People

Micah Freedman (he/him) - Assistant Professor

I grew up in South Carolina and studied Entomology and Plant Sciences at Cornell University. After graduating, I spent a year working with the Ecology of Bird Loss Project in the Mariana Islands before starting my Ph.D. at UC Davis. I was an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Chicago and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of British Columbia before moving to Toronto. When I'm not working, I can be found hiking, running, taking photos, and posting to iNaturalist.

Bluesky, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Personal Website

Paola Rubiano-Buitrago (she/her) - Arts & Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow

Hi, my name is Pao. I am from Tunja, Colombia, and I am joining Freedman Lab to study the intricacies behind the toxin diversity sequestered by the monarch butterfly while eating milkweeds across the continent. I am a chemist from UPTC, trained in plant chemistry at the Universidad Nacional during my master’s. In my PhD at Max Planck for Chemical Ecology, I focused on the toxin content of milkweed bugs, leading to my postdoc at Cornell University, where I expanded my expertise into a macroevolutionary approach to understand the structural diversity in milkweed cardenolides. When I am not at work, I am painting, knitting or looking for cozy coffee shops to read non-fiction and places to watch football.

Email, Google Scholar

Adam Kai Chi Lee (he/him) - PhD student

I am a PhD candidate studying the migratory behavior of monarch and milkweed butterflies and climate change impacts on their migration in the Freedman Lab. Before joining the Freedman lab, I completed my studies in the University of Hong Kong studying the population genetics of a local distribution of the common swamp pitcher plants. When not at work, I enjoy a good hike, playing boardgames, listening to classical music and having rounds of badminton / table tennis matches.

May Jagodkin (she/her) - PhD student

I am a second-year PhD student using cardenolide fingerprinting to understand the role of changing milkweed host plant assemblages in monarch butterfly decline. Prior to joining the Freedman Lab, I completed an Honours Bachelor of Science at the University of Toronto in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, where I researched the ecotoxicological effects of paint microplastics on a benthic freshwater invertebrate. Beyond the lab, I can be found camping, gardening, or exploring our city.

LinkedIn

Roman Garzelloni (he/him) - PhD student

I am a first-year PhD student interested in investigating how insect populations respond to rapid environmental change. Before joining the Freedman Lab, I completed a BSc in Ecology & Evolution at UC Santa Barbara where I developed biological control programs for invasive riparian plants and investigated genetically based differences in reproductive dynamics between populations of California wildflowers. I also worked as a lab assistant at UC Berkeley where I developed integrated pest management programs for insect pests of California tree and vine crops. When not working, I like to bike, camp, read, hike and try out new food spots in Toronto.

Nathaniel Zongaro (he/him) - MSc student

I am a first year Master's student studying the ecology/evolution of caterpillar colouration, their daily feeding rhythms, and also how these might change through larval development, by rearing caterpillars at KSR. I completed my undergrad at the University of Toronto, doing projects related to Lepidoptera colouration and amphibian range size. Outside my work, I like to look for caterpillars, moths, butterflies, and watch hockey.

Sage Pallett (they/them) - EEB498 student

Hello, my name is Sage! I am a fourth-year undergraduate student studying caterpillar communities at Koffler Scientific Reserve, including their host plants and associated parasitoids. I spent the past summer collecting and rearing caterpillars at KSR, and I am now continuing the project as an EEB498 student. Outside of the lab, you can find me playing video game soundtracks on the piano, or running off into the woods to catch bugs.

Tavian Lee (he/him) - Undergraduate assistant

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto. I have a broad interest in biology and enjoy learning about how organisms function, behave, and interact with their environment. I joined the Freedman Lab to gain hands-on research experience and learn more about biological research. When I’m not at school or work, I enjoy spending time outdoors swimming, fishing, kayaking, and hiking.

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