Dr. Lynette R. Strickland (she/they), Principal Investigator
I am an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Boston University.
I was born and raised in Austin, Texas and completed my Bachelor's degree at Texas A&M University-Galveston. My intrigue with tortoise beetles (Cassidines) began while I was hiking through the mountains of La Fortuna, Panama during a tropical ecology field course as a first year graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I was immediately enamored by the striking coloration of these insects and my fascination by these "living jewels" has only grown since then. I'm also into consuming too much reality tv, exploring new places, taking an obnoxious number of photos of my cats, red wines, and chocolatey stouts. Google Scholar Twitter
I was born and raised in Austin, Texas and completed my Bachelor's degree at Texas A&M University-Galveston. My intrigue with tortoise beetles (Cassidines) began while I was hiking through the mountains of La Fortuna, Panama during a tropical ecology field course as a first year graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I was immediately enamored by the striking coloration of these insects and my fascination by these "living jewels" has only grown since then. I'm also into consuming too much reality tv, exploring new places, taking an obnoxious number of photos of my cats, red wines, and chocolatey stouts. Google Scholar Twitter
Zoe Nelson-Barkan (she/hers), Laboratory Technician Extraordinaire
Zoe graduated from Boston University in May 2023 with her BS in Marine Science. During her time as an undergraduate student, she worked in several labs on projects ranging from microplastics on grass blades, to tracing coral growth. She looks forward to continuing her time in the lab and expanding her knowledge on ecology and evolutionary genomics relating to beetles. She is very excited to be working for her alma mater and with Lynette Strickland (Lynette Strickland promises she did not edit this). In her free time she works on creative projects like writing, painting, and playing guitar.
Postdoctoral Scholars
Dr. Samantha (Sam) Kubica,
(she/hers)
Sam just got her PhD from the University of California- Riverside with a dissertation on the evolution of mammalian vertebral number, looking at both molecular evolution and environmental influences on vertebrae. She's excited to explore invertebrate genetics using the turtle beetles. When she's not in the lab, Sam enjoys cuddling with her cat, running, and playing nerdy board games.
Graduate Students
Sara Parker (she/they)
Sara is a PhD student in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at BU. Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, she received her BS from Chatham University in April 2024. During her first summer conducting field research on pollinators and aquatic macroinvertebrates, Sara blossomed into a self-proclaimed 'insect-nerd'. Her prior research experience spans community ecology, genomics, behavior, and plant-insect interactions. In the CEEG lab, Sara hopes to investigate how genomic, behavioral, and ecological mechanisms contribute to the development and diversity of structural coloration and color-pattern polymorphisms in Cassidines. Beyond the lab, Sara enjoys collaging, hoarding books, listening to pop culture podcasts, and playing fetch with her cat, Zelda.
Undergraduate Researchers
Stef Linden (she/they)
Stef is a BA/MS student in biology and an undergraduate in mathematics. She has been interested in insects ever since her high school AP Bio class’s insect unit and has since joined the CEEG lab and become the president of the BU Bug Club. Stef aims to show people the beauty of math and insects and to understand the biological world through mathematical methods. In her free time she likes to look for bugs, read, and be on or in bodies of water. She will often stop walking to inspect a log or a flower.
Kaizia Johnson (she/hers)
Kaizia is an undergraduate student at Boston University studying Computer Science with a minor in Biology. She has an interest in Data Science, as it applies to natural and life sciences in addition to medicine and after graduating she hopes to pursue a career in bioinformatics. Outside of school, Kaizia enjoys watching movies, playing video games, and playing the guitar.
Maya Abuelbasher (she/hers)
Maya is an undergraduate student pursuing her BA in Biology with a specialization in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Genetics. Her interest in CEEG lab came after taking, and thoroughly enjoying, Strickland’s Evolution course and realizing evolutionary genomics would be the perfect area of research to combine her interests and academic background. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in medicine while simultaneously continuing to investigate her research interests. In her spare time, Maya enjoys reading historical literature, true crime, traveling, and trying new restaurants and experiences with cherished loved ones.
Aziza (Azi) Barkuschwabe, (they/them)
Azi is an undergraduate student studying biology at Boston University and plans to graduate in January 2025. They are particularly fascinated by the intersection of genetics and evolutionary biology. Azi hopes to pursue a career that incorporates their interest in biology with education and science communication. Outside of university, they enjoy sci-fi novels and TV, spending time with friends and family, and wandering around outside.
