Peter T Oboyski, PhD

Education:

PhD in Insect Biology, University of California, Berkeley CA, August 2011
MS in Entomology, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, December 1995
BS in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT, June 1991

Honors, Awards, Positions Held:

Research Experience:

September 2008 to present
Field Researcher, University of California, Berkeley. "Moorea BioCode Project." Collected terrestrial arthropods on the Island of Moorea (Society Islands, French Polynesia) using complementary techniques (uv light, malaise traps, pitfalls, vegetation beating, etc.), extracted and sequenced DNA, and maintained data in relational databases. The goal of this project is to acquire a mitochondrial DNA sequence of all species on the island.

August 2001 to present
Graduate Student Researcher, University of California, Berkeley. PhD dissertation project - "Systematics, Evolution, Ecology and Conservation of Hawaiian Cydia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)." Conducted literature searches and field sampling of endemic Hawaiian Lepidoptera. Conducted morphological and molecular analysis to construct a phylogeny and infer patterns of species formation of Hawaiian Cydia species via host-plant shifting and vicariance. Determined host-plant relationships and geographic distributions, and documented conservation threats to Cydia larvae from loss of habitat, native and alien competitors, and predators.

February 1997 to August 2001
Entomology Research Specialist, Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii, Volcano, Hawaii. Project leader for US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division projects - "The ecology, biology, and restoration of palila (Loxioides bailleui)" and "The role of insects in the restoration of Kipuka Alala, Hawaii". Designed and implemented research on the role of insects in the recovery of palila, an endangered Hawaiian forest bird. Designed and implemented research on the potential impacts and mitigation of alien insects (ants, yellowjackets, etc.) as part of an effort to restore the native ecosystem at Kipuka Alala, Pohakuloa Training Area, US Army Garrison, Hawaii. Hired and supervised a crew of four technicians and two interns. Research results were disseminated through technical reports, presentations at entomological and conservation conferences, and peer-reviewed articles (in prep.).

June 1996 to February 1997
Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. Principle research assistant on National Biological Survey project - "Response of microlepidoptera to forest management strategies in Douglas-fir forests in western Oregon." Sampled forest moths in old growth, clear cut, and managed and unmanaged mature stands of Douglas-fir using ultraviolet light traps. Designed and maintained relational databases on caterpillar-host plant interactions and moth distributions.

January 1992 to June 1996
Graduate Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. Masters thesis - "Riparian insect communities on vine maple, red alder, and sitka alder in the central western Cascade Mountains, Oregon."

Peripheral Projects:

Lepidoptera of French Polynesia. Cooperative Researcher focusing on Lepidoptera for NSF funded “Biotic Survey of French Polynesia” (PI: Rosemary Gillespie). Field collection and laboratory identification of butterflies and moths from Society Islands and Marquesas Islands. Designed and maintain website (taxonomic checklist, photo gallery, and bibliography)

Hawaiian Insect – Plant Host Database. Independent project to develope an online searchable database of herbivorous insects in Hawaii using MySQL and PERL. Populated the database with information from “Forest Entomology in Hawaii” (Swezey, 1954), including updated taxonomy of insects and hosts. This is an ongoing project to assist in insect identification, understanding food web dynamics, tracking distributions, and carrying out biological control in Hawaii

Publications:

Banko PC, Oboyski PT, Slotterback JW, et al. 2002. Availability of food resources, distribution of invasive species, and conservation of a Hawaiian bird along a gradient of elevation. Journal of Biogeography 29(5-6):789-808. pdf

Brenner GJ, Oboyski PT, Banko PC. 2002. Parasitism of Cydia spp. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) on Sophora chrysophylla (Fabaceae) along an elevation gradient of dry subalpine forest on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 78(2):101-109. pdf

Oboyski PT, Slotterback JW, Banko PC. 2004. Differential parasitism of seed-feeding Cydia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by native and alien wasp species relative to elevation in subalpine Sophora (Fabaceae) forests on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Journal of Insect Conservation 8(2-3): 229-240. pdf

Paynter, Q, Gourlay AH, Oboyski PT, Fowler SV, Hill RL, Withers TM, Parish H, and Hona S. 2008. Why did specificity testing fail to predict the field host-range of the gorse pod moth in New Zealand? Biological Control 46:453-462. pdf

Technical Reports, etc.:

Banko PC, Dougill S, Goltz D, Johnson L, Oboyski PT, et al. 2001. Palila restoration project annual report 2001. Technical Report to US Army Garrison, Hawaii. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division.

