Dr. Robin K Bagley
Principle Investigator
Robin (she/her) earned her B.S. in Science and Technology (Biology Option) and her M.A. in Instruction and Curriculum at Kean University in Union, NJ. It was there she discovered her one true love – Neodiprion sawflies – in Chip Codella’s lab. She continued to work with sawflies while completing her PhD in Catherine Linnen’s lab at the University of Kentucky. She then joined Andrew Forbes’ lab at the University of Iowa as a postdoc, where she developed an interest in multitrophic interactions and describing patterns of insect diversity. When not in the lab or the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her cats, Patchy and Sandy, and collecting various Disney memorabilia.
Carson Kephart
Graduate Student
Carson (he/him) is a Master’s student studying the parasitoid community of the redheaded pine sawfly (Neodiprion lecontei). He earned his B.A. in Biology with a minor in Environmental Science at the University of Iowa. During his time at Iowa, he participated in undergraduate research in Maurine Neiman’s lab on the life history traits of an invasive New Zealand snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarium). In his free time, Carson enjoys birding, biking, photography, thrifting, and eating new foods.
Sarah White
Graduate Student
Sarah (she/her), a PhD student, is broadly interested in the origins and maintenance of biodiversity in multitrophic systems. She studies the parasitoid community of the genus Neodiprion with a focus on population structure and sequential divergence. Sarah completed her B.S. in biology and philosophy with a minor in mathematics at the University of Scranton. As an undergraduate, she researched life history divergence in Mimulus ringens as a member of Dr. Anne Royer’s laboratory. Outside of the lab, Sarah enjoys reading, hiking, dancing, and searching for the best baked goods in Columbus.
Elizabeth Mahler
Undergraduate Researcher
Elizabeth (she/her) is a Bachelor’s student studying the color variation between the clouded sulphur (Colias philodice) and the orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme). She is a Pre-Medicine Health Science major with a minor in Biology. She enjoys spending time with her cat, Smokey, reading, and drawing.
Ariba Fatima
Undergraduate Researcher
Ariba is an undergraduate student studying ovipositor shape and size within sawfly species (Neodiprion) divergence in response to host shifts. Ariba is earning a BFA in Neuroscience and a BFA in fine arts (painting and drawing) at Ohio State University with hopes to go into a MD/PhD program. With interest in research, they continue to study athletic and artistic differences in cognitive tasks. Ariba explored C. elegans at the University of Toledo before starting undergraduate studies and music therapy in the CUSI program. She likes to do artistic endeavors, make clothes, and learn new languages!
Michael Zwez
Undergraduate Researcher
Blurb coming soon!
Gavin Schimpf
Undergraduate Researcher
Blurb coming soon!
Lab Alumni
Undergraduate Researchers: Brandon Baldridge (2021), Josilyn Wells (2021-2022), Kerri Ellerbrock (2021-2022), Marie Walton (2021-2023, Honors Research Distinction), Waseq Mohammed (2021-2023, Research Distinction), Morgan Henschen (2022), Macy Wiktorowski (2022-2023, Research Distinction), Haley Williams (2022-2023), Lydia Dabis (2022-2023), Royce Glass (2022-2023), Rocco Salajcik (2022), Joshua Kiefer (2023)