Entomology Welcomes Rob Mitchell, Associate Professor of Chemical Ecology

Research Activities & Interests

My laboratory explores the field of chemical ecology, a broad discipline that addresses how organisms produce and use chemical signals to exchange information, locate food and mates, and generally navigate their environment. Our primary focus is the chemical ecology of insects, many species of which rely heavily on olfaction (smell) and gustation (taste) as sensory inputs. Research in chemical ecology is therefore critical to understanding how insects interact with each other and their environment, and how we might manage species that are pests.

Our research is guided by two major questions: 1) how do organisms perceive and evaluate chemical signals; and 2) what drives the evolution of chemosensory systems?

We address these through several lines of research, including the ecology and behavior of insects in the field and the chemoreceptors that detect chemicals at the molecular level. Current lines of research primarily involve the Coleoptera (beetles) and especially the wood-boring Cerambycidae (longhorned beetles).