The 2023 IPBES Invasive Species Assessment indicates that more than 3,500 invasive species with documented negative impacts have been recorded worldwide. Although their numbers are likely to be underestimated and expected to increase, 1,852 invertebrate species contribute to that statistic, including insects, spiders, mollusks, worms, and more.
Ahenkorah’s work blends art and ecology, focusing on invasive plants and the ecosystems they disrupt. Using natural materials and processes, he creates pieces that reveal the connections between humans and the environment.
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Allan is investigating how prescribed burns affect the spread of laurel wilt, an invasive insect-vectored fungal disease caused by Harringtonia lauricola.
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Andrews’ research focuses on the biological control of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA). She is specifically establishing populations and studying the biology of two specialist predators of HWA, Leucotaraxis argenticollis and Leucotaraxis piniperda, in the eastern United States.
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Dr. Badgley and his lab conduct research in environmental microbiology with a particular focus on how populations and communities of microorganisms impact water and soil quality.
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Block uses the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius), an invasive urban pest, to study urban evolutionary processes. Such processes include invasion dynamics, the genomics of establishment, and patterns of gene flow and genetic structure.
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Dr. Booth’s research explores how organisms adapt and evolve within urban environments, using invasive indoor urban pest insects (most notably bed bugs) as model systems of study.
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Dr. Brown’s research focuses on aquatic ecology, including community ecology and biodiversity, metacommunity structure and assembly, and the impact of invasions on symbiotic interactions.
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Dr. Chowdhury develops mathematical and computational models to investigate complex biological and ecological systems, with applications in epidemiology and public health. Some of his more recent work includes studying fungal pathogen transmission in North American salamanders and analyzing the dynamics of mosquito-borne diseases.
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Dr. Cobourn’s research involves integrating biological models of pest dynamics with economic models of human decision making to understand what factors drive the spread of invasive species and what policy instruments effectively and efficiently slow or halt spread.
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Dr. Cooper uses genomic techniques to understand the health of populations and their resilience to anthropogenic pressures, including invasive species and habitat alteration.
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Dr. Czuba’s research focuses on the transport of water and sediment in streams and rivers and how that affects the distribution of invasive and native aquatic species, including fish, macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussels, and plants.
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Darnell’s research goals focus on providing cost-effective, environmentally sound management practices for aquatic (specifically submerged plants), natural areas, and right-of-way plant species. Such species include Cogongrass, Phragmites, and Japanese Knotweed.
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Dr. Del-Pozo is an applied insect ecologist, leading efforts to implement pest management solutions for turfgrass and ornamental stakeholders across Virginia.
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Dr. Dickinson’s research focuses on the welfare and performance of conservation and agricultural detection dogs. Her most recent project explores how volunteer dog-handler teams — made up of everyday people and their pets — can effectively detect spotted lanternfly egg masses.
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Dr. Eisenback’s research focuses on plant-parasitic nematodes.
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Dr. Endriss is an evolutionary ecologist with a passion for understanding the evolution, ecology, and impacts of introduced plants, especially in the context of species invasion and dispersal.
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Dr. Entrekin studies how aquatic invertebrate identity and function are changed by human activities on land and in the water.
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A key component of Dr. Escobar’s research is developing theory and methods to study the biogeography of infectious diseases, disease ecology, and invasion biology. Current projects include bat-borne rabies, chronic wasting disease, spatial epidemiology in the Anthropocene, and disease-biodiversity relationships.
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Dr. Fearer’s research explores the micro- and macro- level impacts of nonnative pathogens on forest ecosystems. She has studied laurel wilt disease, beech bark disease, beech leaf disease, and walnut witches’ broom.
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Dr. Frank provides leadership in securing funding and delivering Extension programs in pesticide safety education, integrated pest management (IPM), and youth outreach.
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Garnes brings experience in environmental project management, fisheries data collection, and invasive plant remediation, and is excited to support the ISC’s mission.
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Dr. Ghosh explores how herbivorous insects interact with their environment, focusing on the ecological and evolutionary forces that shape their behavior, physiology, and immune status. She uses invasive and range-expanding insects as model systems to understand how herbivore defenses evolve in multitrophic contexts, how they use environmental signals to anticipate threats, and what physiological costs accompany these defenses.
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Hargett’s research examines the mechanisms driving spatial and temporal variation in streambed habitat and how these dynamics shape the distribution and community structure of crayfish and other aquatic species. His current work investigates how invasive crayfish species, particularly Faxonius cristavarius and F. virilis, exploit natural variation in habitat quality to expand their range into nearby drainages.
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Dr. Harner’s research examines how spotted lanternfly (SLF) affects grapevine biology and physiology, fruit composition traits critical for grape and wine quality, grape production, and vineyard agroecosystems, as well as how interactions between SLF and other major vascular pathogens influence vine biology and functioning.
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Hartle studies the microbiology of invasive and pest ants, as well as how pathogens and microbiomes can influence their behaviors.
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Hassett serves as the Research Support Specialist for all Endriss Lab students. While assisting with research projects and lab management, she also works on the lab’s science communication, extension, outreach, and public relations efforts.
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Holliday-Goulart has provided educational seminars and workshops on effective methods for removing invasive plant species. She has also contributed to efforts to map and remove invasive species while helping restore native meadow ecosystems. She is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
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Hughes’ research is focused on defining the male-determining locus borders of Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and whether it was inherited from a common ancestor (A. albopictus and A. aegypti).
