> # Dr. Max Helmberger > Academic Specialist - Teacher > Department of Entomology, Michigan State University > [email protected] | https://maxhelmberger.com/ ## EDUCATION **Ph.D. Entomology** *(2022)* - Michigan State University Committee: Dr. Matt Grieshop, Dr. Zsofia Szendrei, Dr. Marisol Quintanilla, and Dr. Lisa Tiemann Dissertation: *Soil invertebrate interactions with microplastic pollution* Also Conferred: Certificate in College Teaching, Graduate Certificate in Serious Game Design and Research **M.S. Entomology** *(2018)* - Cornell University Committee: Dr. Kyle Wickings, Dr. Jennifer Thaler, and Dr. Elson Shields Dissertation: *Abiotic and biotic influences on entomopathogenic nematode efficacy* **B.S. Biology** *(2015)* - University of Minnesota Duluth Minor: Natural History *summa cum laude* ## ACADEMIC SUMMARY - 4 courses taught/currently being taught as Instructor of Record - 2 courses developed or redesigned from the ground up - 8 complete semesters of teaching experience (teaching assistant + instructor of record) - 2 educational board games designed and published - 10 publications in peer-reviewed journals; total citations 241; h-index 6 ## TEACHING EXPERIENCE ##### **Michigan State University (current position)** See [[courses I teach]] for now. ##### **Boston University** **Terrestrial Biogeochemistry**: *Instructor of Record* (Fall 2023) Redesigned the course to better incorporate active learning and equity in assessments. Led three 50-minute class sessions per week for 26 students. **Tabletop Game Design for Biology Education**: *Instructor of Record* (Fall 2023) Proposed and developed the course from scratch. Led two 105-minute class sessions each week for 18 students. **Evolutionary Ecology**: *Instructor of Record* (Spring 2023, Spring 2024) Led three 50-minute class sessions each week for 85 students. Managed three graduate Teaching Fellows in running the laboratory, led weekly lab preparation meetings, and developed lab activities. **Forest Ecology**: *Instructor of Record* (Spring 2023, Spring 2024) Led two 75-minute class sessions and one 50-minute discussion each week for 25 students. **Biology 1**: *Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow* (Fall 2022) Led four ~24-student sections of the course’s lab component. Managed and mentored 4 undergraduate Learning Assistants. ##### **Michigan State University (previous position)** **Insects, Globalization and Sustainability**: *Graduate Instructor* (Fall 2019 - Spring 2021) Taught three 2-hour lecture and lab sections each week to ~27 students each. Developed a lecture and lab activity on soil biodiversity, ecology, and management. Led two instructor meetings each semester to coordinate the following week’s activity. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020, recorded remote lectures and managed online discussions and assignments. Afterward, taught synchronous online lectures. ##### **Cornell University** **Integrated Pest Management**: *Teaching Assistant* (Spring 2016) Organized laboratory exercises, assisted with grading, and delivered lectures on ecological theory informing integrated pest management and on biological control of insects, weeds, and pathogens. **Honey Bee Biology**: *Teaching Assistant* (Fall 2015) Assisted with laboratory exercises and assignment grading for the ~70-student non-majors entomology course. ##### **Hobart and William Smith Colleges** **Agroecology**: *Guest Lecturer for Dr. Elizabeth Newell* (Fall 2017) Delivered a guest lecture on the use and management of entomopathogenic nematodes as biological control agents in agriculture. ## PUBLICATIONS **Helmberger MS**, Lampasona TP, Lorenz AR, and Grieshop MJ. 2022. [Pest Quest: A game of strategy, uncertainty, and sticky traps.](https://academic.oup.com/jipm/article/13/1/23/6705028) Journal of Integrated Pest Management 13: 23. **Helmberger MS** and Grieshop, M.J. 2022. [Characterizing fragmentation of polystyrene foam debris by isopods *Oniscus asellus* (Isopoda: Oniscidae) and *Trachelipus rathkii* (Isopoda: Trachelipodidae).](https://academic.oup.com/ee/article/51/4/710/6644397) Environmental Entomology 51: 710-715. **Helmberger MS** and Grieshop MJ. 2022. [Life for the Loam: A soil ecology game about biodiversity & ecosystem health.](https://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-abstract/84/4/238/163641/Life-for-the-LoamA-Soil-Ecology-Game-about) The American Biology Teacher 84: 238-241. **Helmberger MS**, Miesel JR, Tiemann LK, and Grieshop MJ 2022. [Soil invertebrates generate microplastics from polystyrene foam debris.](https://academic.oup.com/jinsectscience/article/22/1/21/6528469) Journal of Insect Science 22: 1-8. **Helmberger, M.S.