About Leo:
Leo graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Agricultura (UNAG) in Honduras in 2019 with his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences. He then began his master’s degree in Entomology with a minor in Applied Statistics at Louisiana State University (LSU), graduating in 2021. For his Master’s thesis, he worked on a project to elucidate mechanisms that confer resistance to sugarcane (Saccharum spp. L.) to the stem borers Diatraea saccharalis (F.) and Eoreuma loftini (Dyar) in a series of field, laboratory, and greenhouse experiments. In addition to his thesis project, he worked on projects related to the timing, volume, and efficacy of insecticide applications in sugarcane and rice (Oryza sativa).
After graduating from LSU, Leo joined the Department of Entomology at Cornell University as a PhD student in the Fall of 2021. He will be working on themes such as applied insect ecology, insecticide resistance management, population structure, and phylogenetic analysis of Delia species from different geographic regions. He will be working directly with farmers and other stakeholders to conduct mission-oriented research under the supervision of Dr. Brian Nault.