Dr. William C. Wetzel, principal investigator
I am a population and community ecologist interested in how biological diversity and environmental variability influence plants and insects in natural and agricultural ecosystems. My research links ecological patterns at the scale of populations and communities with processes at the level of individual organisms. I do this by drawing on diverse disciplines, including plant chemistry, animal physiology and behavior, and population and community dynamics, and by using mathematical and statistical modeling to link theory, laboratory studies, and field data. I am also dedicated to helping students in the biological sciences develop their abilities to think quantitatively about the natural world using the language of math and statistics. I do this by teaching two quantitative ecology & evolution courses, one in the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior graduate program and one in the Department of Entomology, and by working to enhance and modernize the quantitative component of biology curricula.
CV • Google Scholar profile • Departmental profile
Email: william.wetzel@montana.edu
Faculty of the Month Award, for excitement & engagement in the classroom
MSU Outstanding Supervisor Award
Profile in MSU Futures Magazine
(he/him)
Dr. Andrea Galmán, postdoctoral scientist
I am a plant ecologist interested in understanding the biotic interactions of plants, particularly between plants and insect herbivores. My research examines the role of chemical diversity and variation in plant defenses in shaping the evolution of plant-herbivore interactions. I also use geographic and climatic gradients to investigate how variability in abiotic factors influences these interactions. I am also interested in the mechanisms by which different drivers of global change, such as the arrival of non-native species, influence plant-herbivore interactions. As part of my project in the Wetzel Lab, I work with the Herbivory Variability network to continue exploring the different factors that drive the amazing diversity of plant-herbivore interactions worldwide.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrea_Galman • Google Scholar profile
(she/her)
Vincent Pan, PhD student
I am broadly interested in plant-insect interactions, but especially the hidden and bizarre natural histories of plant defense and herbivore offense. I am excited to join the Wetzel lab where I will be studying the drivers and consequences of variability in plant qualities, herbivory loads, and herbivore experiences. I am also interested in doing fun side projects that explore the ecology of cool insects which I am fond of (generally gallers and leaf miners).
https://vsbpan.github.io • Google Scholar profile
(he/him)
Jared Adam, PhD student
In 2024, I received my master’s degree in Entomology from Penn State where I focused on biological control in conventional corn and soybean systems of the Mid-Atlantic. Additionally, I am a project lead for the Precision Sustainable Agriculture team. My master’s thesis focused on understanding the role of cover-crop-termination timing on plant-herbivore-predator interactions. More specifically, how delaying cover-crop termination and planting green effects herbivore and predator dynamics within the agroecosystem. For my PhD, I will broadly work on plant-herbivore-predator dynamics while investigating how climate change can shift these interactions. Along with this, I am particularly interested in the dissemination of statistical and programming information and skills. For some of my previous work on this front, please see this link. For more information about me, follow this link.
https://www.jared-adam.com/
https://github.com/Jared-Adam
(he/him)
Hellen Santos Lopes, visiting fellowship student
I’m interested in the interaction between plants and herbivorous insects, especially the influence of landscape structure and global change on these interactions. I am also interested in finding solutions that are relevant to the conservation of species, both animal and plant. I have been conducting research on plant-herbivore interactions in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and, as part of my project at the Wetzel Lab, I am improving my skills in statistics and data analysis in order to better understand the factors that influence these interactions. My goal is to expand my knowledge of ecology and conservation in order to make a significant contribution to the preservation of ecosystems and species.
(she/her)
Lab Alumni
Postdocs (and current position)
Dr. Nayeli Carvajal, 2022-2024, Research Ecologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service
Dr. Xosé López Goldar, 2022-2024, Assistant Professor at Illinois State University
Dr. Daniel Anstett, 2021-2024, Assistant Professor at Cornell University
Dr. Olivia Cope, 2020-2021, Assistant Professor at Whitworth University
Dr. Moria Robinson, 2018-2021, Assistant Professor at Utah State University
Dr. Andrea Glassmire, 2017-2021, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University
Graduate Students
Nicole Wonderlin, PhD, 2023
Daniel Turner, PhD, 2022
Elizeth Cinto Mejía, PhD, 2022
Kayleigh C. Hauri, MS, 2020
Joshua Snook, MS, 2020
Sabbatical Scholars
Dr. Tatiana Cornelissen, Professor at Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2024
[Your smiling face here]
Are you interested in the ecology of plants and insects? Are you interested in how biological diversity or environmental variability influences the interactions among plants, insect herbivores, and insect predators? Do you want to learn to combine ecological field studies with modern quantitative modeling techniques? If so, the Wetzel Lab may be the place for you. Please read the Join us! page for more information and email me if you’re interested (william.wetzel@montana.edu).
The Wetzel Lab 
