Sabrina Celis

Hometown

New City, NY

Why Insects?

I love nature in general, but insects have always had a special place in my heart. No other group of animal are as diverse as them, and no matter where you are in the world there is always an interesting insect nearby.

Why University of Minnesota?

During my undergrad I became interested in biological control after working on hemlock woolly adelgid and its predators. While looking at graduate programs I was first drawn to my advisor’s lab, where the research topics combined my interests in biological control and parasitoids. I soon discovered how excellent the entomology program is at UMN and the quality of research being done, and I am extremely excited to be continuing my studies here.

Aspirations

I would love to continue doing research in biological control and working for more sustainable methods of pest management. I would also want to have teaching be an integral part of my future career.

Favorite Insect

Wasps in the family Perilampidae are super cute and have really cool life histories!

Other interests/hobbies

My hobbies include baking, gardening, and keeping arthropod pets, mostly tarantulas. I’m also an artist - I dabble in a lot of mediums but mostly use colored pencil and pen and ink for botanical or landscape illustrations.