People

PI: Erica Westerman, PhD

Erica Westerman is an integrative biologist whose research is driven by a desire to understand how the developmental environment influences adult behavior, social interactions, and community composition.

Research in the Westerman Lab incorporates techniques used in multiple fields, including genomics, behavioral ecology, and neurobiology,  to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of environment in the development, evolution, and diversification of visual learning and visual communication.

Postdoctoral Fellow: Keity Farfán Pira, PhD

Keity Farfán Pira received her PhD in Physiology, Biophysics, and Neurosciences from the Cinvestav-IPN in México in 2022. Her doctoral research focused on the functional comparative genetics of allometry, determined by wing selector gene vestigial and the regulatory Quadrant Enhancer region in fruit flies. As part of the Westerman lab, Keity is investigating the genetic influence in mate preference learning ability in butterflies. 

 

Postdoctoral Fellow: Dmitry Kutcherov, PhD

Dmitry Kutcherov received his PhD in Entomology from Saint Petersburg State University in Russia in 2011. His doctoral research focused on developmental plasticity in leaf beetles, and in the years since his research has expanded to explore mechanistic, physiological, and morphological developmental responses as well as evolutionary processes driving phenotypic plasticity. As part of the Westerman lab, Dmitry is investigating plasticity in visual systems and behavior in both natural and experimental butterfly systems. 

Graduate Student: Yiting Ter

Yiting is a doctoral candidate in the Westerman Lab, coming to us from the National University of Singapore, in Singapore. Yiting is interested in the underlying mechanisms of behavior, including the amines and genes influencing mating decisions and the preference learning process.

 

Graduate Student: Kiana Kasmaii

Kiana is a doctoral candidate in the Westerman Lab, coming to us from the Florida International University. Kiana is interested in behavioral genetics, and developing butterflies as model animals for neurodegenerative disorders, such as alzheimer’s. 

 

Graduate Student: Jonas Amenyo

Jonas is a PhD student in the Westerman lab, coming to us from the University of Ghana, west Africa. Jonas is interested in the role of phenotypic plasticity in butterfly evolution, and plant-insect-molecular interactions. He is also passionate about food security and how plant-genome research could be used to enhance crop improvement programs. When not conducting research, Jonas enjoys swimming and hiking. 

 

 

Graduate Student: Chance Powell

Chance is a PhD student in the Westerman lab, coming to us from the University of Oklahoma. Chance is interested in the genetic underpinnings of behavior and how life experiences influence individual mating decisions. Outside of the lab, Chance enjoys long walks with his dog, reading, and exploring local creeks. 

 

 

 

 

Graduate Student: My Tra Ly

My is an MSc student co-mentored by Dr. Joshi in Entomology and Plant Pathology and Dr. Westerman. My comes to us from the Vietnam National University of Agriculture in Hanoi, Vietnam. She is interested in the genetics underlying plant insect interactions, and plant responses to diverse native pollinators. 

 

 

Graduate Student: Sofia Maass

Sofia is a PhD student in the Westerman Lab, coming to us from Allegheny College. Sofia is interested in behavioral ecology, specifically how factors such as human impacts and species interactions affect butterfly behavior. Outside of research, Sofia enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors.

 

 

 

Graduate Student: Tristan Hoerschelmann

Tristan is a PhD student in the Westerman Lab, coming from Hendrix College. Tristan is interested in the effects of anthropogenic influence and land management on the ecology and behavior of pollinators, especially in heavily developed areas, such as solar arrays and urban habitats. He is also interested in using science communication and conservation social science to help connect us to the environment around us. 

 

Graduate Student: Brooke Kester

Brooke is a PhD student in the Westerman Lab, coming to us from the University of Tulsa. Brooke is particularly interested in the genetic changes underlying developmental plasticity. She wants to investigate the ways in which changing environmental conditions may give rise to divergent behavioral and morphological traits that facilitate adaptation to certain selective pressures.

