Kristen Brochu
she/her/hers
​
Address: Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802
E-mail: kkb90 "@" psu.edu
​
Download my full CV here.
Professional information
Currently I'm a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State University in the López-Uribe Lab.
Education
PhD in Entomology. Cornell University
2012 - 2018
Supervisor: Bryan Danforth
Dissertation: Differential impacts of pollen quality and microbial communities on generalist and specialist bees visiting a shared food resource.
Master of Science. University of Toronto
2009 - 2011
Supervisor: Nathan Lovejoy
Bachelor of Science. McGill University
2005 - 2008
Undergraduate Research Supervisor: Terry Wheeler
Undergraduate Advisor: Murray Humphries
Expertise
Microbial Metagenomics
Phylogenetics
Bioinformatics
Fly Taxonomy
Insect Diversity
Community Ecology
Chemical Ecology
Programming Skills
Java
Matlab
R
Perl
Python
Other Skills
Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver
Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation
Languages
Fluent English
Intermediate French
Beginner Spanish
Work Experience
Laboratory Technician. University of Toronto.
2011 - 2012
During this position, I sequenced rhodopsin genes for electric fish.
Database Contractor. Natural Resources Canada.
2008
During this position, I catalogued specimens of invasive insect species in the Lyman Entomological Museum.
Presentations
​
2019
​
Brochu, K. Toxic Rewards: Assessing how pollen defenses can shape plant-pollinator interactions. Invited Oral Presentation. Penn State University Department of Entomology Seminar Series. University Park, PA.
​
Brochu, K.; and López-Uribe, M. Bee Foraging Patterns on Domesticated Crops and their Wild Relatives. Oral Presentation. 2019 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. St. Louis, MO.
​
Brochu, K. The Influence of Chemistry on Pollinator Foraging Behaviour in Cucurbit Systems. Invited Oral Presentation. 2019 Eastern Branch Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Blacksburg, VA.
​
2018
​
Brochu, K.; and Danforth B.N. Love it or leave it: Digestive adaptations of specialist and generalist bees on cucurbits. Oral Presentation. 2018 Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America and the Entomological Society of Canada. Vancouver, BC.
​
Brochu, K.; and De Luca, P.D. A comparison of insect diversity between Grand Bahama, Eleuthera and San Salvador Islands. Oral Presentation. Rand Nature Centre. Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas.
​
Brochu, K.; van Dyke, M.; Kessler, A.; and Danforth, B.N.Chemical Ecology of Bee Foraging Choices. Oral Presentation. 2018 Center for Pollinator Research Symposium. Penn State University Park, PA.
​
2017
​
Brochu, K.; and Danforth, B.N. Microbial Communities in Ground-Nesting Bee Brood Cells: Diverse, Stable, and Unique. Oral Presentation. 2017 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Denver, CO.
​
Brochu, K.; and Williams, K. Fear and Loathing in the Classroom: How Student Attitudes About Insects Affect Learning. Poster Presentation. 2017 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Denver, CO.
​
Brochu, K.; van Dyke, M.; Milano, N.; McArt, S.; Petersen, J.; Nault, B.; Kessler, A.; and Danforth, B.N. Effects of Pollen Defenses on a Generalist Pollinator. Oral Presentation. Symposium on the Physiology and Toxicology of Insect Pollinators. Cornell University, NY.
​
Brochu, K.; and Williams, K. Fear and Loathing in the Classroom: How Student Attitudes About Insects Affect Learning. Poster Presentation. First Annual Teaching as Research National Conference, Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the Cornell University Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CU-CIRTL), Cornell University, NY.
​
Brochu, K.; and Danforth, B.N. Microbial Ecology of the Squash Bee Brood Cell. Oral Presentation. 6th Annual Entomology Department Symposium. Cornell University, NY.
​
2016
​
Brochu, K.; And Danforth, B.N. Microbial Ecology of the Bee Brood Cell. Oral Presentation. 2016 International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, FL.
​
Brochu, K., and Williams, K. Fear and Loathing in the Classroom: The Effects of Student Attitudes on Learning. Poster Presentation. 2016 Classroom Research and Teaching Symposium, Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CU-CIRTL), Cornell University, NY.
​
2015
​
Brochu,K.; Kessler, A.; and Danforth B.N. Chemical and microbial ecology of the bee brood cell: insights from the hoary squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa (Eucerini, Apidae). Oral presentation. 2015 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Minneapolis, MN.
