Graduate students

I am interested in accepting students who whant to explore how global change drivers (climate change, land cover/land use change, pollution) alter insect-microbe-plant interactions. Strong candidates have experience in ecological research (lab and or field work), and demonstrate a motivation to excel. 

Graduate students complete the master's of science program in biology in Integrative Biology or Physiology & Behavioral Biology. For more information please see: 

Master's of Science in Biology: https://biology.sfsu.edu/graduate/integrative

Master's of Science in Biology: https://biology.sfsu.edu/graduate/physiology

For info. about graduate scholarships: https://biology.sfsu.edu/funding-opportunities-students

Additional scholarships: https://biology.sfsu.edu/funding-opportunities

For more information including additional graduate school materials: https://biology.sfsu.edu/graduate-programs-1

Master’s students that join the Global Change Ecology Lab must read and agree our manual of mutual expectation available in the Biol 899 course.

Undergraduate students

We have many undergraduate research opportunities in the lab and are happy to talk with any interested students. You can get in touch with Mitzy Porras or any other member of the lab. Undergraduates should also search the SFSU scholarships using filters “biology” and “College of Science and Engineering” for fellowship opportunities for undergraduates.

Undergraduate students that join the Global Change Ecology Lab must read and agree our manual of mutual expectations  in the Biol 699 course 

21. Porras, M.F., Raygoza Garay, J.A., Brought, M. et al. 2024 Fungicide ingestion reduces net energy gain and microbiome diversity of the solitary mason bee. Scientific Reports 14, 3229 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53935-y 

20. Porras MF, Navas CA, Agudelo-Cantero G, Santiago-Martínez G, Loeschcke V, Sørensen JG, Crandall S, Biddinger D,  and Rajotte EG. 2023.  Extreme heat alters the performance of hosts and pathogen.  Frontiers of Ecology and Evolution. Sec. Coevolution.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1186452 

19. Klin O, Phan N, Porras MF, Chavana J, Little C, Stemet L, Biddinger DJ, Reddy G.V., Rajotte EG,Joshi NK. 2023. et al. Biology, GeneticDiversity, and Conservation of Wild Bees in Tree Fruit Orchards. Biology, 12, 31. 

18. Porras MF, Lopez-Londoño T, Duque J, Navas CA, Camargo E, Cuervo J, Gamba D, Castañeda L, Pardo J, Sandoval A, Rajotte EG. 2022. Science & Rock Fest: Connecting People and Science through Music and Arts. American Entomologist. 64.

17. Porras MF, McCartney  N, Raspotnig  G, Rajotte EG. 2022. Chemical footprints mediate habitat selection in co-occurring aphids. Behavioral Ecology. arac076, https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arac076

16. Porras MF, Malacrinò A, An H, Hian Seng K, Socheath O, Norton G, Miller S, Rosa C, Rajotte E, O’Rourke ME. 2022. An integrated pest management package outperforms conventional practices for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Cambodia. Plant Health Progress

15. Porras MF, Agudelo-Cantero G, Santiago, G, Navas CA, Loeschcke V, Sørensen JG, Rajotte EG. 2021. Fungal infections lead to shifts in thermal tolerance and voluntary exposure to extreme temperatures in both prey and predator insects. Scientific Reports. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-00248-z

14. Porras MF, Navas C, Marden J, De Moraes CM, et al. 2020. Enhanced heat tolerance of viral-infected aphids leads to niche expansion and reduced interspecific competition. Nature Communications. 11, 1184. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14953-2  

13. Porras MF, Meza JS, Rajotte E, Bourtzis K., Caceres-Barrios CE. 2020. Improving the Phenotypic Properties of the Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) Temperature-Sensitive Lethal Genetic Sexing Strain in Support of Sterile Insect Technique Applications J. Econ. Entomol. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toaa220 

12.  Porras MF, Lopez T, Rosh J, Biddinger D, Calvin D, Rajotte EG. 2020. A method for a long-term marking of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) using a stable isotope of nitrogen. Env. Entomol. 1-5.

11. Keller J, Rost J, Hoover K, Urban J, Leach H, Porras M, Walsh B, Bosold M, Calvin D, Dispersion Patterns and Sample Size Estimates for Egg Masses of Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), Env. Entomol., nvaa107.  

10. Porras M, De Moraes CM, Mescher MC, Rajotte EG, Carlo T. 2018. Viruses promote facilitative interactions between aphids. Scientific Reports 8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30023-6

9. Carvajalino-Fernández J, Porras MF, Ortega Chinchilla JE, Barrientos L. 2017. Vocalizations of an endangered species: Description of release calls of Atelopus nahumae, an endemic species from the Masiff Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia). Herpetologia 48:273-275.

8. Carvajalino-Fernández J, Porras MF. 2013. Altitudinal and life zone extension of the Harlequin frog Atelopus laetissimus, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Herpetological Bulletin (125): 18-21. 

7. Carvajalino-Fernández J, Saboyá-Acosta L, Padilla C, Escarraga-Fajardo M, Porras MF. 2012. New records of the harlequin frog Atelopus nahumae, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia), with notes of its distribution (Anura: Bufonidae). Herpetozoa 24 (3/4):29-36.

6. Porras MF. 2011. Una vibrante y luminosa combinación de colores: nuevas especies de saltamontes payaso Paramastax (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae). [A vibrant and bright color combination: new species of clown grasshoppers Paramastax (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae)]. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 37 (1): 140-144.

5. Porras MF. 2010. The monkey grasshoppers, genus Zeromastax Porras (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae): two new species from Neotropic. Zootaxa. 2669: 34–44.

4. Porras MF, López-Ávila A. 2009. Lethal effects of saponin extracts from Sapindus saponaria on the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 35 (1): 7-11.

3. Porras MF. 2009. Del Carnaval al estereoscopio (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae), un nuevo género de saltamontes payaso. [From carnival to stereoscope: a new genus of monkey grasshoppers]. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 33(1): 73-79.

2. Carbonell CS, Rowell CHF, Bentos-Pereira A, Porras MF. 2007. Checklist of Orthoptera Caelifera from Colombia. Zootaxa 1594: 39-59. 

1. Porras MF, Bentos A. 2005. Un Eslabón entre dos géneros de saltamontes payaso (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae) una nueva especie de Colombia. [A link between two genera of monkey grasshoppers: a new species from Colombia]. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 31(2): 227-228. 

Book chapter:

Porras MF. 2010. Orthoptera. In: Amat, G. Biodiversidad Regional Santa María, Boyacá, Colombia [Orthoptera: Regional Biodiversity of Santa Maria (Boyaca) Field Guide]. Guía de Campo. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales No. 5. ISBN: 978-958-719-372-5. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. 96-103.