Alissa Coonfield conducted research on maritime earwigs during the summer of 2017 as an REU at Friday Harbor Labs, where she investigated the relationship between density and morphology in the field. Alissa is continuing research in my lab this year. For more on earwig projects, click on the photo.Mike Nolan-Tamariz conducted research during the summer of 2016 as an REU at Friday Harbor Labs, where he investigated interaction among pairs and trios in the maritime earwig. Mike is currently conducting a senior thesis project at Villanova. For more on earwig projects, click on the photo.Rose Dodgen conducted research during the summer of 2015 as an REU at Friday Harbor Labs, where she investigated group dynamics and social interactions in the maritime earwig. Rose is currently a Masters student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. For more on earwig projects, click on the photo above.During the summers, I am the Director of the Blinks-REU-BEACON program, an undergraduate internship program at Friday Harbor Labs in Washington that provides opportunities for an immersive research experience. For more on the REU program at FHL, click on the photo above.Bianca Starks conducted research as an REU at Friday Harbor Labs, where she investigated the relative roles of competition and mate choice in the California Beach Flea. She graduated from Paine College in 2007 and completed dental school in 2011. For more on amphipod projects, click on the photo.Tom Castle conducted research during the summer of 2010 as part of his senior thesis at Villanova, where he investigated interspecific aggression among Calopteryx damselflies. He graduated with a B.S. in 2011 and is currently in dental school. For more on damselfly projects, click on the photo.Jessica Kendall-Bar conducted research during the summer of 2014 as an REU at Friday Harbor Labs, where she investigated the relative roles of competition and mate choice in the maritime earwig. Jessie is currently a Ph.D. student at UC Santa Cruz. For more on earwig projects, click on the photo above.Nicole Hack conducted research during the summer of 2013 as an REU at Friday Harbor Labs, where she investigated interactions and distribution patterns in the maritime earwig. Nicci is currently a Masters student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. For more on earwig projects, click on the photo above.
Mentoring undergraduates is one of my most important roles as an educator. Students have opportunities to conduct publication-quality research both during the academic year here on Villanova’s campus and during the summers at Friday Harbor Laboratories, where I am the Director of their undergraduate internship (REU) program. Please contact me if you are interested in working in my lab!
COMPLETED UNDERGRADUATE THESES/PROJECTS (for more detail, please see my Research Page):
Coonfield, Alissa. 2017. A Tale of Two Cities: the relationship of density and morphology varies among populations of the maritime earwig Anisolabis maritima
Nolan-Tamariz, Michael. 2016. Forceps and foreplay: sexual selection in the maritime earwig, Anisolabis maritima
Dodgen, Rose. 2015. Influential interactions: group dynamics of the maritime earwig (Anisolabis maritima)
Kendall-Bar, Jessica. 2014. Sexual selection by the seashore: mate choice and competition in the maritime earwig (Anisolabis maritima)
Hack, Nicole. 2013. Big wigs and small wigs: the roles of size, sex and shelter in spatial distribution patterns in the maritime earwig (Anisolabis maritima)
Castle, Thomas. 2011. Close encounters of the unkind: the role of male aggression in reproductive isolation between sympatric damselflies (Calopteryx spp.).
Starks, Bianca. 2005. Male competition and female choice in the California Beach Flea (Megalorchestia californiana).