​
Brochu,K.; Kessler, A.; and Danforth B.N. Chemical and microbial ecology of the bee brood cell: insights from the hoary squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa (Eucerini, Apidae). Oral presentation. 2015 Jugatae Seminar Series. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
​
2012
Brochu,K.; Crampton, W.G.R.; Maldonado-Ocampo, J.A.; and Lovejoy N.R. The loss of an anti-predator adaptation in the electric knifefish genus Gymnotus (Gymnotidae, Teleostei). Poster Presentation. Evolution 2012. Ottawa, ON.
2011
Brochu,K.; Crampton, W.G.R.; Maldonado-Ocampo, J.A.; and Lovejoy N.R. Molecular phylogenetics of the Neotropical electric knifefish genus Gymnotus (Gymnotidae, Teleostei): Biogeography and signal evolution of the trans-Andean species. Oral presentation. 2011 Joint Meeting of the Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Minneapolis, MN.
Brochu,K.; Crampton, W.G.R.; Maldonado-Ocampo, J.A.; and Lovejoy N.R. Testing the Predator-Avoidance Hypothesis: A molecular phylogenetic approach to the study of electric signals in Gymnotus (Gymnotidae, Teleostei). Oral presentation. Evolution 2011. Norman, OK.
Brochu,K.; Crampton, W.G.R.; Maldonado-Ocampo, J.A.; and Lovejoy N.R. Molecular phylogenetics of the Neotropical electric knifefish genus Gymnotus (Gymnotidae, Teleostei): Biogeography and signal evolution of the trans-Andean species. Oral presentation. Ontario Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution Colloquium. Toronto, ON.
2010
Brochu,K.; Crampton, W.G.R.; and Lovejoy N.R. Testing the Predator-Avoidance Hypothesis: Evolution of EOD phase number in Gymnotus (Gymnotidae, Teleostei). Poster Presentation. 2010 Joint Meeting of the Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Providence, RI.
2008
Brochu, K.; and Wheeler, T.A. Systematics and ecology of the Nearctic species of Neophyllomyza (Diptera, Milichiidae). Poster Presentation. Entomological Society of Canada Annual Meeting. Ottawa, ON.
2007
Brochu, K. Systematics and ecology of the Nearctic species of Neophyllomyza (Diptera, Milichiidae). Oral Presentation. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Award Seminar, McGill University. Montreal, QC.
2004
Brochu, K.; and Lee, H. Sustainable Water Use – Let your flag fly! Workshop Presentation. United Nations Environment Programme Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment. New London, CT.
Grants and Awards
2017
​
$500. Rawlins Award, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, NY.
$75. 1st place Winner, Graduate Student Oral Competition: General Ecology II, Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section, 2017 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Denver, CO.
$57,000. Paul J. Chapman Graduate Student Fellowship, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, NY.
Finalist, Cornell 3-Minute Thesis Competition, Cornell University, NY.
​
2016
​
$400. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Alumni Association Award, Cornell University, NY.
$4,000. Griswold Award, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, NY.
$2,000. Rawlins Award, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, NY.
$32,978. SAGE Fellowship, Cornell University, NY.
​
2015
$637. Rawlins Award, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, NY.
$260. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Alumni Association Award, Cornell University, NY.
$2000. Griswold Award, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, NY.
$1000. Graduate Research Travel Award, Graduate School, Cornell University, NY.
$1,000. Graduate Research and Teaching Fellow. Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Cornell University, NY.
2014
$100. Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant, Cornell University, NY.
2012
$63,000. Post-Graduate Scholarship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Cornell University, NY.
$32,978. Presidential Life Sciences Fellowship, Cornell University, NY.
2011
$200. Best Student Paper – Oral Presentation, Neotropical Ichthyological Association, 2011 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, MN.
$1,000. Graduate Student Research Award, University of Toronto, ON.
$520. School of Graduate Studies Conference Grant, University of Toronto, ON.
2010
$15,000. Bourse de maîtrise en recherche, Fonds québécois de recherché sur la nature et les technologies, University of Toronto, ON.
$800. Grant in Aid of Research, Sigma Xi, University of Toronto, ON.
$6,000. Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (MSFSS), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), University of Toronto, ON.
2009
$17,500. Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS M), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), University of Toronto, ON.
$4,035. Helen Sawyer Hogg Graduate Admission Award, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, ON.
2008
$5,625. Undergraduate Student Research Award, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, McGill University, QC.
2007
$5,625. Undergraduate Student Research Award, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, McGill University, QC.
2006
$5,625. Undergraduate Student Research Award, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, McGill University, QC.
$3,000. Macdonald Class of ’51 Scholarship, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, QC.
Professional Society Membership
Entomological Society of Canada
2018 - Present
​
Entomological Society of America
2015 - Present
Society of Systematic Biology
2011 - 2016
​
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
2010 - 2012
2010 - present
2010 - present