Current Lab Members

Juli Carrillo (she/her/elle)
Associate Professor

I am a community ecologist, evolutionary biologist and PI of the PIEE Lab! I completed my B.A. in Economics at Rice University in Houston, TX, with a focus on evolutionary game theory. I continued on at Rice in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program, completing a master’s thesis focused on insect mating behaviour in houseflies, and a Ph.D. examining the ecology and evolutionary biology of plant-herbivore-predator interactions in invasive and native populations of Chinese tallow tree. I then joined the Entomology department at Purdue University as a NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow, where I further examined the role of plant evolutionary history in multi-species interactions, focusing on wild-crop relatives in tomato, plant-soil feedbacks, and tri-trophic plant defense against herbivores. I love Texas BBQ, Indiana sweet corn, and BC berries!

Office phone: (604) 827-5039
juli.carrillo[at]ubc.ca

Carly McGregor (she/they)
Lab Manager

I am an ecologist driven by solution-oriented interdisciplinary environmental research, with special interests in agroecology and biodiversity. During my MSc in Resources, Environment & Sustainability at UBC, I evaluated the pollinator conservation potential of farm hedgerows and grassland set-aside fields in the agricultural landscape of Delta, BC. In the PIEE lab, I support researchers in their varied scientific pursuits as lab manager. Outside of research, I enjoy hiking, rock climbing, chatting everyone’s ear off, and baking desserts.

carly.mcgregor[at]ubc.ca

Chelsea Gowton (she/her)
Ph.D. student

I am a Ph.D. candidate studying how plants allocate carbon towards extrafloral nectar through the lens of the Surplus Carbon Hypothesis. My research background involves many interdisciplinary areas of agroecosystem research, including entomology, invasive biology, and microbiology. My MSc research focused on using scents to disrupt host finding behaviour in Drosophila suzukii (Spotted Wing Drosophila), an invasive insect pest of small fruits. After finishing my BSc in Ecology from Susquehanna University, I spent some time as an intern at the MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center in Lake Placid, Florida. In my spare time, you can find me walking with my dog on local hiking trails, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, or attending a yoga class.

cgowton[at]mail.ubc.ca
LinkedIn: Chelsea Gowton

Jennifer Lipka (she/her)
Ph.D. student

I am a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Plant Science at the lab. I completed my M.Sc. of Integrated Studies in LFS with the lab studying bumble bee foraging preferences at the UBC Farm. My undergrad is a B.A. in Geography majoring in Environment and Sustainability. My current research investigates competition for pollination services between crop flowers (blueberry) and additional flowers (such as ‘weedy’ flowers, like dandelion). My favourite activities are gardening, playing board games, and eating chocolate!

jennifer.lipka[at]ubc.ca

Rebecca Pain (she/her)
M.Sc. student

I am a M.Sc. student in the Plant Science Program. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta in Biological Sciences. During my time there, I developed a love for insects and biological pest management. My project is interested in how habitat enhancements influence pests and biological control across agricultural landscapes in the Delta region. Spotted-wing drosophila is a common pest of multiple cultivated fruits in the area and will be of particular interest in my project. In my spare time, I like to do needlework crafts and knitting, run, and ski when I can! 

rpain[at]mail.ubc.ca

Jade Sherwood (she/her)
M.Sc. student

Currently completing my Undergrad at UFV in Agricultural Science, I am now working towards my MSc in Plant Science at UBC. Here I plan to explore the distribution of the invasive strawberry blossom weevil (Anthonomus rubi) and associated parasitoids in the invaded ranges of Canada and their native ranges in Europe. Using molecular identification tools and collaboration with specialists’, habitats will be sampled to determine the identity, phenology and impact of parasitoids for use as potential biological control options for A. rubi in Canada. My background into plant/entomology research began in 2019 while working with the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and Trissolcus japonicus. In 2020, working with Spotted-winged Drosophila (SWD) and their associated parasitoids, Leptopilina japonica, exploring enemy risk effects from lingering chemical cues of L. japonica on food substrate of SWD. Concluding BOTH male and female parasitoids elicited a response in SWD who avoided ovipositing in substrate previously exposed to L. japonica parasitoids. During my free time you can find me in the mountains!

