Biodiversity Research Biologist

Shea Tillotson joined BRI in 2025 as a Biodiversity Research Biologist

Shea Tillotson, M.S.

Biodiversity Research Biologist
shea.tillotson@briwildlife.org

Shea is an entomologist with a passion for insect biodiversity, ecology, and biological control potential. Before joining BRI in the fall of 2025, her work focused on insects in agriculture, studying predatory arthropods, invasive pest insects, and entomopathogenic fungi in agroecosystems. She has broad experience working with diverse insect species in both natural and agricultural settings.

At BRI, Shea is part of the Biodiversity Research Program, where she contributes to a large-scale carbon sequestration project across Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. Her work centers on monitoring and documenting insect biodiversity to better understand the ecological impacts of these carbon projects.

Education & Certifications

  • Penn State University, 2024 – M.S. Entomology
  • Univeristy of Wiconsin-Madison, 2022 – B.S. Biology

Research Interests

  • Entomological ecology
  • Biological control
  • Insect biodiversity

Journal Articles

  • Tillotson, S., Voortman, C., Wallace J., Barbercheck, M., “Tillage type and sentinel insect species affect the relative prevalence of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium robertsii, in soil”, PLOSOne, 2025. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317149

  • Tillotson, S., Voortman, C., Wallace J., Barbercheck, M., “Effect of tillage system on epigeal and foliar insect predation in an organic cropping system in Pennsylvania, USA”, PLOSOne, 2025. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0328896