Howarth FG, Brenner GJ, Preston DJ, and Oboyski PT. 1999. An arthropod assessment within selected areas of Mauna Kea Science Reserve, Final Report. Hawaii Biological Survey. BP Bishop Museum, Honolulu. Technical Report to Institute of Astronomy. 59 pp.

Oboyski PT. 1995. Macroarthropod communities on vine maple, red alder, and sitka alder along riparian zones in the central Western Cascade Range, Oregon. MS Thesis. Oregon State University, Corvallis. 50 pp.

Oboyski PT. 1998. Inventory of terrestrial arthropods of Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii. Technical Report to US Army Garrison, Hawaii. The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii's Natural Heritage Program. Honolulu, Hawaii. 56 pp.

Oboyski PT. 2000. Insects and other arthropods. In L. Beletsky (ed.) Hawaii: The ecotravellers' wildlife guide. Academic Press. New York. Pp. 197-202

Oboyski PT, Gregor AJ, Passerello LB, Weber J, and Banko PC. 2002. Kipuka Alala terrestrial arthropod survey. Technical Report to US Army Garrison, Hawaii. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division. Volcano, Hawaii.

Conference Presentations:

Banko, PC, Dougill S, Gold L, Goltz D, Johnson L, Oboyski PT, and Slotterback J. 2003. Removing a diverse suite of invasive threats to recover an endangered Hawaiian bird species and its dry forest habitat. Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species: Proceedings of the International Conference on eradication of island invasives

Ball JE, Gross J, Grzymala TL, Nishida GM, Oboyski PT, Gillespie RG. Calbug: A case study of digitization challenges for Entomology Collections. Taxanomic Data Working Group (TDWG) Annual Meeting - October 2011. New Orleans, Louisiana. Oral Presentation

Gregor AJ, Passerello LB, Weber JP, and Oboyski PT. 2001. Kipuka Alala Arthropod Survey Results. Society for Conservation Biology. Annual Meeting - August 2001. Hilo, Hawaii. Poster presentation

Oboyski PT. 2011. Policies and best practices for molecular analysis of museum specimens. Entomology Collection Network Annual Meeting - November 2011. Reno, Nevada. Oral Presentation

Oboyski PT, Ball JE, Gillespie R, Gross J, Grzymala T, Nishida G, Will K. 2011. CalBug: Digitizing California’s Terrestrial Arthropods. Sherborn Lectures - British Museum of Natural History, London, England. Poster Presentation

Oboyski PT and Banko PC. 1998. Arthropod research projects of the Palila Restoration Project. Hawaiian Entomological Society. Annual Meeting - February 1998. Honolulu, Hawaii. Oral Presentation

Oboyski PT and Banko PC. 2001. Insect parasitism and conservation of an endangered bird. Society for Conservation Biology. Annual Meeting - August 2001. Hilo, Hawaii. Invited Oral Presentation

Oboyski PT, Brenner GJ, and Banko PC. 1997. Parasitism of endemic Hawaiian Cydia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) along an elevation gradient. Wildlife Society, Western Branch. Annual Meeting - August 1997. Sacramento, California. Oral Presentation

Oboyski PT and Roderick GK. 2009. Biogeography of tortricid moths (Lepidoptera) of Oceania. Pacific Science Intercongress - March 2009. Tahiti, French Polynesia

Oboyski PT, Slotterback JW, and Banko PC. 2001. Insect parasitism and conservation of an endangered Hawaiian bird. Society for Conservation Biology. Annual Meeting - August 2001. Hilo, Hawaii. Oral presentation

Teaching and Outreach Experience:

Invited Lectures @ UC Berkeley
“Invasive Species” – ESPM C11: Americans and the Global Forest
“Phylogeny of the Lepidoptera” – ESPM 298: Insect Systematics
“Natural History of the Lepidoptera” – ESPM 42: Natural History of Insects
“Lepidoptera” – ESPM 140: General Entomology
“Pollination” – ESPM 140: General Entomology
“Insect Diversity” – ESPM 42: Natural History of Insects

August 2007 to June 2008
Acting Instructor / Lecturer, University of California, Berkeley. ES 196 – “Senior Thesis for
Environmental Science Majors.” Mentored senior undergraduate students on their thesis projects
including guidance on project design, data collection, data analysis, and scientific writing and
presentation.

