Dr. Rachel Mallinger, Principal Investigator
Dr. Mallinger is an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida where she conducts research and extension on native wild bees, and teaches courses on pollinator ecology and conservation. She received a B.A. in biology from Kalamazoo College in Michigan, a joint Master's in Entomology and Agroecology from the University of  Wisconsin-Madison, and a PhD in Entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research interests include community ecology of pollinators, pollination biology of crop and wild plants, and landscape ecology. Outside of work, she spends time (preferably outdoors) with her family, and enjoys traveling, good food, and good books.  Download her CV here ​ and follow her on Twitter @remallinger

​Dr. Stan Chabert, Post-Doctoral Researcher
Stan defended his PhD at the INRAE in France in 2018 in integrated crop pollination, a new concept that encourages the combination of introduced and wild pollinating insects to ensure full, stable and sustainable crop pollination. He is in particular interested in the ecophysiological mechanisms linked to the temperature of plants and insects with the goal of matching the pollinator supply to the crop pollination demand. His current postdoc in the Mallinger lab is part of a project on blueberry pollination which aims to help growers supply their fields with the optimal number of honey bee colonies to maximize their yields given cultivar pollination requirements and pollinator recruitment. He will in particular determine the pollination requirements and the level of pollinator attraction of new and already existing blueberry genotypes.

Dr. Bayo Adedoja, Post-doctoral Researcher
Bayo is a community ecologist with a broad interest in understanding how drivers of global change shape plant-pollinator interactions in transformed landscapes. Bayo completed his Ph.D. in Entomology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa in 2019 where he conducted his research on differential effects of landscape transformations on plant-pollinator interactions in the Cape Floristic Region. His current postdoc project in Mallinger lab aims to evaluate how landscape and local factors influence the conservation outcome of pollinator gardens for managed and wild pollinators across varying gradients of landscape development. 

John Ternest, PhD student
John is a graduate student in the Mallinger Lab studying pollination ecology in commercial blueberry production. He received his bachelor's degree at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he completed an honors thesis on honey bee behavior. He then attended Purdue University where he completed a master’s degree on integrated pest and pollinator management in commercial watermelon production. His previous work has inspired him to continue researching bees, specifically at the intersection of ecology and agricultural management. Follow him on Twitter (@TernestJ) for updates on research, photos of insects, and the hijinks associated with life as a PhD student. ​

​Lily Fulton, MSc student. 
Lily is interested in native bee ecology and conservation, especially ground bee nesting, and fire ecology. Her research will focus on ground-nesting bee communities and their response to fire frequency in Oceola National Forest, and the nesting and foraging resources that may affect their response.  She completed her bachelors in Minnesota and worked with bees on prairie restorations in Minnesota, with rare plants at Archbold Biological Station, and helped with a project on bees in prairie dog towns in Montana. She also loves drawing, needle felting with wool, making bread (kneading dough is fun!), and exploring outside. 
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Sarah Anderson Weaver, PhD student
Sarah is a PhD student in the Mallinger lab studying the effects of agricultural intensification and climate change on specialized plant-pollinator relationships. Prior to beginning at the University of Florida, she received dual bachelor’s degrees from the University of Kansas in Environmental Science and English – Creative Writing. While in Kansas, she studied the biology of multiple solitary bee species as well as the effects of habitat fragmentation and succession on insect body size. She enjoys spending her free time with family, friends, and two dogs. 

Worrel Diedrick, PhD Student
Worrel is a graduate student in the cooperative PhD program with University of Florida (UF) and Florida Agricultural Mechanical University (FAMU). When at UF, he studies honey bee health in Dr. Mallinger’s Lab and when at FAMU in Dr. Kanga’s Lab. Previously, he completed his Master’s degree in entomology at FAMU focusing on egg parasitoids of Megacopta cribraria. His Bachelor’s degree in biology was completed at the Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica. During 2009 to 2015 he worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Jamaica as a Plant Protection Officer where he functioned as a bridge between research and extension. One of his passions is to equip farmers with cutting edge information in agriculture. Whenever it is possible, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially, with his children.         

​Sam Pryer, PhD student
​Sam is a PhD student in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida. She is originally from Arkansas, but moved to Kansas for college where she received her bachelor's in biology and master's in biology/botany from Pittsburg State University. Her bachelor's work included research with phlebotomine sand flies in Kansas and Missouri during a 3 year collaborative project with a lab at Kansas State University. For her master's, she extensively surveyed the flora of two counties in southeast Kansas. Though a botanist by training, she is particularly interested in the interactions between plants and their pollinators, as well as the evolution of these relationships. When not in the lab, she loves to explore the outdoors with her husband and dog.

​Joanna Jaramillo, PhD student
Joanna Jaramillo joined the lab in Fall 2020 as a Fulbright Student from Colombia at the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida. Previously, she completed her bachelor's and master's degree in Biological Sciences at the National University in Colombia in the Bee Research Lab, where she worked in bee taxonomy of stingless bees. She had also worked as a young researcher for MinCiencias in Colombia in passion fruit pollination research. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and watching movies. 

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Shiala Morales Naranjo, Lab Manager
Shiala joined the lab in September 2019 to help with projects studying blueberry pollination and the effects of fire on floral resources and plant-pollinator interactions. She also helps with logistics to ensure a successful field season. Her past experiences include evaluating how wildflowers support pollinator communities at the University of Florida, Michigan State University, University of Central Florida, and the University of Minnesota. Outside of the lab, she enjoys biking and gardening. 

Current Undergraduates and Research Technicians
​Gaby Gonzalez
​Walker Bensch
Victoria Vo
Mackenzie Spiroff
Joshua Botti-Anderson



Former Lab Members
Joshua Botti-Anderson, MSc student. Graduated summer 2022. Starting a PhD at Australia National University in 2023
James Weaver, MSc student. Graduated fall 2020. Joined US Fish and Wildlife in spring 2021
Lexi Garner, Undergraduate Researcher - Graduated spring 2021
Tarolyn Plumley, Undergraduate Researcher - Graduated fall 2020
Ann Deaderick, Undergraduate Researcher - Graduated fall 2019. Currently pursuing a degree in theology at Emory University
Jon Elmquist, Technician and Lab Manager - Completed a MSc in Entomology at Penn State in summer 2022.
Ebony Taylor, Undergraduate Researcher - Graduated fall 2019
Kaleela Thompson, Undergraduate Researcher - Currently finishing bachelor's at UF
Alexandor McMillan, Undergraduate Intern - Currently finishing bachelor's at UF