Jillian Dara Wormington
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Texas A&M University
Department of Integrative Biosciences
PI: Sarah Hamer, PhD, DVM
Educational History
College: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Degree: PhD in Zoology, May, 2017
Supervisor: Barney Luttbeg, PhD
Thesis Title: Facial Marking Form and Function in Subsocial Nicrophorus Beetles
College: Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Degree: M.S. in Biology, August, 2013
Supervisor: Steven Juliano, PhD
Thesis Title: “Sexual size dimorphism, emergence timing, and antipredator behavior of Aedes mosquitoes”
College: Hastings College, Hastings, NE
Degree: B.A. in Biology, May 2004
Capstone Project: “Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus): A Keystone for American Grasslands”
Ecology Project: “A Survey of Invertebrate Diversity in Hartwell Creek, Hastings, NE”
Publications
2010 - present
2010 - present
Wormington JD, Luttbeg B. 2019. Disrupted information alters the behavioral response to a signal trait in both sexes of Nicrophorus beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae). Behavioral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arz035
Bradt D, Wormington JD, Long JM, Hoback WW, Noden BH. 2019. Differences in mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) communities in six cities in Oklahoma. Journal of Medical Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjz039
Golnar A, Martin E, Wormington JD, Kading RC, Hamer SA, Hamer GL. 2019. Reviewing the potential vectors and hosts of African swine fever virus transmission in the United States. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2018.2387
Wormington JD, Golnar A, Poh K, Martin E, Kading RC, Hamer SA, Hamer GL. 2019. Spatial risk of African swine fever virus sylvatic establishment and spillover to domestic swine in the United States. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2018.2386.
Wormington JD, Gillum C, Meyers A, Hamer GL, Hamer SA. 2018. Daily activity patterns of movement and refuge use in Triatoma gerstaeckeri and Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), vectors of the Chagas disease parasite. Acta Tropica. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.06.012
Wormington JD, Luttbeg B. 2018. Red clypeal membrane color predicts immune function in a burying beetle (Coleoptera: Silphidae). Journal of Zoology. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12528
Wormington JD, Luttbeg B. 2017. Allometry and morphometrics of clypeal membrane size and shape in Nicrophorus beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae). Journal of Morphology. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12528
Wormington JD, Risser K, Hoback WW, Giles K, Greenwood C, Luttbeg B. 2017. Contrasting influence of nighttime illumination on American burying beetle and roundneck sexton beetle capture rates. Coleopterists Bulletin. doi: 10.1649/0010-065X-71.2.339
Beaty LE, Wormington JD, Kensinger B, Bayley K, Goeppner S, Gustafson K, Luttbeg B. 2016. Shaped by the past, acting in the present: transgenerational plasticity of anti-predatory traits. Oikos. doi: 10.1111/oik.03114
Wormington JD, Juliano SA. 2014. Sexually dimorphic body size and development time plasticity of Aedes mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Evolutionary Ecology Research 16:223-234.
Wormington JD, Juliano SA. 2014. Hunger-dependent and sex-specific antipredator behavior of larvae of a size-dimorphic mosquito. Ecological Entomology. doi: 10.1111/een.12129
Research Support and Other Awards
“Vectorial capacity of American triatomines for multiple strains of Trypanosoma cruzi.” National Institute of Health R03. Impact Score: 17. Role: Lead author, key personnel.
“Eco-epidemiology of Chagas disease in Texas.” Texas Ecolab Research Grant. [$25,000] 1/2019-1/2020. Role: Co-author, key personnel.
“Clarifying host-vector and vector-host Trypanosoma cruzi transmission dynamics to reduce the risk of canine Chagas disease.” National Center for Veterinary Parasitology Research Grant. [$15,000] 12/2017 – 11/2018. Role: Lead author, key personnel.
Texas A&M University 2019
CVM Outstanding Postdoctoral Research Associate Award [$500]
CVM Trainee Research Symposium People’s Choice Poster [$250]
Texas A&M University 2018
College of Veterinary Medicine Postdoc Association Fall Travel Award 2018 [$1,050]
International Congress of Entomology 2016
First Place in 15-minute Student Talk Competition; Morphology, Systematics, and Phylogeny: Beetles, Bugs, and Others. "Allometry and morphometrics of colored facial markings in Nicrophorus beetles."
Oklahoma State University Research Week 2016
Third place in Biological Sciences Talk Competition: “Contrasting Influence of Nighttime Illumination on American Burying Beetle and Roundneck Burying Beetle Capture Rates”
Entomological Society of America 2013
First Place in Ten Minute Talk Competition: Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity section: “Vive la difference: What drives intersexual differences in size and development time?”
