Welcome Rudra!

 Hello! My name is Rudra Patel, and I am a co-op student working with the Insect Pest Management (IPM) program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. I am in the fourth year of my Bachelor of Science majoring in chemistry and minoring in agriculture at the University of Alberta. 

In my third year, I took an insects in cropping systems course where I learned different cultural, biological, physical, and chemical management techniques, as well as monitoring initiatives for several insect pests common in the Canadian prairies, including diamondback moths, flea beetles, and wheat stem sawflies. I am incredibly excited to apply what I learned in the classroom to the field! 

Figure 1. Rudra successfully capturing her first wireworm!

I am eager to learn more about the monitoring of insect pests for producers in the Peace River region, as well as hopefully getting to do some stem dissections! Outside of school, I love to watch movies, read, and hand sew! I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to gain more experience in the field this summer! 

Welcome Jodh!

Hello - my name is Jodh and I am originally from Calgary. I am in the fourth year of my Bachelor of Science studying Plant Biology at the University of Calgary. This is my first time working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and I am incredibly excited to be with the Insect Pest Management (IPM) team at the Beaverlodge Research Station. 

My background is primarily in plants so I am enthusiastic to delve deeper into plant-insect interactions I’ve learned about in class with hands-on field research. I am most excited by the 2026 Tillage Field Plot Experiment that looks at how tillage and pesticide affect arthropod biodiversity in wheat (cv. Brandon) in the Peace River region. Throughout the season we will assess agronomic indicators (via germination, growth, and yield assessments), root health (via arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi root sampling) and soil health (via soil-core sampling). So far I have been involved with every step of the study which has included labeling, placing and flagging the plots and traps, taking and measuring initial soil samples and recording wheat growth every week. I look forward to continuing this project and seeing the results generated by hard work of the whole IPM team! It is such a privilege to have this amazing opportunity to learn so much this summer. I could not be more thankful to my supervisors and the federal government for supporting my journey here.

Figure 1: Jodh proudly holding a bag of freshly pulled weeds while standing in front of a plot in the 2026 Tillage Field Plot Experiment growing near Beaverlodge AB.

Welcome Ethaniel!

 Hi - my name is Ethaniel, and I’m a third-year biology honours student at the University of British Columbia with a strong interest in ecology, biodiversity, and field-based research. I worked for the Beaty Biodiversity Museum as a herbarium curatorial volunteer for the last term where I was responsible for cataloguing and organizing hundreds of preserved bryophyte and lichen samples. The samples are kept as part of the museum’s long-term archive and serve as a valuable resource for research, as well as monitoring and conservation efforts. Beyond my coursework, I grew up spending many hours on my grandparents’ hobby farm working with crops including tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers. 

Figure 1. Ethaniel with bighorn sheep in Jasper National Park.

Both of these experiences helped develop an interest in agriculture and the relationship between organisms and their environments. I’m excited to contribute to the ongoing research with the Insect Pest Management (IPM) lab, and I’m particularly looking forward to hands-on fieldwork in the prairies! 

Figure 2. Ethaniel busy weeding in a field plot experiment growing near Beaverlodge AB in 2026.

Welcome Evelyn!

Hello - my name is Evelyn  and I will be working at the Beaverlodge Research Farm in the Insect Pest Management (IPM) program this summer. I just finished my fourth year of my Bachelor of Science degree focusing on Environmental Science at Simon Fraser University. My interests are in ecology and environmental archaeology. 

Last summer I worked for ESCropconsult as an integrated pest management scout in cranberry farms throughout the Fraser Valley. I learned a lot about insect identification and agricultural pests in cranberries. I had the opportunity to collect and identify multiple cranberry pest species including fireworm (Rhopobota naevana) and tipworm (Dasineura oxycoccana). I also participated in cranberry tipworm research and potato variety trials. I am excited to further expand my entomology knowledge as well as my field and lab experience at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. 

This summer, I am eager to learn about pests and management practices in the Peace River region. My previous experiences have highlighted the roles of pests and how important management of them is for the agricultural industry. I have never been to the Peace River region before or worked with crops like wheat and canola. I can’t wait to expand my knowledge of Alberta’s crops and pests and contribute to research. 

