Thesis: “Reliability and the waggle dance: Honest honey bees dance more and
attract more followers than dishonest bees”. First author manuscript in progress.
2008-2012: B.A., Oberlin College, Biology, minor in Environmental Studies
Senior Research Advisor: Dr. Mary Garvin
Senior Research Project: “A Supplement to Theodore Mitchell’s Bees of the
Eastern United States”.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING
2011: “Sustainability and Environmental Action”, School For International Training (Australia)
Investigation of alternatives to current systems that are degrading the environment and increasing inequality.
Research Project: Asian honeybee incursion in Australia: The eradication program and effect on local beekeepers and farmers
Collective decision making and age polyethism in ants
Ant tracking software
2011-2012: Research Student
Oberlin College, Department of Biology
Laboratory of Dr. Mary Garvin
Identification of bees from reclaimed and active coal mining sites
Construction of native plants and pollinator teaching garden
Winter 2012: Research Assistant
University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biology
Laboratory of Dr. Daniel Janzen
Biodiversity inventory project
Spring 2011: Field Work Researcher
Australian Department of the Environment and Primary Industries
Field work and agricultural surveys for the Asian Honeybee Containment Program
Winter 2010: Collections Intern
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Department of Invertebrate Zoology
Advisor: Dr. John Rawlins
Illustration, collections, and data management
Oxman KL, Richards, N, O'Donnell S. Neural and behavioral responses of Hemilepistus reaumuri parents to social manipulations. Manuscript in preparation.
Oxman KL, Richards, N, O'Donnell S. Brain investment in the central complex and optic lobes throughout the development of Hemilepistus reaumuri: The parental brain. Manuscript in preparation.
Oxman KL, Wolff, G, O'Donnell S. Neuroanatomy of a family burrowing terrestrial isopod: The central complex and mushroom bodies of Hemilepistus reaumuri. Manuscript in preparation.
Oxman KL, Kuabara, KMD, O'Donnell S. Terrestrial isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus) is a novel guest along foraging trails and inside Messor sp. nests in the Negev Desert. Manuscript in preparation for Insectes Sociaux: Special Issue on "The overlooked biodiversity of ant associates".
Wood KC, Angeloni C, Oxman K, Clopath C, Geffen MN (2022) Neuronal activity in sensory cortex predicts the specificity of learning. Nature Communications. 13.1167
O'Donnell S, Bulova S, Caponera V, Oxman K, Giladi I (2020) Species differ in worker body size effects on critical thermal limits in seed-harvesting desert ants (Messor ebeninus and M. arenarius). Insectes Sociaux. 67, pages 473–479.
Oxman KL, Feinerman O, Shafir S. Reliability and the waggle dance: Honest honey bees dance more and attract more followers than dishonest bees. Manuscript in preparation.
Hendriksma HP, Oxman KL, Shafir S (2014) Amino acid and carbohydrate tradeoffs by honey bee nectar foragers and their implications for plant-pollinator interactions. Journal of Insect Physiology. 69, 56-64.
2024: Oral Presentation Runner-Up - The Crustacean Society - SICB Annual Meeting - Seattle, WA - Free Annual Membership
2023-2024: William L. McLean Fellowship for ENVS Research - BEES Dept., Drexel ($2,000 + TA relief for 23-24 academic year)
2024: Domestic Graduate Student Travel Award ($800)
2023: Drexel CoAS - BEES Graduate Student Travel Award ($500)
2022-2023: Louis and Bessie Stein Family Fellowship - Exchanges with Israeli Uni. ($10,000)
2022: Travel Award - Office of Global Engagement - Drexel U. ($500)
2022: Drexel CoAS - BEES Graduate Student Travel Award ($500)
2021-2022: Presidential Funds for Workshop Supplies - Entomological Society of America ($175)
2021-2022: Susan S. Kilham Research Award - BEES Department, Drexel U. ($500)
2021-2022: Louis and Bessie Stein Family Fellowship - Exchanges with Israeli Uni. ($6000)
2020: Funding for Research and Partnership Building - from the Office of Global Engagement & Education Abroad ($1500)
2019: Drexel CoAS - BEES Graduate Student Travel Award ($500)
2016: Lily Tepper Memorial Award of Excellence for Graduate Students ($2700)
2016: Gabriel Triwaks Memorial Award for Research with Honey Bees
Summer 2023: Teaching Assistant
Drexel University
"Field Botany of the Pine Barrens"
Spring 2022: Co-Instructor
Drexel University
"Spring Break in Israel: Unique Ecosystems and Sustainability Innovations"
Role: Planned, booked, and led 11 day trip for 10 students abroad.
