Erika Machtinger, PhD, CWB®

Principal Investigator

Certified Wildlife Biologist® 2016

Ph.D., Entomology University of Florida 2015
M.S., Entomology University of Florida 2011
B.S., Wildlife Conservation University of Delaware 2005

My interest in entomology came from the heavy influence of entomology courses in the wildlife conservation program at the University of Delaware. It was during my undergraduate coursework that I realized how interesting and exciting entomology was as a field.

My interest in medical and veterinary entomology developed from my involvement in the agricultural community. Along with studying arthropods, I am also an avid equestrian. I observed a need in the equine industry for information on the use of pupal parasitoids for filth fly control on equine farms and so I was able to combine both of my interests and address important research questions regarding dispersal, monitoring, and behavior of commercially sold parasitoids. I currently have two competition horses and participate in the sports of eventing and dressage nationally.

I employ integrated approaches to pest management whenever possible, and I am particularly interested in behavioral ecology and competition. I believe that an increased understanding of behavior and environmental interactions can lead to novel control methods, and increase the efficacy of current methods. My focus is on vectors of zoonotic diseases, but Iam interestedt in all arthropod pests affecting wildlife and domestic animals.

Google Scholar

Current Lab Members

**Mia Esoldo**
**MSc Student - Entomology (2024-2026)**
**Project:** Competitive interactions of native tick species on white-footed mice.
Previous role - Research Technologist (2022- 2024)

Twitter: @earthfrommia
Instagram: @earthfrommia
See Mia’s CV here

**Paige Alexander**
**PhD Student (2024-2029)**
**Project:** Investigating the immune response of white-tailed deer to native tick infestations.

**Valeria Lee**
**PhD Student - Entomology (2023-2028)**
**Project:** Improving bed bug control in poultry facilities in Pennsylvania.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/Valeria-Lee-2320b4277
See Valeria’s CV here

**Gabriella Proleika**
**MSc Student - Ecology (2024-2026)**
**Project:** Evaluating the efficacy of tick tubes on blacklegged tick populations.
Previous role - Research Assistant (2023- 2024)
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/gabriella-proleika-18b616228
Instagram: @gabby_pro

**Drew Lysaker**
**Vector-Borne Disease Extension Educator**

**Lidia Azurdia Sierra**
**Vector-borne Disease Extension Educator**

**Olivia Bognanni**
**VectorED Network Program Coordinator**

**Indira Chakravarti**
**VectorED Network Evaluation Specialist**

Lab grads

Post-doctoral Scholars & PhD Students

Jessica Brown - PhD Student - EcologyProject: Evaluation of tick distribution and host-selection of blacklegged ticks on small mammals in Pennsylvania.Jessica graduated with an Bsc in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Penn State. Her extensive resea… — **Jessica Brown - PhD Student - Ecology (2019-2024)**
**Project:** Evaluation of tick distribution and host-selection of blacklegged ticks on small mammals in Pennsylvania.

Karen Poh - Post-doc AssociateKaren is originally from Texas and recently graduated with her PhD in Entomology from Texas A&M University. She combines her knowledge of entomology with public health to study the ecology of vector-borne diseases. Her dissertation focused on the spatial epidemiology of West Nile Virus transmission dynamics in Texas to identify patterns between the landscape, climate, and demographic factors on WNV activity in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Karen is also familiar with mosquito and tick field work/rearing, small and medium mammal sampling, avian sampling, and molecular work. Karen will be modeling habitats and looking at the spatial distribution of tick species and their associated diseases found in Pennsylvania. Go to Karen’s website here Twitter: @areyoukeddingme — **Karen Poh - Post-doc Scholar (2019-2022)**
Go to Karen’s website here
Twitter: @areyoukeddingme

**Hannah Tiffin - Post-doctoral Scholar - 2023-2024**
**Project:** Improving monitoring for bed bugs in poultry facilities.
Twitter: @bearly_famous

Hannah Greenberg - PhD Student - EntomologyProject: The ecology of mange in black bears in PennsylvaniaHannah hails from Pennsylvania and has a MSc in Environmental Toxicology from Texas Tech University. She has worked extensively with zoonotic and vector-borne diseases. Hannah will be leading the black bear project at Penn State in the hopes of learning more about the ecology of mange in black bears See Hannah’s CV here Go to Hannah’s website here Twitter: @bearly_famous — **Hannah Greenberg, PhD - Entomology- (2018-2022)**
**Project:** The ecology of mange in black bears in Pennsylvania
See Hannah’s CV here
Go to Hannah’s website here
Twitter: @bearly_famous

Lab grads

Master’s Students

Jesse Evans - MSc Student - EntomologyProject: TBDJesse has a background in wildlife ecology and joined the lab in the summer of 2019. He is critical to many of our projects including field trapping, Extension workshops, and our multistate fly control project improvements. See Jesse’s CV here Twitter: @pipettualmotion — **Jesse Evans - MSc Student - Entomology (2021-2023)**
**Project:** The effect of landscape change and stress on tick feeding success on small mammal hosts.
See Jesse’s CV here
Twitter: @pipettualmotion

Alex Pagac - MSc - Entomology (2012-2020)Project: Control of house flies in poultry layer houses with Beauveria bassianaAlex hails from Florida where she worked in the UF Veterinary Entomology Laboratory. She is working on a large project trying to assist organic poultry producers with alternative pest control options. Alex began a position with the USDA, ARS CMAVE in 2021. — **Alex Pagac - MSc - Entomology (2018-2020)**
**Project:** Control of house flies in poultry layer houses with *Beauveria bassiana*

