LUKE E. HEARON
Education
Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University
Advisor: Dr. Reed Johnson
Champaign, IL, The University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign
Advisor: Dr. Carla E. Cáceres
Thesis available at ideals.illinois.edu/items/127368
Philadelphia, PA, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, Temple University
Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University
Cum laude with research distinction
Minor in Evolution and Ecology
Funding
Fellowships
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Grants ($13,975 total)
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign · “Understanding Daily Foraging Patterns to Protect Pollinators from Pesticides” · Hearon, L.E., Johnson, R.M.
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (internal) · “Impacts of Parasitized Prey upon Predator Fitness in the Predator-Spreader System” · Hearon, L.E.
Ohio State Beekeepers Association · “Soybean or Clover: Pollen Analysis to Determine Floral Source of Ohio Summer Honey” · Johnson, R.M., Hearon, L.E.
Scientific Publications
Peer Reviewed
Hearon, L.E., Johnson, L.H.P., Underwood, J., Lin, C.H., Johnson, R.M. · Journal of Insect Science (in press)
Hearon, L.E., Cáceres, C.E. · Journal of Plankton Research
Richardson, R.T., Curtis, H.R., Matcham, E.G., Lin, C.H., Suresh, S., Sponsler, D.B., Hearon, L.E., Johnson, R.M. · Molecular Ecology
In Press
Johnson, L.H.P., Hearon, L.E., Lin, L.H., Lindsey, L.E., Johnson, R.M. · Journal of Visualized Experiments
Positions Held
- PI: Dr. Reed Johnson
- Created buzzdetect, a machine learning tool for automated detection of honey bee flight buzzes in audio. buzzdetect is still under production, but latest versions can be found on the Bee Lab GitHub at github.com/OSU-Bee-Lab/buzzdetect
- Designed, executed, and analyzed laboratory component of project studying effects of mustard pollen on Vairimorpha infection in adult honey bees; assisted in design, execution, and analysis of field component.
- Networked and collaborated researchers from other universities
- Operated the Arboretum Plant Clinic; diagnosed plant, pest, and disease submissions, communicated relevant information regarding identification, treatment, and plant care in a manner appropriate to the expertise of the client
- Scouted arboretum grounds and greenhouse for pest, pathogen, or cultural problems; summarized the problem, its cause, and treatment recommendations to the relevant superior
- Designed and conducted research project quantifying bycatch of sticky bands used to trap spotted lanternfly; presented results before Arboretum staff and communicated them to local homeowners, governmental authorities, and academic experts
- Spearheaded Arboretum informational material regarding spotted lanternfly, including official responses to common questions and classes aimed at expertise levels from children to experienced gardeners
- PI: Dr. Reed Johnson
- Project: Pollen analysis to determine floral source of Ohio summer honey
- Sought to determine the contribution of soybean flowers to Ohio honeys
- Adapted existing palynological methodologies to suit research project
- Developed novel geographic information system (GIS) landscape analysis method to quantify presence of soybean around honey bee hives
- Presented progress and results at academic and professional conferences
- Assisted postdoctoral researcher Chia-Hua Lin, doctorate student Rodney Richardson, and master’s student Natalia Riusech
- Independently performed routine hive evaluations for the Sentinel Apiary Program
- Conducted in vivo bioassay for potential miticide for use in bee hives
- Conducted GIS landscape analysis
- Reared worker and queen brood for use in toxicological studies
- Conducted regular colony maintenance and inspections
Teaching
Invited Lectures
The Ohio State University, ENTMLGY 7930 - Scientific Writing
Lecture on using fully-reproducible, project-based workflows to produce scientific manuscripts with RStudio and Quarto
Teaching Assistantships
The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University
AU18, SP19, AU23, SP24, SP26
The Ohio State University
SP18, SP26
Workshops
University of Illinois, Graduates in Ecology Workshop Series
Three-part series teaching best practices and reproducible workflows for data manipulation, analysis, and graphing.
University of Illinois
Facilitated two-part discussion group watching and working through Richard McElreath’s lecture “Science Before Statistics: Causal Inference”
Scientific Presentations
Oral Presentations
The Ohio State University Plant Sciences Symposium, Columbus, OH · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M. · 2nd in class
American Bee Research Conference, Mobile, AL · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M.
The Ohio State University Global One Health Day, Columbus, OH · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M. · invited
Entomological Society of America, Portland, OR · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M. · invited
American Bee Research Conference, Reno, NV · Hearon, L.E., Lin, C.H., Johnson R.M.
Entomological Society of America, Phoenix, AZ · Hearon, L.E., Johnson, R.M.
EcoSpatial Summit, College Station, PA · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M.
American Bee Research Conference, New Orleans, LA · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M.
UIUC Graduates in Ecology Annual Research Colloquium, Champaign, IL · Hearon, L.E.
The Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia, PA · Hearon, L.E.
American Bee Research Conference, Tempe, AZ · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M.
Poster Presentations
Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Canada · Hearon, L.E., Cáceres C.E. · 2nd in class
Ohio State University CFAES Undergraduate Research Forum, Columbus, OH · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M. · 2nd in class
The Richard J. and Martha D. Denman Undergraduate Research Forum, Columbus, OH · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M.
Ohio State University CFAES Undergraduate Research Forum, Columbus, OH · Hearon, L.E., Johnson R.M.
Science Communication
Written
Participated in a pen-pal program pairing scientists with students in underprivileged schools, encouraging pen-pals to engage with science and consider careers in STEM.
Johnson, R.M., Hearon, L.E. 2019. OSBA Newsletter 8(2):7-8.
OSBA Newsletter 7(4):11, 19.
In-Person
- Organized and participated in multiple outreach events in collaboration with X-Time summer camp.
- Used hands-on activities to teach children about food webs and ecosystem dynamics.
- Assisted presenting the UIUC “Insect Petting Zoo” at: Mahomet-Seymour Junior High School (Fall 2021), Little Hearts and Hands Academy (Spring 2022), X-Time summer camp (Summer 2022), Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum “Bugapalooza” (Summer 2022).
A workshop delivered to homeowners on SLF treatment, prevention, and the current state of the research.
Approved for Pesticide Recertification Training Credit by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
Hosted at Belmont Hills Library and Radnor Memorial Library.
Oriented toward children of middle school age and below; covered invasive insects and conservation.
Public Presentations
Hearon, L.E., Johnson, R.M.
Hearon, L.E., Lin, C.H., Johnson R.M. 2023.
Hearon, L.E., Lin, C.H., Johnson R.M. 2023.
Johnson, R.M., Hearon, L.E.
Mentoring
Undergraduate Mentee, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Mentored undergraduate student Greta Keilman, summer 2021 through spring 2023.
- Assisted in the creation, execution, and analysis of two independent research projects.
- Greta presented results at multiple undergraduate research forums.
Undergraduate Mentee, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Mentored undergraduate student Hayden Goldspink, summers 2021 and 2022.
- Assisted in the creation and execution of an independent research project.
- Hayden presented results at the iBio undergraduate research symposium in 2022.
Extracirricular
Student Positions
Outreach
Helped host the event, introduced movie, ran activity tables
- Assisted in planning and preparation of films (2021, 2022, 2023).
- Served as webmaster and projectionist (2021, 2022); edited and controlled presentation of all media (2022);
- Coordinated with event staff.