Graduate Students
Current
Anna Blight Parker
PhD Student
Anna is a PhD student studying bioluminescent beetles, with an emphasis on click beetles (Elateridae: Pyrophorini). Her research focuses on the evolutionary and ecological significance of bioluminescent traits. She began this research during her undergraduate education at Brigham Young University with Seth Bybee and is continuing it in the Powell Lab. Her other professional interests include museum exhibit design, biology education, and public outreach. During her free time, she enjoys cycling, hiking, camping, and reading all sorts of books.
Kenneth Geisert
Masters Student
Kenneth is an aspiring coleopterist systematist focused on the diverse family of longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). His main thesis chapters focus on the evolution of mimicry in Clytini (Cerambycinae) and revising the West Indies genus, Nesanoplium (Cerambycinae: Elaphidiini). Previous efforts have focused on the biosurveillance and biocontrol of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer while working in a level two USDA quarantine facility. Kenneth can be found imaging specimens, curating cerambycids in the NC State Insect Museum, working on his personal collection, or determining observations on iNaturalist. Hobbies include cooking, martial arts, brewing, a cappella, and macro photography.
Lily Deeter
PhD Student
Lily is a scale-insect (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) enthusiast and is coadvised by Gareth Powell and Terri Billeisen. Her current research focuses on the biological control and phylogenetics of ground pearls (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Margarodidae), a scale insect family containing devastating turf pests (Eumargarodes laingi and Dimargarodes meridionalis) in North Carolina. She also curates the NCSU slide collection, which houses over 200,000 glass slide-mounted specimens. Lily developed her interest in scale insect taxonomy while working first as a slide technician, and eventually as an identifier, of scale insects and whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in the FSCA and FDACS-DPI. Outside of the lab, Lily enjoys yoga, cycling, live music, crafting, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.
Sarah Akulin
Masters Student
Sarah Akulin is coadvised by Gareth Powell and Brian Wiegmann, with research focused on the systematics and ecology of short-palped crane flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) of the eastern United States. They graduated from Old Dominion University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Minor in Environmental Health. Sarah worked as a mosquito surveillance technician in Virginia from 2022-2023. Their research interests include integrated pest management, lower dipteran diversity and delineation of species boundaries, developing techniques in insect rearing, and the behavioral & evolutionary ecology of sexual selection. Sarah's hobbies include art, live music, arthropod husbandry, and reading.
Sarah Jeffers
PhD Student
Sarah Jeffers is coadvised by Gareth Powell and Rafael Guerrero, and is studying the evolution of aposematism in beetles (Coleoptera). She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2024 with a B.S.E.S. (Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Sciences) in Entomology. Other than a good insect, she loves rock climbing and being outside.