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Dr. Rachel Mallinger, Principal Investigator Dr. Mallinger is an associate 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 pollination biology of crop and wild plants, community ecology of pollinators, and landscape ecology. Outside of work, she spends time (preferably outdoors) with her family, and enjoys dancing, good food, and good books. Dr. Clement Larue, Post-Doctoral Researcher Clément defended his thesis on chestnut pollination at Biogeco (Université de Bordeaux - INRAE) in 2021 and completed his first post-doctorate in the same lab to continue his research on chestnut. By combining pollination ecology approaches, large-scale experiments, and paternity analyses, he demonstrated that this tree was pollinated by wild insects, that self-pollen interference greatly reduced fruit production, and that orchard composition had a strong impact on pollination quality. His work was rewarded in 2023 with the Dufrenoy silver medal for the best thesis in crop science. For his second post-doc, he joined the Mallinger Lab to study blueberry pollination, specifically pollen flow and the effect of planting design on cross-pollination rates. He is particularly interested in the study of plant-pollinator interactions, the development of innovative (molecular) techniques to study these interactions, and conservation. In his free time, Clément enjoys triathlon, wildlife photography and exploring the world around him. For more information, visit his website: https://clementlarue1.github.io/ 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. CJ Sands, PhD student CJ is a PhD student in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida. Before joining the lab in fall 2026, he completed his MS in Food Systems at the University of Vermont, where he studied the spatiotemporal dynamics of native bee populations along agricultural hedgerows and explored farmer perceptions of pollinators. As an undergraduate at the University of South Florida in Geography and GIS, CJ interned with the USF Food Sovereignty Initiative and Hillsborough Extension as a qualitative researcher, interviewing farmers, students, and food systems stakeholders to help inform future local food systems projects. Ultimately, he hopes to improve farmers’ livelihoods through pollinator management. In his free time, CJ enjoys gardening, seed saving, critically analyzing movies with his film friends, watching baseball, and playing tabletop games. Arden Lambert, PhD student Arden is a PhD student in the Entomology and Nematology department at the University of Florida co-advised by Dr. Mallinger and Dr. Liburd. Prior to her MS program, she worked as a lab technician and assisted in research that examined the effects of warming climate on seeds for grass conservation in sea dune systems. After working in an integrated pest management lab helping with flatheaded borer, blueberry gall midge, and whitefly research, she began her MS researching Drosophila suzukii (SWD) in Florida blueberry systems. She researched various integrated pest management methods including biological control using entomopathogenic nematodes, establishing an effective commercial monitoring trap, and investigating economic thresholds. Her research led to a collaboration with researchers around the country. Currently, in her PhD research, she is examining flower thrips and pollinator interactions in strawberry and blueberry systems, as well as the toxicological effects of insecticides on honey bees. Outside of research, Arden enjoys online gaming, dance, and hiking." Helen Tarrau, Undergraduate Researcher Helen is an undergraduate majoring in Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida. She is originally from Costa Rica but moved to Miami, FL where she completed her Associate in Arts in Environmental Science before transferring to the University of Florida. Before joining the lab in Summer 2025, she completed two NSF REUs, where she studied seedling mortality rates and the American Bumble Bee in Florida. As a McNair Scholar, she is currently working on her senior thesis on the pollination biology of Conradina etonia. In her free time, Helen enjoys reading, hiking, playing pool and exploring new places with her friends. Hannah Gurland, Research Technician Hannah Gurland joined the Mallinger Lab while pursuing her master’s in the University of Florida’s Entomology & Nematology online program after gaining work experience in UF’s Entomology and Horticulture departments. She began pollinator research during her undergraduate thesis at Stetson University, where she received her bachelor's in Environmental Science with a minor in Sustainable Food Systems and a Certificate of Community Engagement. Hannah plans to use her studies and experience to connect researchers with farmers and the public. Outside her career, she loves to volunteer at Operation Catnip, tend to her garden, and explore creative craft projects. |
Former Post-docs and Graduate Students
Stan Chabert, Post-Doc. Now a research scientist with INRAE (Research for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, France).
Opeyemi (Bayo) Adedoja, Post-Doc. Now a faculty member at the University of Central Arkansas.
Sarah Anderson, PhD student. Graduated summer 2023. Now a licensing and patent associate at Baylor University
John Ternest, PhD student. Graduated summer 2024. Now a postdoc at UF NFREC with Dr. Xavier Martini.
Joanna Jaramillo Silva, PhD Student. Graduated summer 2025.
Joshua Botti-Anderson, MSc student. Graduated summer 2022. Now a PhD student at Australia National University.
James Weaver, MSc student. Graduated fall 2020. Now a research biologist with US Fish and Wildlife.
Lily Fulton, MSc student. Graduated summer 2024. Now a lab manager at UGA.
Rosemary (Rosie) Murray, MSc student. Graduated summer 2026.
Stan Chabert, Post-Doc. Now a research scientist with INRAE (Research for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, France).
Opeyemi (Bayo) Adedoja, Post-Doc. Now a faculty member at the University of Central Arkansas.
Sarah Anderson, PhD student. Graduated summer 2023. Now a licensing and patent associate at Baylor University
John Ternest, PhD student. Graduated summer 2024. Now a postdoc at UF NFREC with Dr. Xavier Martini.
Joanna Jaramillo Silva, PhD Student. Graduated summer 2025.
Joshua Botti-Anderson, MSc student. Graduated summer 2022. Now a PhD student at Australia National University.
James Weaver, MSc student. Graduated fall 2020. Now a research biologist with US Fish and Wildlife.
Lily Fulton, MSc student. Graduated summer 2024. Now a lab manager at UGA.
Rosemary (Rosie) Murray, MSc student. Graduated summer 2026.