track. Since January, Michael has been working in the Weiss lab with Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies, specifically examining the potential fecundity of females.
Contact: mak297@georgetown.edu
Sam Sokolsky (Summer 2016)
Sam is from San Mateo, California and is a senior at Grinnell College in Iowa where he is a biology major with an environmental studies concentration. In the Weiss lab, Sam is exploring predator-prey interactions between the Silver-spotted Skipper and its natural enemies.
Contact: samsokolsky@gmail.com
Sam is from San Mateo, California and is a senior at Grinnell College in Iowa where he is a biology major with an environmental studies concentration. In the Weiss lab, Sam is exploring predator-prey interactions between the Silver-spotted Skipper and its natural enemies.
Contact: samsokolsky@gmail.com
Dylan Guydish (Summer 2016)
Dylan is originally from Palo Alto, California and attends Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He is an Environmental Science and Psychology double major. In the Weiss lab, Dylan has been experimenting with Silver-spotted Skipper larvae to determine feeding patterns and preferences on various host plants.
Contact: dylan.guydish@gmail.com
Dylan is originally from Palo Alto, California and attends Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He is an Environmental Science and Psychology double major. In the Weiss lab, Dylan has been experimenting with Silver-spotted Skipper larvae to determine feeding patterns and preferences on various host plants.
Contact: dylan.guydish@gmail.com
Sasha Figel (REU, Summer 2016)
Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Sasha is spending the summer as an REU student at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She is working on oviposition preference trials with the Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies among other things in the Weiss lab. Sasha is an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
Contact: sashafigel@gmail.com
Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Sasha is spending the summer as an REU student at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She is working on oviposition preference trials with the Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies among other things in the Weiss lab. Sasha is an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
Contact: sashafigel@gmail.com
Chase Baptiste (Summer 2016)
Chase Baptiste is a junior at Paint Branch High School in Maryland. He wishes to discover more about the silver-spotted skipper at the Wiess Lab.
Chase Baptiste is a junior at Paint Branch High School in Maryland. He wishes to discover more about the silver-spotted skipper at the Wiess Lab.
Ali Bauman (Summer 2016)
Ali is a senior at Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, DC.
Ali is a senior at Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, DC.
Josh Malcolm (Summer 2015-2016)
Josh is currently a Junior at Paint Branch High School in Maryland. Josh has been working in the Weiss Lab since the summer of 2015. Josh enjoys working with butterflies and wishes to know more about the Silver-spotted skippers survival in the wild.
Josh is currently a Junior at Paint Branch High School in Maryland. Josh has been working in the Weiss Lab since the summer of 2015. Josh enjoys working with butterflies and wishes to know more about the Silver-spotted skippers survival in the wild.
Sarah Torresen (Summer 2014-2016)
Sarah is a Washington DC native and has worked in the Weiss lab since the summer after her junior year of high school. She is now an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major at Rice University. She is exploring the potential and realized fecundity of female Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies in addition to experiments involving novel host plants and oviposition experiments.
Contact: sarahtorresen@gmail.com
Sarah is a Washington DC native and has worked in the Weiss lab since the summer after her junior year of high school. She is now an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major at Rice University. She is exploring the potential and realized fecundity of female Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies in addition to experiments involving novel host plants and oviposition experiments.
Contact: sarahtorresen@gmail.com
Morgan Manger (COL '15)
Morgan is currently working at the USDA in Sidney, MT researching natural methods of pest control for the wheat stem sawfly and preparing for graduate school. At Georgetown, Morgan worked with Martha Weiss on a variety of projects, including behavioral studies on the Jewel Wasp (Nasonia vitripennis) as well a bioinformatic project on the microbiome of the silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus). She also spent time studying in Alaska on an REU program investigated the behavioral and morphological effects of aquatic contaminants on the Stickleback Fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus).
Morgan is currently working at the USDA in Sidney, MT researching natural methods of pest control for the wheat stem sawfly and preparing for graduate school. At Georgetown, Morgan worked with Martha Weiss on a variety of projects, including behavioral studies on the Jewel Wasp (Nasonia vitripennis) as well a bioinformatic project on the microbiome of the silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus). She also spent time studying in Alaska on an REU program investigated the behavioral and morphological effects of aquatic contaminants on the Stickleback Fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus).