 

 

Undergraduate Student: Wendy Hoffert

Wendy is an undergraduate from Waukesha, Wisconsin. She is majoring in Biology and minoring in Spanish. Wendy is hoping to attend medical school in the future. She is a member of the Volunteer Action Center board, and works with Razorback Food Recovery. Wendy is also a member of Phi Sigma Rho, a sorority for Women in STEM. In her free time, she likes to read, volunteer, and exercise. 

Undergraduate Student: Jason Cartwright

Jason is an undergraduate student from Fayetteville, Arkansas. He is majoring in Biology and minoring in Entomology and Music. Jason hopes to attend graduate school in the future and study entomology. His is also a member of the Razorback Marching Band and Hogwild Basketball/Volleyball Band. In his free time, Jason enjoys hiking with friends, playing strategy games, and running adventures in Dungeons and Dragons.  

 

 

Former Lab Members

Graduate Student: Matt Murphy, PhD

Matt successfully defended their PhD in the Westerman Lab in summer 2024. Their doctoral work focused on the evolution and temporal variance of receiver perception, examining how ambient environment and evolutionary history intertwine to shape visual systems across the Metazoa, and how circadian rhythms influence signal production and signal detection in butterflies. Matt’s long been interested in multimodal signals, and their work spanned visual and chemical communication.  Matt is now a postdoctoral researcher in the Joshi lab examining chemical signal detection in native pollinators. 

Graduate Student: Sushant Potdar, PhD

Sushant successfully defended his PhD in the Westerman lab in spring of 2024. His doctoral work focused on the causes and consequences of behavioral plasticity, from anti-predator behavior to preference learning associated changes in transcription and proteomes, using two tropical butterfly systems: Heliconius and Bicyclus. Sushant is now a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University studying intersexual conflict and the effects of copulation on the brain. 

Graduate Student: Grace Hirzel, PhD

Grace successfully defended her PhD in the Westerman lab in fall of 2023. Her doctoral work focused on seasonal plasticity in abundance, behavior, wing pattern, and visual perception of prairie butterflies, and incorporated both field work with the diverse Arkansas butterfly community and manipulative experiments with the Common buckeye. She is now a postdoctoral researcher at North Dakota State University studying pollinator and plant interactions in northern prairies. 

Postdoctoral Fellow: David Ernst, PhD

Dave Ernst received his PhD in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 2018. His doctoral research focused on magnetoreception and its neural basis in spiny lobsters. As part of the Westerman Lab, Dave investigated the genetic and transcriptomic underpinnings of innate and learned mate preferences, as well as the prevalence of preference learning across the Lepidoptera. Dave is currently a postdoctoral scientist at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences . 

Graduate Student: Deonna “Nikki” Robertson, MSc

After defending her Masters thesis on mate preference development and familial recognition in Bicyclus anynana butterflies in 2018, and spending a year as a research assistant working on a number of behavioral plasticity and behavioral genetics projects, Nikki is now working in Research and Development on over-the-counter diagnostic devices at NowDiagnostics.

Postdoctoral Fellow: Tim Sullivan, PhD
Tim Sullivan received his PhD in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, in May 2017. His research to date has focused on molecular ecology and population genetics of biotic and abiotic interactions impacting fish and crustacean populations. As part of the Westerman lab, Tim investigated genetic variants and patterns of gene expression influencing learned mate preferences and perception in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. After working as a research scientist at the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Tim is now a National Program Leader for the Division of Animal Systems for USDA-NIFA.

Research Assistant: Dylan Meyer

After a year at UARK, Dylan Meyer has returned to Australia’s outback for further study of fairy wrens. He will be missed, but we wish him the best!

Undergraduate Student: Peyton Rather

After graduating from UA in spring of 2018, Peyton worked as a surgical technician for a cataract and glaucoma surgeon while preparing to start a MD/MPH program at UAMS in Summer 2019. While in the Westerman lab Peyton studied butterfly mate preference learning, and helped establish the lab butterfly colony.

Undergraduate Student: Abby Herzog

After graduating from UA in spring of 2018, Abby started at UAMS in Fall 2018. While in the Westerman lab Abby studied butterfly mate preference learning, and helped establish the lab butterfly colony.  Her interests include neurology and genetics.