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James specializes in the production and study of Laricobius spp. and Leucotaraxis spp. as biological control agents for the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). She works with the USDA Forest Service and partner institutions to distribute thousands of HWA predators annually across infested landscapes, supporting efforts to restore and conserve hemlock ecosystems.
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Dr. Jantzen’s current research involves clarifying the nature of biological entities and processes through philosophical analysis, developing computational tools for automating scientific inference (especially concerning complex systems measured through time), and the monitoring, natural history, and conservation of invertebrates.
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Dr. Jones investigates temporal and spatial changes in insecticide resistance in German cockroach populations, as well as the chemical ecology of several pest and invasive species behavior.
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Dr. Kuhar has over twenty years of experience working on various invasive species of agricultural importance including brown marmorated stink bug, kudzu bug, spotted lanternfly, Asian jumping worm, Asian longhorned tick, and others.
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Dr. Lahondère researches the thermal biology, eco-physiology, and neuroethology of disease vector insects and ticks.
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Dr. Larsen-Gray’s research focuses on wildlife ecology in private, working forests throughout the eastern United States.
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Lopez studies plant-insect interactions in invasive plant systems with a focus on management.
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Menendez investigates the impacts of the spotted lanternfly on grapevine health and physiology, its effects on fruit and wine chemistry, and its interactions with other grapevine pests and diseases.
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Dr. Miles uses genomic data of invasive and pest invertebrates to understand evolution in urban habitats.
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Miles studies the biological control of tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) with a soil-borne fungus (Verticillium nonalfalfae) and their interaction with spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula).
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Miller believes art and science work well together, when they work together, which is not often enough. He has interests in all drawing, sustainable design and systems, international art fairs, bugs, and art/science collaborations.
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Moloney investigates the sugar-feeding behavior of both invasive and endemic mosquitoes. By understanding how plants use chemical signals to encourage feeding, this research may help inform strategies for controlling mosquito populations and limiting the spread of invasive species.
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Dr. Ni’s lab focuses on understanding how Drosophila suzukii respond to essential oils and evaluating whether these oils can serve as an effective strategy for population control.
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Dr. Nuñez-Penichet is passionate about research that explores quantitative ecology, distributional ecology, invasive species, dispersal ecology, and biodiversity patterns.
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Dr. Onufrieva coordinates and manages research on the optimization of mating disruption tactics against spongy moths (Lymantria dispar) in support of the national “Slow the Spread Program”.
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Parizad examines the roles of invasive aphids and alternative host plants in barley yellow dwarf virus transmission to understand better how environmental changes affect its spread.
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Parrott investigates the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to detect in-situ resistance in Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri, Poir.) to infestation by the balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae, Ratz.).
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Dr. Peace’s research centers on mathematical modeling, particularly as it applies to biological interactions and population growth dynamics. She uses dynamical systems theory and methods to develop, analyze, and interpret biological systems in ecology and epidemiology.
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Dr. Salom researches forest insect and weed pests, with an emphasis on developing tools and strategies to improve management for those pests. His main area of focus is the biological control of hemlock woolly adelgid and tree of heaven.
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Schiff’s current research focuses on the biosurveillance of the invasive spotted lanternfly.
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With a global career in sustainable aquaculture and coastal resilience, Dr. Schwarz has led and supported projects across the Americas, Asia, Europe, India, Africa, and the Middle East. He is currently the Virginia Tech lead on the “Virginia Invasive Blue Catfish Initiative”.
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Speth investigates how a mating disruption treatment, used to control the spread of the invasive spongy moth, impacts forested headwater streams and their insect communities.
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As the VCE Master Gardener Program Coordinator, Stern supports and directs the work of over 5,000 volunteers and serves as a resource on plant health and environmental stewardship issues. In her role as a Master’s student, Stern is researching the presence and impact of Allium leafminer (Phytomyza gymnostoma) in Virginia.
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Sutphin provides education and outreach about horticultural pests, including spotted lanternfly, box tree moth, spongy moth, and tree-of-heaven.
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Dr. Buyuktahtakin Toy’s research explores optimal management of invasive species with mathematical modeling and artificial intelligence. Past species of interest include the emerald ash borer in North America, Sericea Lespedeza in the Great Plains, and buffelgrass in the Sonoran Desert.
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Urquhart serves as the Lab Manager for the Endriss Lab. In this role, Urquhart assists with research projects and oversees lab operations while coordinating efforts to manage invasive species including spotted lanternfly, tree of heaven, and knotweed.
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Vrh’s dissertation project explores the ecosystem dynamics of plant and animal communities in Grayson Highlands State Park using interdisciplinary methods to elucidate species interactions and inform park management.
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Invasive species reshape surrounding landscapes, and efforts to manage them can have important implications for the effectiveness of pollinator protection strategies. Working with beekeepers and growers across Virginia, Dr. Wilson studies the interactions between invasive species and their impacts on honey bee health and the state’s agricultural systems.
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Wooden manages the Virginia Tech Insect Identification Lab (VTIIL), identifying invasive species and providing guidance to Extension agents, professionals, and the public. Wooden also coordinates the “Museums in Miniature” project, which supplies native and invasive insect specimens to schools and libraries for educational use.
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