We study the ecology of plants and insects in a variable and changing world
The Wetzel Lab is moving from Michigan State to Montana State University in beautiful Bozeman, Montana. We’re thrilled to be surrounded by amazing, inspiring ecosystems and are recruiting postdocs and students to work with us to answer basic and applied questions that are important here and around the world. If you’re interested in joining us, please get in touch with me!
Our research focuses on how heterogeneity—including biological diversity and climate variability—influences interactions among plants, insect herbivores, and predators. We work in natural and agricultural ecosystems and strive to answer fundamental questions that have relevance for agricultural sustainability or global change biology. We do experiments and observational studies in the field and greenhouse and use statistical and mathematical modeling to link ecological processes and patterns across scales from individuals to communities. Our work integrates population and community ecology, plant biochemistry, and insect physiology and behavior. We also run The Herbivory Variability Network, a global collaboration that includes 200+ scientists across 35+ countries.
The Wetzel Lab strives to be a safe and supportive space for diversity in science. We fight injustice and work to make STEM and academia more inclusive, diverse, and equitable. Black lives matter!
The Wetzel Lab is in Land Resources & Environmental Sciences at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT.
Recent press:
- Profile of Andrea’s work on chemical diversity, which was featured by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Profile of the lab by MSU Futures Magazine
- Profile of our project on how plant defense diversity could contribute to sustainable control of insect pests
- Profile of our project on climate variability, extreme weather, and plant–insect interactions
The Wetzel Lab 