Undergraduate Student: Brandon Allen

After graduating from UA in spring of 2019, Brandon attended ABS in Chicago before moving to Washington, DC. He started at UAMS in Fall 2020.  While in the Westerman lab, Brandon studied the role of social interactions on brain development, while serving in chair positions for the Red Cross Student Organization and the fraternity Kappa Alpha Order. 

Undergraduate Student: Jacob Siebenmorgen

After graduating from UA in spring of 2019, Jacob started at UAMS in the MD/MPH in fall of 2020. While in the Westerman lab, he studied the effect of early social experience on sperm allocation.  He served as a Fulbright Honors College Peer Mentor, and  volunteered at the Washington Regional Cancer Support Home.

Undergraduate Student: Colman Betler

After graduating from UA in spring of 2019, Colman is  considering graduate school, to further his Biology education with an emphasis in Zoology or related sciences.  While in the Westerman lab, he studied the effect of social rearing conditions on wing patterning, and served in numerous executive and officer roles around the University of Arkansas, including Chair of Senate for student government. 

Undergraduate Student: Kierstan Taylor

After graduating from UA in spring 2020, Kierstan is preparing for medical school. While in the Westerman Lab, she studied the behavior of moths and how to use Machine Learning to analyze our behavioral data, while a member of the Ballroom Dance Club, the Japanese Student Association, and the Association for Women in Science. 

Undergraduate Student: Gabby Agcaoili

After graduating from UA in spring 2020, Gabby presented her research at the Animal Behavior Society (Virtual) Annual Meeting, and started at UAMS in fall 2022. While in the Westerman Lab, she studied the neurogenomic differences in female and male butterflies, while working with children, volunteering for Razorback Food Recovery, and being involved the Chi Omega sorority.

Undergraduate Student: Mallory Kim  

After graduating from UA in spring 2020, Mallory is preparing for medical school. While in the Westerman Lab, she studied the effect of mating status on mate preference, while balancing her studies with her hobbies in painting, floral arrangement, and fiber arts.

Undergraduate Student: Braden Shipman

After graduating from UA in spring 2020, Braden started his PhD at UT Dallas. While in the Westerman Lab, Braden studied the effect of the thermocline on gene expression in invasive ascidians in collaboration with Dr. Jenn Dijkstra at the University of New Hampshire.

Undergraduate Student: Ashlyn Anderson

After graduating from UA in December 2020, Ashlyn is preparing for medical school. While at UA Ashlyn was  an executive member of the RSO nonprofit, Camp Kesem. While in the Westerman Lab, Ashlyn studied the effects of light and weather on butterfly community diversity and abundance. 

Undergraduate Student: Adriana Beruvides

After graduating from UA in May 2022, Adriana is starting dental school at Texas  A& M. While in the Westerman Lab, Adriana studied the effects of larval social experience on female mate preference.

Undergraduate Student: Jarrod Varnell

After graduating from UA in May 2022, Jarrod presented his research at the Animal Behavior Society Conference in Costa Rica, and then started his PhD at Cornell University. While in the Westerman Lab Jarrod studied the heritability and genetics of innate mate preference.

Undergraduate Student: Abbigail Merril

After graduating from UA in May 2022, Abbigail is working and preparing for graduate school. While in the Westerman Lab she studied the relationship between butterfly color and butterfly behavior in prairie communities, mate choice copying, and the effects of sex and social environment on butterfly activity levels.

Undergraduate Student: Taryn Tibbs

After graduating from UA in May 2022, Taryn is working as a research assistant studying guppies in Trinidad and preparing for graduate school. While in the Westerman Lab she studied the effects of larval social experience on adult mate choice learning ability.  

Undergraduate Student: Kaleigh Cox

After graduating from UA in May 2023, Kaleigh is attending the Arrhythmia Technologies Institute to become a cardiac device specialist. While in the Westerman lab, she studied both the effects of mating on electrophysiological responses and the effects of variation in pre-mating preference on subsequent egg production. 

Undergraduate Student: Ellie Magera

After graduating from UA in May 2023, Ellie presented her research at the Biology of Butterflies meeting in Prague, and is now preparing for medical school. While in the Westerman Lab, she studied the effects of past mating experience on future mating decisions.

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