Morgan Thompson, Postdoc

I integrate chemical, molecular, and community ecology to investigate plant-insect interactions. Specifically, I study the chemical mechanisms and ecological consequences of plant defense against aboveground or belowground insect herbivory. I also examine how plant-associated microbes modulate plant-insect interactions. My goal is to generate new understanding of plant anti-herbivore defense to provide sustainable pest management strategies for natural and agricultural ecosystems. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Biology from The College of William and Mary in 2016, Master’s degree in Entomology from the University of Maryland in 2019, and Doctorate in Entomology from Texas A&M University in 2024. As a postdoc in the Burghardt Lab, I look forward to exploring plant anti-herbivore defense and multitrophic interactions through the BiodiversiTREE Experiment.

Contact: thompsonmorgan4@gmail.com    twitter/x: @EntoThompson

GoogleScholar, ResearchGate, PersonalWebsite

Kelsey McGurrin, Lab Manager

I earned my Bachelor's degree in Biology and Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences from Kansas State University in 2012 and have since worked in grasslands, greenhouses, farms, and forests. I joined the Burghardt Lab in February 2019. Aside from my work coordinating long-term research projects for the lab, I also help maintain and display the Entomology Department’s “Insect Zoo” for outreach events.

Contact: kmcgurri@umd.edu

Brendan Randall, PhD Candidate

I am very interested in how ecological diversity and abiotic stress shapes communities and plant-insect interactions in farms. In particular, I will be focusing on the BeanDIP project, where I will study rhizobial strain diversity in soybean plants, and its impacts on trophic level responses to drought. In 2021 I received my Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies & Sustainability from Michigan State University. As an undergraduate, I studied the impacts of plant chemical defense diversity in tomatoes on caterpillar herbivory, foraging, and their interactions with predators.

Contact: brandall@umd.edu | Personal website

Maggie Schaefer, Master’s Student

I am studying urban tree ecology, looking at the health of street trees and the communities of insects that live on them. I am interested in the relationship between these trees and their insect populations using them as hosts. I initially graduated from Kalamazoo College, Michigan with degrees in Biology and English. I studied butterfly eclosion in captivity, and have since worked in native butterfly rearing, prairie restoration, and algae production.

Contact: mschaef9@umd.edu

Maggie Lin

I’m currently earning my Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Technology with a focus on Ecology Tech Design and a minor in GIS. On top of my degree, I’m also exploring possible career paths involving scientific illustration — which led me to producing graphics for the Burghardt Lab (despite knowing very little about bugs).  In my free time I’m either painting, tending to the family greenhouse, weightlifting, or forcing my friends to hike with me. I’m very excited to be a part of the team and looking forward to what the future holds!

Sophie McCloskey

Working toward my undergraduate degree in Agricultural Science & Technology, with a concentration in Environmental Horticulture and a minor in Entomology, my interests are in the different types of relationships between plants and insects, as well as their importance in integrated pest management. I am looking forward to a career working in nursery and greenhouse management, and I am gratefully excited to be working with Eva and the rest of the Burghardt Lab team!