Figure 1. Evelyn holding a wireworm, larva of the Family Elateridae.

 

Welcome McKenzie!

Hello! My name is McKenzie and I am a third-year biomedical engineering student studying at the University of Victoria. Throughout my schooling I have enjoyed extra curriculars with an environmental focus including the Environmental Club at Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS) and the University of Victoria Environmental Engineering Club (UVEEC). Through the Environmental Club I ran and promoted electronic recycling drives, built a medicine wheel garden at the front of BCHS, and attended Envirothon 2022. In UVEEC, I am collaborating on the design of an underwater glider to collect conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data in the Saanich Inlet. I work on the electrical team within the club, designing essential glider components. 

Figure 1. Visiting the Victoria Bug Zoo and getting a "hands-on" visit with a well-behaved Madagascar hissing cockroach.

 

Outside of school, I enjoy backpacking, art, and relaxing outdoors. Growing up in the M.D of Bonnyville, AB, instilled my love of nature. In the spring and summer, I would be surrounded by fireweed, paintbrushes, wood lilies, and dogwood; all of these flowers inspire my present art. The wildlife around my home was also very impactful to me. My favorite insect is the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail. As a child I would often see them around my house in the spring. I enjoyed their bright colouration and frequent visits to my butterfly garden. As I became older, I started backpacking in the Canadian Rockies. My visits to Alstones Lake, Jasper National Park, and Kootenay National Park made me fall in love with the mountains and realise that ecosystems like these need to be closely monitored and maintained to minimize human and pest impact. 

Figure 2. McKenzie enjoying time with their barn-cat-turned-indoor pet named Silver.

 Over the winter and spring, I am excited to work outdoors and take a research-based approach to help improve the environment and agriculture industry. It’s exciting that I will be learning about the impact that prairie pests have on the ecosystem, observe and collect data in the field that reinforces the learned information, and use both the learned information and my engineering background to analyse and interpret that data. Data from these projects can be used to inform decisions about prairie pest management in the future.

Welcome Jake!

My name is Jacob Landry-Doran and this is my first summer working with the Beaverlodge Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. I am in my last year of a B.Sc. in Conservation Biology. 

Figure 1. Sharing a moment with a great plains toad during the summer of 2024.

I previously worked for Natural Resources Canada, collecting and processing pitfall samples with invertebrate natural enemies in upland oil reclamation sites. I also have years of work and volunteer experience in entomological laboratories, including the Mori and Frost labs at the University of Alberta, and the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton. 

I’ve always had a passion for insects and have a personal collection of native beetles and invertebrates. This personal collection has changed my career path towards becoming more involved with these amazing creatures! It’s fascinating that creatures as small as insects can have such a large impact on the environment around us. 

Figure 2. A thumbs-up after a long day of pitfall collecting!

I am really looking forward to working with the Beaverlodge IPM team to learn about different pest management projects. I’m always excited to further my experience and knowledge about insect interactions, including how research and collections can aid in the management of agricultural plant pests. I’m excited to be a member of the team!

Welcome Roza!

 

Hi! My name is Roza Gabdullina and currently I am completing my Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at the University of Lethbridge. My academic journey has taken me through diverse fields, including a Bachelor in Fine Arts, a Master’s degree in History, and graduate studies in Archaeology, but my passion has always been grounded in discovery and applied research.  

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to explore molecular diagnostics through an internship with Paramoria Agri-Science, where I worked as a Molecular Pathology Intern. There, I conducted qPCR analyses to detect and quantify crop diseases from field samples and optimized protocols for diagnostic efficiency. I also worked on developing an RNA toehold switch biosensor for clubroot detection in canola. The idea is to create a test that functions much like a rapid COVID test, using freeze-dried toehold switches embedded on paper to detect pathogen RNA and produce a visible signal that could give growers real-time results right in the field. I co-authored a publication focused on the biophysical characterization of GFP-nanobody interactions, building on research I conducted using biophysical techniques.  

This summer, I’m excited to expand my experience into entomology and gain practical skills in insect sampling, field plot maintenance, and integrated pest management. I’m especially looking forward to seeing how molecular biology and field ecology intersect to support sustainable agriculture in Canada. 

Figure 1. Roza taking a break from labelling insect specimens.