Daphne Chevalier (she/her)
M.Sc. student

I am a M.Sc. student in the Plant Science program. After graduating with a degree in biomedical engineering in 2020, I took a year of unclassified studies at UBC to learn more about the links between health, the environment, and society. I also moved to a rural area and started learning to recognise some native plant species. These experiences motivated me to pursue applied research in ecology, which led me to the PIEE lab, where I am co-supervised by Dr. Juli Carrillo and Dr. Quentin Geissmann. I am working on Sticky Pi, an open-source “smart trap” that provides novel insight into insect biodiversity and daily patterns. I aim to scale Sticky Pi beyond the lab for use by community members, including growers, by making it more usable. I am also using Sticky Pi to examine the effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) on insects. In light of precipitous insect declines, I am glad that I can apply my engineering background and passion for ecosystem health to identify key threats and improve monitoring techniques. In my spare time, I love hiking, making art, mending, woodcarving, and construction/DIY!

Hannah Anderson (she/her)
M.Sc. student

I am a MSc. student in the Plant Science program. I completed my BSc. undergraduate degree in 2022 from Carleton University in Biology with a focus in ecology and evolution. I developed an interest for insects and incorporated them in my honours undergraduate thesis where I studied a biomarker commonly used to study insect (and vertebrate) physiology. My background in biology led me to work with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as a research assistant in plant breeding. This motivated me to pursue further research in agriculture, where I can dive into subjects I’m passionate about. I’m generally interested in pollination ecology and supporting our pollinators which led me to my current project in the PIEE lab! I’m studying nocturnal pollination by moths in highbush blueberries. I am aiming to create a better understanding of the nocturnal pollinators that are working hard in our agroecosystems, and how we can support them. In my free time you can find me listening to music, hiking, or crocheting.

Melody Sizer (she/her)
M.Sc. student

I am a M.Sc. student in Plant Science. I became interested in plant ecology in agriculture and forestry while completing my B.Sc. in Biology at the University of Victoria. My background is mainly in integrated pest management, sustainable pesticide development, and invasion biology. My project will focus on agricultural pest insects and their natural enemies at different trophic levels to explore how the success of one pathogen, parasite, or predator impacts the success of another on the same host. I’m otherwise mostly interested in horror movies and learning how to sew.

Eva Burghardt (she/her)
M.Sc. student

I am a M.Sc. student in the Plant Science program, focusing on parasitism of aphids in blueberries and identifying specific aphid species as potential vectors of blueberry scorch virus in the Lower Mainland. Throughout my B.Sc. in animal biology at UBC, working in industry as an Integrated Pest Management scout for a local consulting service sowed the seeds for my budding interest in entomology. Working with fellow researchers cultivated my interest in greener agriculture and harnessing predator-prey relationships for biological pest control. I started as a work-learn student in the PIEE lab in 2022, and my love for fieldwork and my peers in entomology only grew! After monitoring SWD presence on UBC farm, dissecting Himalayan blackberries, and assisting a fellow graduate student studying nocturnal pollination, I couldn’t be more excited to be conducting my own research over the course of my M.Sc. degree. Outside of the lab, you can find me trying out new knitting patterns, gardening for my neighbours, or starting mosh pits at local punk shows! See you out there!

evabee[at]student.ubc.ca

Tianzi Gu (she/her)

I am a visiting scholar in PIEE lab working on insect chemical ecology. I completed my Ph.D. at Nanjing Forestry University in 2019 and then continue doing research on insect olfactory system at Anhui Agricultural University. My research projects in China were aiming to investigate the selective detection mechanism of pheromone receptors that mediate reproductive isolation in two Notodontidae species (Clostera restitura and Micromelalopha sieversi) and to identify key olfactory genes that involved in insect foraging and oviposition, based on which we can find some target genes that could be applied in pest control. I have strong interest in the interaction between insects and plants which led me to join in the PIEE lab. I like fruit flies, berries and our lab, hope we can spend quality time together.