Alex O'Neill (COL '15)
Alex graduated from Georgetown Magna Cum Laude with a dual degree in Environmental Biology and Anthropology. With Martha Weiss and Matt Hamilton, Alex explored the biology and genetics of parasitic and mycoheterotrophic plants, focusing on Monotropa uniflora (Ericaceae). In 2015, he was awarded the David L. Boren Scholarship to study Nepali and Tibetan languages in Nepal, during which time he also conducted an ethnobotanical survey on parasitic and mycoheterotrophic plants. He is currently in Sikkim, India implementing a remote sensing project on Himalayan forest change funded by the Fulbright-Nehru Research Scholarship.
Contact: environeill@gmail.com Twitter: @environeill
Laura Rosenwald (COL '15)
Laura graduated from Georgetown with a degree in Environmental Biology and a minor in Music. While in the Weiss lab, she worked on a variety of projects investigating butterfly learning in Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) and Cabbage Whites (Pieris rapae), host-lichen recognition in oribatid mites (Morchloribatula texana), and tri-trophic interactions in Silver-spottted Skippers (Epargyreus clarus). Her thesis, which was presented at the Ecological Society of America's conference in August 2015, examined larval preference for certain host plants and the subsequent consequences on growth that may arise because of those preferences. Her website can be found here.
- Department of Biology Award for Best Senior Thesis
Contact: lcr24@georgetown.edu
Laura graduated from Georgetown with a degree in Environmental Biology and a minor in Music. While in the Weiss lab, she worked on a variety of projects investigating butterfly learning in Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) and Cabbage Whites (Pieris rapae), host-lichen recognition in oribatid mites (Morchloribatula texana), and tri-trophic interactions in Silver-spottted Skippers (Epargyreus clarus). Her thesis, which was presented at the Ecological Society of America's conference in August 2015, examined larval preference for certain host plants and the subsequent consequences on growth that may arise because of those preferences. Her website can be found here.
- Department of Biology Award for Best Senior Thesis
Contact: lcr24@georgetown.edu
Chelsea Lauber (COL '14)
Chelsea majored in Environmental Biology with a minor in Art. With Martha Weiss, she collected hatching, growth, and longevity data on Silver-Spotted Skipper Butterflies (Epargyreus clarus), assisted Jean with her research examining contest competition in Jewel Wasps (Nasonia vitripennis). Currently, she is volunteering at the Liberty Science Center and is working as an executive coach and career management consultant in New York City. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys visiting green events around New York in the hopes of becoming more involved in the city’s efforts to reduce waste.
Chelsea majored in Environmental Biology with a minor in Art. With Martha Weiss, she collected hatching, growth, and longevity data on Silver-Spotted Skipper Butterflies (Epargyreus clarus), assisted Jean with her research examining contest competition in Jewel Wasps (Nasonia vitripennis). Currently, she is volunteering at the Liberty Science Center and is working as an executive coach and career management consultant in New York City. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys visiting green events around New York in the hopes of becoming more involved in the city’s efforts to reduce waste.
Laurel Cepero (SFS '11)
For the past several years, Laurel has pursued diverse learning, research, and teaching experiences that have helped her determine her passion for biological research and education. At Georgetown, she majored in Science, Technology, and International Affairs, focusing on the importance of scientific communication. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Denver Whether my future career is in academia or applied conservation research, earning a PhD at the University of Denver in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity. Her website can be found here.
For the past several years, Laurel has pursued diverse learning, research, and teaching experiences that have helped her determine her passion for biological research and education. At Georgetown, she majored in Science, Technology, and International Affairs, focusing on the importance of scientific communication. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Denver Whether my future career is in academia or applied conservation research, earning a PhD at the University of Denver in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity. Her website can be found here.
Caitlin Durkee (COL '11)
Caitlin graduated from Georgetown in 2011 with a degree in Biology. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Minnesota in Neuroscience.
Caitlin graduated from Georgetown in 2011 with a degree in Biology. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Minnesota in Neuroscience.
