People in the Lamp Lab
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William Lamp
Professor Email: [email protected] Office: PLSC4138 Bill Lamp's work on plant-insect interactions and aquatic entomology has integrated molecular, physiological, community and ecosystem approaches to address IPM issues and the consequences of field- and landscape-level processes. His research helps define his unique role in teaching and outreach activities; and his interaction with students and stakeholders helps generate new directions for research. His combined activities in research, teaching, and outreach have enabled him to foster the discovery of knowledge, the development of students, the management of insect pests, and overall to contribute to the University and the science of entomology. Research Interests: The theme of my research is the ecology of insects in the human environment, and my projects align within three broad fields: integrated pest management (IPM) of forage crops, understanding ecology of emerging insect pests, and the implications of IPM and land use on invertebrates in streams and wetlands. 
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Yasmine Helbling
Lab Manager Email: [email protected] Yasmine was hired in spring 2023 as a research assistant to help bring Helen Craig's "Insect Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity" project to life. A year later, she began her entomology honors research project titled "Do glandular trichomes indirectly foster aphid populations in alfalfa by suppressing biological control?". She graduated with high honors in entomology in Spring 2025. Now as the lab manager, she oversees the ongoing research projects and supervises interns. Yasmine is particularly interested in ongoing research efforts to preserve biodiversity and agricultural sustainability. Research interests: Biological control, integrated pest management, plant-insect ecosystems, & sustainability |
Current Graduate Student:
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Helen Craig
M.S. Entomology Graduate Student and previous Lab Manager Email: [email protected] Office: PLSC 4124 Helen graduated from University of Maryland in May 2022 after majoring in Ecology and Evolution and minoring in Sustainability. She joined the Lamp Lab as lab manager and then transitioned to graduate student in the fall of 2023. Helen studies climate mitigation using insects as food and feed, specifically using black soldier fly larvae as a methane-mitigating protein supplement in dairy cattle. Her project looks at the environmental, social, and economic implications of insect protein in dairy cattle ultimately to determine the sustainability of insect protein supplements. Helen loves to work with students and find ways to support early scientists or students who are simply curious about the topic. If you have questions, email her! Research Interests: The intersection of sustainability and entomology, especially insects as food and feed. Publications and blog posts: (* = Authors in no particular order)
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Laboratory Technician:
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Katherine Siniuk
(B.S. 2025) Email: [email protected] Katherine joined the Lamp Lab in 2024 to help former master’s student Amanda Brucchieri with her aquatic entomology research. She went on to complete an honors project titled "A comparison of native and invasive leaf decomposition and its impact on macroinvertebrate assemblages in Maryland streams", which was awarded with high honors. Her study compared the decomposition rates and macroinvertebrate assemblages of the invasive tree of heaven and native tulip poplar trees. Currently, Katherine is analyzing data that will be published in the near future. Kat loves field work and models! |
Current Undergraduate Students:
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Zoey Blackman (Class of 2028) Undergraduate Major: Biology Minor: Sustainability Studies Email: [email protected] Zoey joined the Lamp Lab in the fall of her freshman year and works under graduate student Helen Craig on research exploring the use of Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) as a sustainable food source in dairy cattle. Zoey's work focuses on consumer perceptions of insects as food, examining how demographic factors influence acceptance and attitudes toward insect-based products. |
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Emily Grace Gibson Rodriguez (Class of 2026)
Undergraduate Major: Biodiversity and Conservation Email: [email protected] Hi, my name is Emily and I am a senior at the University of Maryland where I am studying Environmental Science and Policy with a concentration in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology. In the Lamp Lab, I am an Undergraduate Research Assistant where my main duty is identifying insects on sticky traps. I also assist on various research projects and educational events such as Maryland Day and the Insect Zoo. I love all things entomology, especially aquatic insects and parasitoid wasps! |
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Amy Goodman (Class of 2027) Undergraduate Major: Ecology and Evolution Minor: Data Science Email: [email protected] Amy joined the Lamp Lab the fall of 2025 as a Resilience CAP intern, focusing on processing the macroinvertebrate samples collected from Jackson Lane wetlands. She is now an Entomology Honors student and is working on a project investigating dragonfly population response to straw addition within farm ponds. Her project builds off the work of previous master's student Amanda Brucchieri, who researched characteristics of farm ponds that support dragonflies as potential biological control agents. Amy is excited to start her own field work and dive deeper into research! Research Interests: Aquatic entomology, biological control, restoration |
Current High School Students:
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Dhuha Alwan
High School Student Dhuha is a high school intern from the Science & Technology Program at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Currently, she is collaborating with Yasmine to investigate the effect of glandular trichomes on parasitoid wasp foraging behavior. She is responsible for collecting data and maintaining insect colonies. She became interested in entomology after learning about beneficial insects and their ecosystem services. She aspires to continue conducting biological research as a college student on the pre-med track, and eventually would like to become a healthcare professional. |
Former Postdoctoral Associates:
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Dr. Peter Jensen
Post-doc (2007-2009) |
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Former Masters Students:
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Former Doctoral Students:
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Former Lab Managers:
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