A forest entomologist studies the habits of insects that live in forests.
My thorough, analytical approach to problem solving. I am skilled at considering relevant details while maintaining focus on big-picture concerns.
Why are certain insects damaging to trees in certain situations? This usually happens when insects grow rapidly in their numbers and seemingly unchecked. In these situations, insects are then able to overcome tree defenses and kill them by attacking in overwhelming numbers all at once.
The most useful tool for my research has been a hatchet. I use it to chip away at the bark of trees to look for and count insects feeding and living underneath the bark.
Uncovering the roles of forest history, climate, and tree defenses in an unexpected outbreak of a wood-boring insect that killed a huge number of red oak trees in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
I moved to Chicago to study graphic design in college and immediately discovered I would rather be working outdoors and striving to better understand how the natural world works. I later learned that I would rather use my writing skills to translate science and help spread the word about important scientific discoveries.
