Career Highlights

I am a research technician in applied entomology with 10+ years of research experience in greenhouse integrated pest management.

As a natural problem-solver, I am most drawn to applied science. I got my first research job when I was in my undergrad in a plant ecology lab studying the impact of no-till agriculture on weed emergence. I’ve been hooked on applied science ever since!

What I’m best at

• Distilling ideas into their essential components which allows me to create experiments that efficiently deliver goal-oriented results.
• Methodically planning and executing tasks which ensures that I meet targets in a timely and scientifically sound manner.
• Quickly assessing unforeseen complications and creating solutions which enables me to take action to preserve the integrity of experiments or maximize utility of data.

Career

• Senior research technician at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in the Biological Crop Protection program (2014-present).
• Completed my M.Sc. at the University of Guelph (2022), where I studied integrated pest management of onion thrips in greenhouse floriculture crops.
• Honours B.Sc. Zoology from the University of Western Ontario (2007).
• Interned as a resource conservation technician at Thousand Islands National park where I was involved in grey rat snake monitoring and developed a management strategy for invasive plant species (2010).

Projects I have been involved in at Vineland

• Thrips species monitoring and developing identification tools for growers
  • Thrips Species Composition in Ontario Greenhouse Floriculture: Innovative Identification Tools and Implications for Integrated Pest Management. Insects 2024, 15, 211
  • Thrips under the lens: Identification is key, the Grower, Sep 2024
• Developing IPM strategies for different thrips species, including Thrips parvispinus and Thrips tabaci (onion thrips)
  • Laboratory Investigations on the Potential Efficacy of Biological Control Agents on Two Thrips Species, Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) and Western Flower Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)), Insects, 2024, 15(6)
  • New Thrips, New Problems, Greenhouse Canada, Sep 2022
  • The Case of the Onion Thrips: An IPM Mystery, Greenhouse Canada, Feb 2022
• Cuttings dips to reduce pest load on imported plant materials
  • Moving forward with preventative strategies, Greenhouse Canada, Jun 2019
  • Start clean by dipping unrooted cuttings , GrowerTalks, Feb 2019
  • Stop thrips from hiding in your greenhouse, Greenhouse Grower, Jun 2018
• Improving biocontrol strategies for foxglove aphid
  • How to outfox foxglove aphids in the greenhouse, Greenhouse Grower, May 2018
  • Understanding Ervi: tips for successful foxglove aphid control, Greenhouse Canada, Sep 2018
• Surveys on biocontrol adoption in Canadian greenhouses
  • Biocontrol thriving in Canadian floriculture greenhouses, Greenhouse Canada, Mar 2019
  • Now putting the bios in charge, Greenhouse Canada, Sep 2016
• Developing new generalist predators for greenhouse biocontrol
  • Help wanted! The case for new biocontrol agents, Greenhouse Canada, Jan 2019
• Using biopesticides & biostimulants for disease management and induction of plant-mediated hebivore resistance
  • Not just for bugs, GrowerTalks, Aug 2017
• Using pheremone lures to enhance efficacy of mass trapping strategies for thrips
  • Using mass trapping in a thrips IPM program, workshop presentation, 2015