Fall 2021 & 2022: Teaching Assistant
Drexel University
"ENVS 212: Evolution"
Role: Created course materal and led four sections of recitation (120 students)
Winter & Summer 2022: Teaching Assistant
Drexel University
"BIO 224/225: Vertebrate Biology and Evolution Lab & Recitation"
Summer 2021: Curatorial Assistant
Drexel UniversityAcademy of Natural Sciences
Department of Entomology: wild bee identification
Winter 2021: Teaching Assistant
Drexel University
"BIO 389: Gross Anatomy II Laboratory"
Winter 2020: Teaching Assistant
Drexel University
"BIO 124: Evolution and Organismal Biology (Laboratory)"
Fall 2019, Fall 2020: Teaching Assistant
Drexel University
"ENVS 101: Intro to Environmental Science (Field Methods)"
Spring 2017: Teaching Assistant
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
"Apiculture: Beekeeping and Apiary Management" (B.Sc. seniors)
2014-2015: Lead Educator
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Youth Science Center
“Form & Function in Honey Bee Architecture" – intro to the scientific method
Designed and led seven-month workshop (gifted middle schoolers)
November 2022: Planning Committee - Program Symposium:
“Palette(able) Entomology: Using SciArt and SciComm for Effective Insect-focused Education and Engagement”
Our symposium was one of only five sessions selected into the highestlevel symposium category, out of 101 sessions to be featured during the meeting.
Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC
November 2022: Workshop Leader
“ArthroZINE Workshop: DIY Mini Magazines for Collective Learning and Sharing"
In this miniworkshop, I taught attendees to create personal zines to fill with ideas that arise while attending the conference. The result was a digital addition of the EntSoc Annual Meeting ‘Zine.
Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC
2022
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
"Green Verses BEES Zine In-person collage event"
Inside the Invisible World of Water Exhibit
2022
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
"Isopods are aMAZEing - Bugfest"
2020
Women in Natural Sciences – high school enrichment
Presentation: “My Adventures in Ecology”
2020
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
MLK Jr. Enviro. Justice Celebration: Urban bee ecology
2019 - 2020: Fairmount Park Conservancy
Volunteer Ambassador
2018 - Present:
Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild
Philadelphia Honey Festival, and Science Festival - educational demos and observation hive (volunteer)
2018:
Judith Creed Homes for Adult Independence
life skills workshop (volunteer)
2012-2013:
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Department of Education
Exhibit Manager Live Butterflies
2012-2013:
Philadelphia Zoo, Department of Education
Conservation Educator
2012 & 2013:
Camp Galil
Ropes Course and Camping Trip Manager
Winter 2011:
WWOOF NZ: The Animal Sanctuary & Wilderland Sustainable Living
Wildlife Rehabilitation Volunteer and Permaculture Intern
2024-present:The Crustacean Society
2023-present: Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology (SICB)
2020-present: International Union for the Study of Social Insects
2019-present: Animal Behavior Society
2019-present: Israel Zoological Society
2019-2020: Fairmount Park conservency
2017-present: Philadelphia Beekeeper’s Guild
2017-present: Entomological Society of America
2014-2017: Entomological Society of Israel
February 2024: Invited Workshop Leader
“Zines in science communication and teaching.”
Part of: Interdisciplinary Science Communication Seminar
Boston University, Boston, MA (Virtual)
2022: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Vancouver, BC.
