Avery Leigh Russell – Principal Investigator

Avery is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Missouri State University. He is a behavioral and evolutionary ecologist interested in how flexibility in foraging behavior shapes the ecology and evolution of plant-animal-microbial interactions. His current work focuses on how plant-pollinator reciprocal exploitation shapes foraging behavior, floral traits, and microbial associates.

View Avery’s CV
email: averyrussell@missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @DrAverbee
BlueSky handle: @DrAverbee
Post about us: #RussellLab @MissouriState @MOStateResearch #MOSResearch

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Rita Afagwu – Graduate Researcher

Rita is a Master’s student who is interested in the study of the floral microbiomes of plants that are visited by pollinators. She likes to travel.

email: rna974s@missouristate.edu 

Moth Castagna – Graduate Researcher

Moth is a Master’s student with a background in wildlife biology and a passion for entomology. He has always been interested in nature – especially how insects interact with the world around them. They are looking forward to the rest of their time with the Russell Lab studying bumble bee foraging behavior and cognition!

email: moth13@missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @Bombycoidea

Success Ekemezie – Graduate Researcher

Success is a Master’s student who is interested in the study of the multimodal cues that affect bumblebee foraging behavior and learning, and she loves reading novels.

email: sce247s@missouristate.edu

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James Bynum – Undergraduate Researcher

James is an undergraduate student who is fascinated by all natural phenomena. He is particularly interested in interactions between plants and pollinators, abiotic factors and flora, as well as humans with their environment. He hopes to study ways to protect ecosystems and the inhabitants that call them home.

email: Bynum441@live.missouristate.edu

Leo Carpenter – Undergraduate Researcher

Leo is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in evolutionary and environmental biology, while also minoring in chemistry. Outside of their studies, they find joy in activities like cooking, painting, and playing video games. Leo is particularly keen on delving deeper into the subjects of bee specialization and evolution!

email: Carpenter456@live.missouristate.edu

Charlotte Davis – Undergraduate Researcher

Charlotte is an undergrad student getting a Wildlife Biology and Fisheries degree. She joined the lab to gain more hands-on lab experience while also fostering her childhood love of all things insects.

email: Charlotte696969@missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @gnomeble

Kendra Edge – Undergraduate Researcher

Kendra is a senior majoring in Wildlife Conservation and Management with a minor in Agronomy. She wants to specialize in researching population management of endangered species and habitat restoration. She is also looking forward to learning more about bees and the role they play in habitat restoration. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and loves thrifting for antique/vintage items.

email: ke82s@missouristate.edu

Tabby Moul – Undergraduate Researcher

Tabitha is a senior majoring in biology with a minor in sustainability and a certificate in conservation law enforcement. She is interested in research in endangered species to help find a way to preserve their habitats and populations! Tabitha also love bees and is interested in learning more about them 🙂

email: Tabitha24@live.missouristate.edu

Marco Russo – Undergraduate Researcher

Marco is a Junior and works for Hammons House as an RA. His research interests are mostly about how we can help to conserve and preserve our bee species, but also their environment and how bees interact with that environment.

email: mr825s@missouristate.edu
Instagram handle: @MrPixal27

Ciara Stewart – Undergraduate Researcher

Ciara is an undergraduate studying microbiology. She is interested in dipping her toes in bee behavior research as well as advocacy for ecology and sustainability. Ciara enjoys hiking with her dog, playing guitar, and gardening.

email: Ciara8114@live.missouristate.edu

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Lab Alumni

Former lab members who have gone on to bigger and better things! We miss them dearly!

Jenny Burrow – Undergraduate Researcher

Jenny earned their B.S. in Fall 2023 with a major in Wildlife Biology. They love nature and spend much of their time caring for their cat, snail, and several plants. Jenny is interested in animal behavior and conservation, and they are very excited to explore the world of bees with the Russell Lab!

email: Burrow214@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @jen_k_bees
Instagram: @jennyk.bee

Krista Cockrum – Undergraduate Researcher

Krista earned her B.S. in Fall 2023 with a major in Wildlife Conservation and Management. Krista is an undergraduate excited to expand her understanding of bee behavior and ecology in the Russell lab! She is especially interested in exploring the relationship between bees and plants found within prairie ecosystems. Krista worked in the lab from Fall 2022 – Fall 2023.

email: klc89s@missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @krista_cockrum
Instagram: @lovecreatecultivate

Maggie Mayberry – Graduate Researcher

Maggie is a former Master’s student studying wildlife biology with a strong interest in high school education. She spends most of her time outdoors with her dogs, Princess Bagels and Mac Aroniandcheese. Maggie has a passion for learning about animals of all sizes. She’s un-bee-lievably excited to study bee cognition and behavior! Maggie is working on completing her Thesis writing while she builds her teaching career.

email: Mayberry21@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @maggiebaymerry

Annaliese Novinger – Undergraduate Researcher

Annaliese earned her B.S. in Spring 2023 with a major in Biology and minors in Art and Sustainability. Annaliese is working toward an advanced degree in insect behavior. She is looking forward to learning about bee ecology and behavior. Annaliese worked in the lab from Spring 2022 – Spring 2023.

email: Novinger274@live.missouristate.edu

Carter Stoelzel – Undergraduate Researcher

Carter is an undergraduate who completed his honors distinction project on pollinator education in the lab in Spring 2023. His interests are all things wildlife and conservation, but he particularly enjoys studying pollination. Carter worked in the lab from Fall 2022 – Spring 2023.