Grace Wang (she/her)
Field and Lab Research Technician

I started my journey in the PIEE Lab as a work-learn student, working on the UBC Farm long-term monitoring project as well as designing and conducting my own experiments on how diet and resource levels affect the emergence of Drosophila suzukii and their parasitoids. Now, as a research technician, I lead three projects. I’m comparing Bioform’s prototype alginate mulch to other commercial mulches to see how it performs in crop production, weed control, and pest management. I’m also looking into how floral resources impact parasitoid abundance and diversity in commercial blackberries. Additionally, I’m designing experiments to explore the interactions between D. suzukii and Leptopilina japonica and how fear influences their behaviour.

Outside the lab, you’ll often find me crafting, gardening, baking, or making jam!

gracew.wang[at]ubc.ca

Nisa Chavez (she/her)
Computational Entomology Technician

I got my start in the PIEE Lab as an undergraduate summer work-learn in 2022, aiding various Master’s students on their projects and falling in love with creepy crawlies! I stayed on board through the fall of 2022 to do a directed studies project on click beetle populations at UBC Farm, assessing their spatiotemporal patterns and presenting results at an undergraduate conference. Now, I’m a computational entomology technician and I help train AI models to recognize and identify target insect species, like spotted wing drosophila, from yellow sticky cards to understand their abundance and distribution across Canada.

Outside of the lab, you can find me gaming, baking sweet treats, or listening to silly tarot readings!

Wenwen Wang (she/her)
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Assistant

As an NSERC USRA recipient, I am excited to be working in the PIEE lab this Fall in further pursuit of my interest in entomology amongst other things. I recently graduated with a BSc of Environmental Science at UBC and spent a summer as an IPM scout for ES Cropconsult. Tying what I’ve gathered about the needs and gaps of pest management in the agriculture sector, I am curious to see how entomological research can improve growing methods and our understanding of sustainable farming practices in the face of more prevalent weather extremes. Outside of work, I like to goof around in improv, make jewelry, and explore fun rocks to climb!

Xinru Wang
Work-Learn & Directed Studies Student

As a 4th year student, I am blessed to have the opportunity to explore my interests and passion in various fields of biology such as human stem cells and soil science. As for now in the PIEE lab, I work with my thumb-size little friends Camponotus modoc, Western carpenter ants, to explore their potential in pest management. Aside from studying, I spend my time reading novels and sometimes writing short narratives of my own.

Juvraj Singh Toor (he/him)
Directed Studies Student

I am a fourth-year undergraduate Biology student at UBC, with a passion for entomology, arachnology, and ecology which developed during my third year. Currently, I am conducting a directed studies project in the PIEE lab, focusing on identifying arachnids to compare their abundance between agricultural production fields and grassland set-asides. My interest in this project grew after assisting Ph.D. student Matt Tsuruda with sampling fields in Delta this summer. I became captivated by the diversity and behaviour of arachnids during that time. Outside the lab, I enjoy playing ice hockey, working out, and working at the Pacific Autism Family Network’s JET program.

Jacob McPherson (he/him)
Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am an undergraduate Biology student in my fifth year of study at UBC. Working as a student research assistant with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with a focus on Entomology and Molecular Biology has served to grow my deep interest in Entomological research and integrated pest management. My current work, co-supervised by Dr. Juli Carrillo and Dr. Michelle Franklin, focuses on characterization and transmission dynamics of several blueberry viruses in their aphid vectors, in BC highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). This work aims to understand and reduce the transmission of such viruses. At the PIEE lab, I am working closely with M.Sc. student Eva Burghardt, where I focus on aphid sampling and morphologic identification. When I am not looking deep into the lens of a microscope or pipetting clear, colourless liquids, I enjoy playing board games, camping, and eating BC’s amazing blueberries!

Cameron Donnelly (she/her)
Honours Thesis Student

I am a fourth-year student in the Sustainable Agriculture & Environment program. I work as a research assistant in the Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes Lab, which has taught me tons about soil science, agroecology, and climate change. I initially became fascinated with entomology when I had to curate a diverse insect collection for a course. I am excited to join the PIEE Lab, where I will be exploring the relationship between extrafloral nectar, environmental conditions, and ant behavior. In my free time, I enjoy doing cartwheels, leading backpacking trips, teaching ski lessons, and cooking for friends and family!