Welcome.
I am currently a Post-doctoral research associate at Rutgers University. I have 6 years of experience in sustainable pest management in fruit crops, including the invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). At Rutgers, my focus has been on BMSB dispersal behavior and management along with beneficial insect conservation.
I received my doctorate from Michigan State University in Dr. Rufus Isaacs’ Berry Crop Entomology lab. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Kalamazoo College where I completed an undergraduate thesis project investigating the interactions between ladybeetle predators and milkweed aphids that sequester plant chemical defenses. I received my Masters in Science degree from Western Michigan University where I completed my thesis on the dynamics and impact of chemical defense expression in a plant-aphid-coccinellid interaction.
Thank you for looking at my website, and please feel free to contact me!
–Brett
I received my doctorate from Michigan State University in Dr. Rufus Isaacs’ Berry Crop Entomology lab. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Kalamazoo College where I completed an undergraduate thesis project investigating the interactions between ladybeetle predators and milkweed aphids that sequester plant chemical defenses. I received my Masters in Science degree from Western Michigan University where I completed my thesis on the dynamics and impact of chemical defense expression in a plant-aphid-coccinellid interaction.
Thank you for looking at my website, and please feel free to contact me!
–Brett
I earned my Bachelor’s of Arts degree in biology from Kalamazoo College, a rigorous Liberal Arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and I believe that a well-rounded education has been advantageous in my developing the critical thinking skills needed to practice and teach good science. For me, science has consistently been about the excitement of discovery. From a child watching fireflies in my backyard to a research associate tracking stink bug dispersal, investigating the natural world has always been inspiring for me. Fortunately, I have also been privileged to have great science professors who were able to bring the excitement of discovery into the classroom. I hope to instill the same kind of enjoyment and excitement in my classroom and laboratory for future students. Successful teaching of science comes from a passion and understanding for the material as well as the desire to instruct students in a way that is interesting, challenging, and accessible to a range of learning styles. Putting science into real-world contexts is crucial for students and for inspiring the next generation of scientists. |
The provision of forage habitat through the establishment of native wildflowers for beneficial insects adjacent to crops can conserve wild pollinators and natural enemies in otherwise resource-poor agri- cultural landscapes. Over time, these plantings can support higher crop yields and bring a return on the initial investment in wildflower seed and planting establishment, also insuring against loss of managed pollinators. Further understanding of the importance of planting size, location and landscape context will be required to effectively implement this practice to support crop pollination and biological control. |
BMSB nymphs can move among host plants within a planting or among different host plants on a farm, thus we also plots of organic vegetables (soybean, Swiss chard, bell peppers, and sweet corn) to investigate the dispersal capability and host preference of BMSB nymphs. Between the different research plantings we planted a mix of organic buckwheat, millet, sorghum, soybean, or allowed the land to remain fallow in order to limit the movement of stink bugs between our fields. Additionally, we are using an inexpensive immuno-marking technique to track the movement and host choice of BMSB adults in orchard settings as well as between a host crop and a trap crop. This research will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the capacity of BMSB to move among representative crops and will help support the development of BMSB resistant crop planting, trap cropping, and spatial arrangements. |