Lab Grads

Research Technologists

Taylor Miller - Research TechnologistTaylor joined the lab in Spring 2019 to work on tick screening of natural compounds. Taylor will also be assisting with small mammal trapping, bear den checks, fly rearing, and other essential projects. Taylor began a PhD in 2021.Facebook: @faunabytaylor Twitter: @boirdgoirl Instagram: @faunabytaylor — **Taylor Miller - Research Technologist (2019-2021)**
Facebook: @faunabytaylor
Twitter: @boirdgoirl I
nstagram: @faunabytaylor

**Arash Maleki, PhD - Research Technologist**
Twitter: @ArashFMaleki
See Arash’s CV here

Kylie Green - Research AssistantKylie originally attended the University of Maryland as a Biochemistry major until her love for wildlife and the outdoors led he to Penn State. Kylie graduated with a degree in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences and plans on using her education and experience to work in conservation research and education. — **Kylie Green - MSc Student - Entomology (2024-2026)**
**Project:** Evaluation of northeastern host responses to Gulf Coast tick bites.
See Kylie’s CV here
Twitter: @Kylieonthetrail

Undergraduate Researchers

2025

Isabelle Gapen- Major: Vet and Biomedical Sciences

Anna Hess- Major: Animal Science

Dorothy Hinkle - Major: Vet and Biomedical Sciences

Natalia Brizuela-Wahlin - Major: Vet and Biomedical Science

Nola Bridgman - Major: Vet and Biomedical Science

Megan Rowlyk- Major: Wildlife and Fisheries

Camryn Russel- Major: Animal Science

Annabell Biggins- Major: Wildlife and Fisheries

2023-2024

Jordan Mastalerz - Major: Vet and Biomedical Sciences Jordan is now a veterinary student at St. George’s University School of Veterinary Science

Ty Kroell - Major: Wildlife and Fisheries

Miriam Wayman - Major: Wildlife and Fisheries

Charlotte Dudis - Major: Vet and Biomedical Science

Caitlin Graham - Major: Vet and Biomedical Science Jordan is now a veterinary student at St. George’s University School of Veterinary Science

Nicholas Almeter - Major: Wildlife and Fisheries

Ashely Russo - Major: Animal Science Ashley is now a MSc student in the Entomology Department at the University of Kentucky.

2022-2023

Jillian Hennock - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - Jill is now a veterinary student at Virginia Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Julia Wasilewski - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences

Peighton Toale - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - Peighton is now a veterinary student at Penn Vet

Kristian Tegge - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Kristian is now a veterinary student at Long Island University

McKinley Morris - Major: Wildlife and Fisheries - McKinley is a Soil Conservationist with the USDA

Zoey Cole - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - (2021-2023) Zoey is now a veterinary student at Cornell

2021-2022

Caroline Stickler - Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - Caroline is now a veterinary student at Penn Vet

Desmyn Moore - Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, minoring in One Health

Chloe Roberts - Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences- Chloe is now a veterinary student at Cornell.

Anna-Marie Wise - Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - Anna is now a necropsy technician at the Animal Diagnostic Lab

2020-2021

Baxter Bierbaum - Major: Plant Sciences - Baxter is now an Assistant Scientist at PPD

Anya Watts - Major: Wildlife and Fisheries - Was a field assistant with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and is now a MSc student in the Entomology Department at the University of Kentucky.

Olivia Ashbaugh- Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Science - Olivia is currently a veterinary student at Texas A&M

2019-2020

Chloe Roberts - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Science Chloe is now a veterinary student at Cornell.

Robert Cockerill - Major: Immunology and Infectious Disease - Robert got his MSc in Epidemiology from the University of Delaware and is now an Applied Public Health Informatics Fellow for the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

Haylee Reisinger - Major: Biology - Haylee is currently an MSc student in Animal Science at the University of Michigan

Montana Riggs - Major: Poultry Science - Montana received her PhD from Auburn University and is now an Assistant Professor of Animal Science at Penn State.

2018-2019

Robert Cockerill - Major: Immunology and Infectious Disease Robert got his MSc in Epidemiology from the University of Delaware and is now an Applied Public Health Informatics Fellow for the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

Katie Porter - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences

Carley Lionetto - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Carley is a Livestock Veterinarian with Gap Veterinary Associates

Jessica Brown - Major: Wildlife Science and Fisheries - Jessica is now a post-doc with the Connecticut Ag Experiment Station

Taylor Miller - Major: Wildlife Science and Fisheries - Taylor is now a PhD Student at the University of Georgia

Carley Lionetto - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences - Carley is now a DVM with Gap Vet. She graduated from University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2024.

Montana Riggs - Major: Poultry Science - Montana received her PhD from Auburn University and is now an Assistant Professor of Animal Science at Penn State.

Haylee Reisinger - Major: Biology - Haylee is a graduate research assistant pursuing her PhD in Animal Science at Michigan State University.

Kylie Green - Major: Wildlife and Fisheries - Kylie was a research technician with the Machtinger Lab and is now pursuing her PhD in Ecology at the University of Georgia.

Chloe Roberts - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Science Chloe is now a veterinary student at Cornell.

2017-2018

Teddy Nguyen - Major: Immunology and Infectious Disease

Dillon Gruver - Major: Wildlife Science and Fisheries - Dillon is now a Game Warden with the Pennsylvania Game Commission

Kaila Fedele - Major: Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Kaila is now a veterinary student at St. George’s University School of Veterinary Science

Liz Tuorinsky - Major: Animal Science - Liz is now a veterinary assistant

Alexis D’Souza - Major: Veterinary and Biomedial Sciences