Hello! My name is Jose, and I am from Cuba. I finished my undergraduate degree (BSc) at the University of Alberta in 2022 where I did a general biology degree. During my undergraduate degree, I volunteered at the E. H. Strickland Entomological Museum where I helped database carabid species. I became more involved with research at the University of Alberta during my later years as a research assistant helping with insect studies in canola and insect identification. In the final year of my undergraduate degree, I did a BIOL 498 project in the lab of Dr. Maya Evenden, examining the distribution of the ground beetle Pterostichus melanarius in pulse agroecosystems under the lens of conservation biological control.
My PhD research focuses on the effect of canola and field pea intercrops on the behaviour of a major canola pest, the diamondback moth ( Plutella xylostella ), and it’s specialist larval parasitoid Diadegma insulare (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). My research also examines the diversity of hymenopteran parasitoids and ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in canola and field pea intercrops. Intercropping is growing two or more crops and has many agronomic and potential pest management benefits. My research spans laboratory experiments using insect colonies and field experiments using various insect traps and sampling methods to understand better the effect of canola and field pea intercrops on insect behaviour. Understanding the role of intercrop systems on insect behaviour can help inform pest management strategies