Prof. Nastasi: Illuminating new species of native parasitic wasps

Student responsibilities include: reading and learning about insect biology, taxonomy, evolutionary phylogenetics, and applied use of insect parasitoids; organizing, preserving, and labeling microwasp specimens; identification of families, genera, or species using stereomicroscopy; collecting basic morphological data such as body size; and digitization and/or management of data related to preserved specimens. Tasks will occur in collaboration with graduate students and the faculty advisor. Students should also plan to attend weekly or bi-weekly lab meetings and present their progress on a regular basis. Especially engaged students may contribute to scientific manuscripts to be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Ideal students should exhibit curiosity for the natural world, motivation to make new and impactful discoveries in the realm of insect biodiversity, and ability to work independently after initial training and determination of objectives. Students with prior interest in insects or biodiversity, experience using microscopes, and/or exposure to collecting or preserving insects will be prioritized. Students are expected to engage with scientific literature including papers identifying and describing new species; motivation in this area is especially important. Lastly, students with interest in careers related to systematics, museum collections, biodiversity sciences, insect ecology, conservation, or related areas are likely to benefit most from working with the Nastasi Lab. ALL applicants must be comfortable working with preserved insect specimens.

While the Nastasi Lab is a new lab at UNL as of 2026, Dr. Nastasi has had extensive experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in the area of insect systematics. Past undergraduate students at Penn State and University of Iowa have identified more than 20 insect species new to science, several of which have already been published in peer-reviewed scientific studies. FYRE students working with the Nastasi lab will receive training in core areas such as lab safety, ethics, basic protocols, insect specimen preservation and management, and general project guidance. Students working with the lab will have various opportunities to develop professional skills such as presenting their progress at lab meetings, educating the public at outreach events, working with the insect collection at the University of Nebraska State Museum, contributing to actual scientific papers, and engaging with other UNL peers in the area of entomology. The Nastasi lab looks to foster a highly inclusive environment; all present members (the professor, one PhD student, and one undergraduate student) belong to underrepresented groups and have divergent backgrounds that have led us to Nebraska in different ways. The team's composition, the professor's previous mentorship record, and the group's exciting projects altogether aim to provide a friendly and guidance-forward environment with a focus on building connections and giving students opportunities to develop important professional skills for aspiring scientists. Due to the nature of the lab's research, remote work is not possible, although we will do our best to accommodate the needs and time constraints of any students that wish to work with us.