BUGfest 2023 Bug Bite Speaker: Rodolfo Probst
Bug Bite Talk
Date and Time: Sunday, August 13, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Title of Talk: The Love Life of Bugs
Talk Description: Unlike us humans, bugs don't have a designated lovey-dovey day, but they sure know how to get their romance on in their own buggy ways. With countless insect species buzzing around, they've come up with endless tricks to keep the love bug alive and well.
Bio: Rodolfo Probst is a postdoc at the College of Science, where he mentors undergraduates and investigates speciation in insects, with a focus on the evolution of ant-plant mutualistic interactions. His research uses genomic tools, and natural history to understand how species are formed and how we can identify them using DNA sequences. He is led by his interest in ant evolution and his passion for tropical fieldwork and phylogenetics, teaching the public about bugs and conservation, and exploring the outdoors. When not at the lab or collecting ants, he likes to be biking and hiking around Utah, cooking, and writing poetry.