Mentoring
Joining The Team
If you are interested in conducting research on insect behavior and morphology please send me an email at emberts[at]okstate.edu.
If you are interested in conducting research on insect behavior and morphology please send me an email at emberts[at]okstate.edu.
Mentoring Approach
My mentoring approach is largely driven by three main principles. First, I strive to foster an environment that is innovative and inclusive. Second, I let mentees define their own success and I do everything that I can to help them achieve their goals. Finally, I view the mentor-mentee relationship as a collaboration, and I firmly believe that we both have things that we can learn from one another.
My mentoring approach is largely driven by three main principles. First, I strive to foster an environment that is innovative and inclusive. Second, I let mentees define their own success and I do everything that I can to help them achieve their goals. Finally, I view the mentor-mentee relationship as a collaboration, and I firmly believe that we both have things that we can learn from one another.
Undergraduate Mentees
Over the last 6 years I have worked with many outstanding undergraduates, including: Paige Carlson, Emily Steffes, Peter Skelley, Itai Meiriom, Danny Kiehl, Sierra Abdullaj, Ivy Grob, Rachel Ricker, Nicole Grycuk, Mehrsa Razavi, Tyler Herrington, Trudi Durgee, Jacob Pears, Andrew Yoches, Robert Entzian, Rachel Shepherd, Chelsea Skojec, Tamsin Woodman, and Emily Hoepner. Students with their names bolded have gone on to co-author peer-reviewed manuscripts and/or present their work at scientific conferences.
Over the last 6 years I have worked with many outstanding undergraduates, including: Paige Carlson, Emily Steffes, Peter Skelley, Itai Meiriom, Danny Kiehl, Sierra Abdullaj, Ivy Grob, Rachel Ricker, Nicole Grycuk, Mehrsa Razavi, Tyler Herrington, Trudi Durgee, Jacob Pears, Andrew Yoches, Robert Entzian, Rachel Shepherd, Chelsea Skojec, Tamsin Woodman, and Emily Hoepner. Students with their names bolded have gone on to co-author peer-reviewed manuscripts and/or present their work at scientific conferences.
A Closer Look (at recent mentees)
Emily Hoepner investigated fighting behavior in the giant mesquite bug (Thasus neocalifornicus) as a National Science Foundation REU student. Emily is currently writing up the results of this study and is preparing to apply for veterinary school.
Tamsin Woodman investigated the damage resistance of sexually selected weapons. This work is now published in the journal of Integrative and Comparative Biology. Tamsin is preparing to apply for graduate school.
Chelsea Skojec investigated the relationship between size and flash displays in leaf-footed bugs. This work is now published in the journal Ecology and Evolution. Chelsea went on to receive a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and is now a PhD student at the University of Florida.
Rachel Shepherd investigated the evolution of anti-predatory traits. Rachel presented this work at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology 2019 annual meeting. Rachel is now a masters student at the University of Florida.
Robert Entzian investigated the evolution of male weapon polymorphism in leaf-footed bugs. Robert presented this work at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology 2019 annual meeting. Robert now works in a health pathology laboratory.