Illinois State University School of Biological Sciences
2012 Teaching Assistant of the Year
2011 Teaching Assistant of the Year
Teaching Experience
Lecture:
Instructor in Concepts in Biology 2012, Illinois State University, 190 undergraduates.
Guest Lecture:
“Vector-borne Diseases”; Tropical Ecology and One Health, Texas A&M University 2018
“Mathematical Epidemiology”; Introductory Epidemiology, Texas A&M University 2018
“Topics in Medical Entomology”; Entomology, Illinois State University 2012
Workshops:
“Revising a First Draft: Improving Organization, Flow, and Clarity”; Oklahoma State University Interdepartmental Workshop Series 2016
“MANOVA: Execution and Interpretation in SAS and R”; Oklahoma State University Interdepartmental Workshop Series 2015
Undergraduate Mentor:
Nidhi Patel [TAMU Pre-pharmacy Student] Morphometrics of triatomine wings. 2018.
Jose Silva [TAMU Entomology Student] Morphometrics of triatomine wings. 2017.
Cassidy Gillum [TAMU Pre-veterinary Student] Diel activity of triatomines. 2017.
Molly Byrne [NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates Student] Effects of social environment on burying beetle behavior. 2016.
Scott Goeppner [NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates Student] Phenotypic plasticity and transgenerational effects of predator cues in Physa snails. 2014.
Alex Pakula [ISU Entomology Student] Sex differences in antipredator behavior of mosquito larvae. 2013.
Laboratory:
Teaching Assistant, Oklahoma State University, Introductory Biology, 2 semesters
20 undergraduates per section, 3 sections per semester
Mentored students in conducting original research, reviewed student manuscripts
Teaching Assistant, Oklahoma State University, Human Anatomy, 1 semester
20 undergraduates per section, 2 sections
Led feline dissections, constructed and graded lab practicals
Teaching Assistant, Illinois State University, Entomology, 1 semester
15 undergraduates, 3 graduates, 1 section
Lectured on insect taxonomy and identification, constructed and graded lab practicals
Teaching Assistant, Illinois State University, Concepts in Biology, 3 semesters
24 undergraduates per section, 3 sections per semester
Led laboratory activities, graded laboratory reports
Select Presentations
Wormington JD, Curtis-Robles R, Hamer GL, Hamer SA. Morphometric comparison of dispersal capability in Trypanosoma cruzi infected and uninfected Triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).
Program for the 2018 Entomological Society of America Meeting. Vancouver, BC. Oral Presentation.
Wormington JD, Hamer SA. An ecological perspective on triatomine-Trypanosoma cruzi interactions. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Seminar Series. College Station, TX. Oral Presentation.
Wormington, JD, Luttbeg B. Allometry and morphometrics of colored facial markings in Nicrophorus beetles. Program for the 2016 International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, FL.
Wormington JD, Risser K, Hoback WW, Giles K, Greenwood C, Luttbeg B. Contrasting influence of nighttime illumination on American burying beetle and roundneck sexton beetle capture rates. Program for the 2015 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Poster presentation.
Beaty LE, Wormington JD, Kensinger B, Bayley K, Goeppner S, Gustafson K, Luttbeg B. The Morphology of Fear: Transgenerational effects of predation cues on Physa snails. Oklahoma State University Integrative Biology Lunchtime Seminar Series 2014.
Wormington JD, Juliano SA. 2013. Vive la difference: What drives intersexual differences in size and development time? Program for the 2013 Entomological Society Annual Meeting. Student Competition Talk.
Wormington, JD, Juliano SA. 2013. Hunger-dependent and Sex-specific Antipredator Behavior of Larvae of a Size-dimorphic Mosquito. Program for the 2013 Entomological Society Annual Meeting. Poster presentation.
Wormington JD, Juliano SA. 2012. What’s Sex Got To Do, Got To Do With It? Hunger-Dependent Antipredator Behavior, Protandry, and Size Dimorphism of Two Aedes Mosquitoes. Program for the 2012 North Central Branch, Entomological Society Annual Meeting. Student Competition Talk.
Wormington JD, Juliano SA. 2012. What’s Sex Got To Do, Got To Do With It? Sexual Size Dimorphism and Antipredator Behavior of Aedes Mosquitoes. Program for the 2012 Consilience Conference. Poster presentation.
Wormington JD, Juliano SA. 2011. Antipredator Behavior of Larval Mosquitoes: Sex! Predation! Mystery!. Program for the 2011 Phi Sigma Research Symposium. Poster presentation.