Jennifer Zaspel

Dr. Zaspel has developed an internationally recognized research program in insect systematics and comparative evolution. She reconstructs the historical relationships of major groups of insects in order to discern the origins of their behaviors. Dr. Zaspel’s program also tests specific hypotheses regarding plant and animal host associations in an evolutionary context using moths in the family Erebidae (c.a. 20,000 species) as her primary research system. The specimen-based portion of Dr. Zaspel’s research program involves revisionary systematics, specimen informatics, and advanced digitization.

In 2017, Dr. Zaspel was elected Vice President for the Systematics, Evolution, and Behavior section of the Entomological Society of America and to the Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSCA) Board of Directors. In 2018, Dr. Zaspel was elected Research Associate to the National Museum of Natural History and Smithsonian Institution.