email: Stoelzel7438@live.missouristate.edu

Abilene Mosher – Undergraduate Researcher

Abilene earned her B.S. in Fall 2022 with a major in wildlife conservation and management. Abilene is working in wildlife biology with interests in ecology. She is excited to learn more about bee-havior! Abilene worked in the lab from Fall 2019 – Fall 2022

email: Abilene703@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @AbbyMosher1
Instagram: @spookyabilene

Haley Muse – Undergraduate Researcher

Haley earned her B.S. in Spring 2022 with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. Her drive is to help inspire peoples’ compassion for nature through a combination of art and research; she had her first creative piece published in 2020. Haley is excited to start playing adult simulator ver. 2.2, and is looking forward to completing achievements under the “Bee Gut Microbiome” quest with her teammates. Haley worked in the lab from Fall 2021 – Summer 2022.

email: Muse000@live.missouristate.edu

Katie Naumer – Undergraduate Researcher

Katie earned her B.S. in Spring 2022 with a biology major and chemistry minor. She loves hiking and being outdoors, and is excited to find out what the buzz is on behavioral ecology! Katie worked in the lab from Fall 2021 – Summer 2022.

email: Naumer0829@live.missouristate.edu

Parker Campbell – Graduate Researcher

Parker is a former Master’s student who gets excited about all things outdoors. She is excited to get to keep playing around in the lab, and learning more about how the world works around her. She is specifically excited to learn more about both bee behavior and the bee microbiome and will keep polishing her microbiology skills and her budding interests in behavior and ecology. Parker is working on completing her Thesis writing while she builds her teaching career.

email: Fane23@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @runnergirl_fane
Instagram: @parker_fane

Rachel Wilkins – Research Associate

Rachel received her Master’s degree in entomology from Kansas State University in May 2020. She is passionate about conservation and excited to learn more about plant-insect interactions. She will be researching how differences in anther morphology affect plant and bee fitness. In her free time, you can find Rachel outside playing with her dogs and chickens, collecting insects, or gardening! Rachel worked in the lab from Spring 2021 – Summer 2022 and is now the Kansas State Entomologist.

email: rvw@ksu.edu
Twitter handle: @rvw1234

Kate Trebing – Undergraduate Researcher

Kate is an undergraduate studying microbiology with a minor in chemistry. Her primary area of interest is microbiomes and how they impact animals, especially bees! When Kate’s not in the lab, she loves to backpack in the mountains, cook new foods, and watch Jeopardy reruns. Kate worked in the lab from Summer 2021 – Spring 2022

email: Trebing8@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @micro_forensic
Instagram: @katee.treb

Dalton McCart – Undergraduate Researcher

Dalton earned his B.S. in Fall 2021 studying biology. His interests are in rehabilitation ecology, conservation, entomology, botany, and marine sciences. Dalton is excited to join the Russell lab to explore pollinator behavior. Dalton worked in the lab from Summer 2021 – Fall 2021.

email: McCart42@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @SaltyBiologist

Liam Wilson – Undergraduate Researcher

Liam earned his B.S. in Spring 2022 in environmental and evolutionary biology. His primary area of interest is behavioral patterns in animals, which he hopes will be furthered while working in Dr. Russell’s lab. Liam also really enjoys being outdoors, specifically northern regions, playing music in the MSU PRIDE band and has an almost obsessive love of penguins. Liam worked in the lab from Fall 2019 – 2021.

email: Wilson1999@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @Simple_Liam
Instagram: law1wilson

Evelyn VanDenBerg – Visiting Undergraduate Researcher

Evelyn is an undergraduate student (visiting from Drake University) studying biology and environmental science. She is looking forward to learning more about pollinators and how interconnected the relationship is between the species richness of pollinators and the health of ecosystems surrounding them. Evelyn worked in the lab in Summer 2021.

email: evelyn.vandenberg@drake.edu

Vanessa Morales – Undergraduate Researcher

Vanessa earned her B.S. in Spring 2021 studying wildlife biology. She loves animals of all kind, and likes to observe and identify those she finds around her family ranch. Vanessa is especially excited to learn about the behavior and life of some of our planet’s smallest workers – bees! Vanessa worked in the lab from Fall 2020 – Spring 2021.

email: Morales98@live.missouristate.edu

Steph Sanders – Undergraduate Researcher

Steph earned her B.S. in Spring 2021 studying wildlife biology with a minor in biochemistry. She is very interested in animal behavior and training. Steph also loves bees! She’s been keeping bees for three years now and is excited to expand her adoration for bees by learning about their cognitive abilities as well as expanding her bee pun vocabulary! Steph’s buzzing with excitement! Steph worked in the lab from Spring 2020 – 2021.

email: Sanders98@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @steffsandwich
Instagram: @steffsanders

Randie Rogers – Undergraduate Researcher

Randie is studying evolutionary biology and chemistry. She is fascinated with insects! She is ecstatic to research bees! She loves hiking and adventuring all around the country. Her hobbies include mushroom collecting in her hometown and identifying insects for all of her friends from poorly taken photos. She is currently taking a temporary break from her undergraduate studies. Randie worked in the lab in Fall 2020.

email: Rogers456@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @Randsherm
Instagram: @randsherm

Faith Dall – Undergraduate Researcher

Faith Dall earned her B.S. in Fall 2020 studying biology with a minor in chemistry. She loves all things cute and small, including our lovely little bee friends! She’s excited to be able to work with live critters and learn new techniques in the lab! In her free time she likes to collect plants to add to her mini forest that’s slowly accumulating in my apartment (all plant cuttings welcome) *hint hint*. Faith worked in the lab from Fall 2020 – Summer 2021.

email: Dall2328@live.missouristate.edu
Twitter handle: @callmeDALLface