Welcome

Thank you for visiting my website. I’ve been a professor in the Entomology Department at UGA since 2001. Prior to moving to Georgia I held the same position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 14 years.

My research laboratory in the Department of Entomology investigates many areas under the broad umbrella of Insect Physiology.  I do this with a team of researchers that includes scientists, post-doctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students.

Results of our findings are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Our work is also shared via presentations at scientific meetings and seminars around the world.

The more we know about insects the better we can appreciate their contribution to the planet. Besides competing with humans for resources, insects influence our lives in innumerable positive ways. Insects serve as important pollinators, they help decompose organic matter and serve as important links in the food chains of other animals. Honey from bees is an example of what most would agree is a highly desirable byproduct of insect activity.

Insects can also be a nuisance, dangerous and even deadly to humans. Fleas and lice plague humankind while mosquitoes and other insect species spread disease. Currently, this has been brought to the forefront with the spread of the Zika and West Nile viruses by mosquitoes.

Through the varied research projects in my lab we hope to make significant contributions in understanding insect physiology and behavior in an effort to improve the lives of humans and sustain a healthy environment.