"ArthroZINE: Mini magazines for collective learning and sharing.”
2022: Department of Entomology and Wildlife Seminar
University of Delaware.
"Costs and benefits of parental care in a non-model arthropod system.”
Oct 2019: Protecting Pollinators in Urban Landscapes Conference
Cincinnati, OH.
"Section: Pollinators in the urban environment: coping with a complex landscape”
2018: Hebrew University of Jerusalem Beekeepers Association, Spring Conference
Rehovot, Israel.
“Reliability and the waggle dance”
2024: Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Meeting
Seattle, WA
“Parental care and brain investment in a non-model arthropod.”
2023: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
National Harbor, DC
“Neuroanatomy and development in a terrestrial care-giving arthropod.”
2023: Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science Department Seminar
Drexel University
“Neuroanatomy and development in a terrestrial care-giving arthropod.”
2022: Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science Department Seminar
Drexel University
“The parental isopod brain.”
2022: Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science Research Day
Poster, Drexel University
“Behavior-coupled quantification of brain plasticity in a social isopod.”
2022: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting
Virtual Poster
“Behavior-coupled quantification of brain plasticity in a social isopod.”
November 2021: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting (virtual)
“The parental brain of a desert isopod.”
December 2020: Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science Dept., Drexel University
(Yearly Graduate Research Seminar)
“Social behavior and brain development: Does biparental care affect brain tissue investment in a desert isopod?”
October 2020: Organismal biology, ecology and evolution discussion group, Drexel University
(Departmental talk)
“Why is visual art valuable in science?”
July 2020: Animal Behavior Society 2020 Virtual Conference
(Accepted talk)
“Dig, draw, repeat: Illustrating arthropod behavior at the beginning of a research project.”
May 2020: Office of Global Engagement’s 5th Annual International Research Showcase
(Accepted talk), Drexel University, virtual
“Digging holes in the Negev Desert: a neuroanatomical study of a social and terrestrial crustacean.”
Feb 2020 (postponed): Social Insects of the Northeast Region Meeting (SINNERS)
(Accepted talk), Brooklyn, NY
“Human awareness of social arthropod behavior: Visual models”
Jan 2020: Annual Biology Department Symposium
(Accepted talk), Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
“Seasonal variation in honey bee foraging behavior across Philadelphia's urban landscape”
Dec 2019: The 56th Meeting of the Zoological Society of Israel
(Accepted talk), Jerusalem, Israel
“Decoded honey bee dances reveal seasonal transition from broadly distributed to spatially discrete foraging in Philadelphia’s urban landscape”
Nov 2018: Entomological Society of America, Canada, and British Columbia Joint Meeting
(Poster presentation), Vancouver, BC.
“Reliability and the waggle dance: Honest bees dance more and attract more followers than dishonest bees”
2017: The 35th Annual Entomological Society of Israel Meeting
(accepted talk), Jerusalem, Israel
“Inconsistencies of the waggle dance: How do recruits react to a lying dancer?”
(2019): Margaret Denbleyker (Lafayette College ’21), during Geffen Lab animal behavior internship at UPenn
(2015-2017): Shiran Yona (Hebrew U ’17), honey bee behavior
(2015-2017): Maor Zavitan (Hebrew U ’17), honey bee behavior
Li-Byarlay H., Boncristiani H., Howell G., Herman J., Clark L., Strand M.K., Tarpy D., Rueppell O. 2020. Transcriptomic and epigenomic dynamics of honey bees in response to lethal viral infection.Frontiers in genetics. 11, 1056
Rehan S.M., Berens A.J., Toth A.L. 2014. At the brink of eusociality: transcriptomic correlates of worker behavior in a small carpenter bee.BMC Evolutionary Biology. 14, 260.
Rehan S.M., Rotella A., Onuferko T.M., Richards M.H. 2013. Colony disturbance and solitary nest initiation by workers in the obligately eusocial sweat bee, Halictus ligatus.Insectes Sociaux. 60, 389-392.