**, Frame, M.K., and Grieshop, M.J. 2020. [Counterstaining to separate Nile red-stained microplastic particles from terrestrial invertebrate biomass.](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.0c00711) Environmental Science & Technology 54: 5580-5588. **Helmberger MS**, Tiemann LK, and Grieshop MJ. 2020. [Towards an ecology of soil microplastics.](https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2435.13495) Functional Ecology 34: 550-560. **Helmberger MS**, Thaler JS, Shields EJ, and Wickings KG. 2018. [Entomopathogenic nematode performance against *Popillia japonica* (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in school athletic turf: Effects of traffic and soil properties.](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964418305681) Biological Control 126: 177-184. **Helmberger MS**, Shields EJ, and Wickings KG. 2018. [Soil microarthropod communities reduce *Heterorhabditis bacteriophora* (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae) host infection.](https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/afe.12285) Agricultural and Forest Entomology 20: 523-530. **Helmberger MS**, Shields EJ, and Wickings KG. 2017. [Ecology of belowground biological control: Entomopathogenic nematode interactions with soil biota.](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929139317308168) Applied Soil Ecology 121: 201-213. **Helmberger MS**, Craig TP, and Itami JK. 2016. [Effects of drought stress on oviposition preference and offspring performance of lace bug *Corythucha marmorata* on its goldenrod host.](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Timothy-Craig-6/publication/304536349_Effects_of_drought_stress_on_oviposition_preference_and_offspring_performance_of_the_lace_bug_Corythucha_marmorata_on_its_goldenrod_host_Solidago_altissima/links/618acf00d7d1af224bcce893/Effects-of-drought-stress-on-oviposition-preference-and-offspring-performance-of-the-lace-bug-Corythucha-marmorata-on-its-goldenrod-host-Solidago-altissima.pdf)Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 160: 1-10. ## PUBLISHED GAMES **Loam (2023)** Tabletop game about soil biodiversity and ecology Available in printable and digital forms for educational use Crowdfunded for wider release; obtained over 200% of its goal **Pest Quest (2022)** Tabletop game about Integrated Pest Management Available in printable and digital forms for educational use ## GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS BU Inclusive Pedagogy Institute Fellowship ($2,000), 2023 Experiment Foundation Research Grant ($5,300), 2022 MSU Future Academic Scholars in Teaching (FAST) Fellowship ($2,000), 2020 MSU Sustainable Michigan Endowed Project Fellowship ($25,000), 2018 MSU University Distinguished Fellowship ($28,000/yr., 2 yrs.), 2018 CU Department of Entomology Rawlins Endowment Travel Award ($990), 2017 CU CALS Andrew W. Mellon Student Research Grant ($670), 2017 CU CALS Andrew W. Mellon Student Research Grant ($550), 2016 ## PRESENTATIONS (* denotes undergraduate mentee) **Helmberger MS**, Miesel JR, Tiemann LK, and Grieshop MJ. *Soil invertebrates generate microplastics by fragmenting Styrofoam debris.* Soil Ecology Society Virtual Board Meeting. May 2021. Invited Oral Presentation. **Helmberger MS** and Grieshop MJ. _Life for the Loam: A game of soil restoration through biodiversity._ Entomological Society of America Virtual Annual Meeting. November 2021. Poster Presentation. **Helmberger MS**, Lampasona TP, and Grieshop MJ. _Pest Quest: A game of strategy, uncertainty, and sticky traps._ Entomological Society of America Virtual Annual Meeting. November 2021. Oral Presentation. **Helmberger MS**, Frame MK, and Grieshop, MJ. _Detecting microplastic ingestion by terrestrial arthropods and other invertebrates via Calcofluor White counterstaining_. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry International Virtual Meeting. May 2020. Poster Presentation **Helmberger MS**, Frame MK, and Grieshop, MJ. _A method for detecting microplastic ingestion by terrestrial arthropods._ Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. St. Louis, MO, USA. November 2019. Oral Presentation. **Helmberger MS** and Grieshop MJ. _Terra plastica: The burgeoning world of microplastic research in soil._ Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meeting. Toledo, OH, USA. May 2019. Poster Presentation. **Helmberger MS**, Shields EJ, and Wickings KG. *Soil microarthropod communities reduce Heterorhabditis bacteriophora host infection.* Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. Vancouver, BC, Canada. November 2018. Poster Presentation. **Helmberger MS**. *Casting in clay: Stop-motion clay animation as an entomology teaching tool.* Extension Entomology Share Fair, Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. Vancouver, BC, Canada. November 2018. Invited Workshop Demonstration. **Helmberger MS**, Thaler JS, Shields EJ, and Wickings KG. _The field or the players? Abiotic and biotic controls of entomopathogenic nematodes._ Jugatae Seminar Series, Department of Entomology, Cornell University. Geneva, NY, USA. December 2017. Exit Seminar. **Helmberger MS**, Thaler JS, Shields EJ, and Wickings KG. _They’re safe and legal, but will entomopathogenic nematodes play ball?_ Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. Denver, CO, USA. November 2017. Oral Presentation. Perrin L*, **Helmberger MS**, and Wickings KG. _Cultural practices alter the efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes as biocontrol agents of soil-dwelling pests in low maintenance turf_. Cornell University Summer Scholars Poster Symposium. Geneva, NY, USA. July 2017. Poster Presentation. **Helmberger MS** and Wickings KG. _Microarthropod response to foot traffic in sports turf._ Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meeting. Fort Collins, CO, USA. June 2017. Poster Presentation. **Helmberger MS** and Wickings KG. _They’re safe and legal, but will entomopathogenic nematodes play ball?_ 6th Annual Cornell Entomology Symposium. Ithaca, NY, USA. January 2017. Morales A*, **Helmberger MS**, and Wickings KG. _Establishment and persistence of entomopathogenic nematodes in harvested sod_. Cornell University Summer Scholars Poster Symposium. Geneva, NY, USA. July 2016. Poster Presentation. **Helmberger MS**, Craig TP, and Itami JK. A positive preference-performance linkage for lace bug _Corythucha marmorata_ on drought-stressed _Solidago altissima_. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN, USA. November 2015. ## HONORS AND AWARDS Eugenia McDaniel Graduate Teaching Award, Entomology Department, MSU *(2022)* Harlo Mervyn Mork Memorial Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Natural Sciences, MSU *(2020)* First Place Winner, Cobb Foundation Video Contest *(2020)* First Place Winner, Entomological Society of America YouTube Your Entomology Video Contest *(2019)* Asa Fitch Memorial Graduate Student Award, Entomological Society of America Eastern Branch *(2019)* Second Place Winner, Emerging Researchers Network Video Contest *(2018)* Honorable Mention, Entomological Society of America YouTube Your Entomology Video Contest, *(2017)* Winner, Short Video Category, Entomological Society of America Pollinator Education Committee Video Contest *(2017)* ## SERVICE B.A./M.S. Admissions Committee, Biology Department, BU *(2023)* Curriculum Committee, Entomology Department, MSU *(2020 - 2021)* Seminar Committee, Entomology Department, MSU *(2019 - 2020)* Study Tour Planning Committee, Sustainable Michigan Endowed Project, MSU *(2019)* Seminar Committee, Entomology Department, Cornell *(2017)* Scholarship Committee, Student Association of the Geneva Experiment Station, Cornell *(2016 - 2017)* Outreach Committee, Jugatae (Entomology Graduate Student Club), Cornell *(2016)* **Peer reviewer for:** Scientific Reports (1), Environmental Entomology (1), Annals of the Entomological Society of America (1), Current Biology (1), Ecology and Evolution (1), Environmental Science and Pollution Research (1), Science of the Total Environment (1), Environmental Pollution (1), Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (1) ## EXTENSION AND OUTREACH EXPERIENCE ##### **Cornell University** (Graduate Extension/Outreach Assistant) Participated in public outreach events and organized them for local Boy Scouts and 4-H groups. Developed a fact sheet for homeowners and gardeners on beneficial soil animals and a middle school laboratory lesson plan on isolating nematode and fungal insect pathogens from soil, and aided with developing an interactive online identification tool for turfgrass-damaging scarab larvae. Also developed seven educational clay animation videos on soil ecology and entomology topics (and more since leaving Cornell), which can be viewed [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUa9q5VuBNk&list=PLB9tSz89_6_qBS8RRF0h5YzhyC31KJHoc). ## OTHER EDUCATION IOBC & Cornell University Insect Pathology Short Course, 2017 Research Mentor Training Course, Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning, 2016