August 2006 to June 2007
Graduate Student Instructor, University of California, Berkeley. ES 196 – “Senior Thesis for
Environmental Science Majors.” Mentored senior undergraduate students on their thesis projects
including guidance on project design, data collection, data analysis, and scientific writing and
presentation. Instructor.

August 2005 to June 2008
Discussion group leader, University of California, Berkeley. Conceived of, organized, and lead
workshops and discussion groups on “Relational Databases,” “Biology of the Lepidoptera,” and
“Morphological Techniques in Entomology.”

July 2004 to June 2005
Curatorial Fellow, Essig Museum of Entomology, University of California, Berkeley. Developed website and databases of species inventories for collections housed by the Essig Museum of Entomology. Conducted informational and educational tours and edited and produced annual Essig Museum News Letter. Performed curatorial duties (sorting, labeling, etc.) for Lepidoptera collections.

July 2003 to June 2004
GK-12 Teaching Fellow, University of California, Berkeley. High school special lecturer - Pittsburg High School, Pittsburg, California. This NSF funded program brings graduate students in the biological sciences into public school classrooms to foster science education in K-12 school program. Designed curricula to teach techniques in biological data collection and understanding of concepts and standards related to biodiversity and conservation.

January 2003 to present
Graduate Student Instructor, University of California, Berkeley. Laboratory instructor - ESPM 140, "General Entomology." Taught insect identification to 13 undergraduate and graduate students. Prepared laboratory presentations and materials for family level identification of common insect groups. Reference: Purcell

February 2003
Guest Lecturer, University of California, Berkeley. Prepared and presented a lecture on understanding biodiversity to undergraduate students in ESPM - "Natural History of Insects." Included defining and measuring biological diversity and many examples of why it is important.

April 2002 to present
Cal Day Assistant, Division of Insect Biology, University of California, Berkeley. Prepared displays and answered questions for East Bay children and adults at Cal Day, a yearly community outreach program (1 day event) of the University of California.

March 2000 to present
Summer Field Camp Instructor, Tropical Restoration and Ecology Education (TREE) program, Kealakekua, Hawaii. Presented information and displays related to insects in tropical environments, including the role of native and invasive insects in ecology and restoration of native Hawaiian ecosystems to students age 10 to 16. Conducted field exercises including insect observation, collection, and identification. 4 days each summer.

August 2002 to December 2002
Graduate Student Instructor, University of California, Berkeley. Field Instructor - ESPM 107, "Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Islands." Assisted upper-division undergraduate students with project design, analysis, and reporting of independent projects at the Gump Research Station on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia. Supervised all aspects of student research, housing, and conduct. Reference: Roderick

September 1992 to June 1996
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. Laboratory instructor - Entomology 460, "Forest insect and disease management"; and Biology 103, "Introduction to biology." Prepared laboratory presentations and materials for graduate and undergraduate students. Topics included insect identification (Ent 460), and general biology principles (Bio 103). Reference: Schowalter

March 1993 to October 1995
Museum Day Assistant, Department of Entomology, Oregon State University. Prepared displays and answered questions for City of Corvallis children and adults at Museum Day, a quarterly community outreach program (2 day event) of the Department of Entomology.

March 1992 to June 1995
Guest Lecturer, Corvallis Public Elementary Schools, Corvallis, Oregon. Presented information and displays on insects and related arthropods to kindergarten through third grade students (3 separate lectures). Included question and answer period.

October 1994
Guest Lecturer, Lebanon High School Senior Biology Class, Lebanon, Oregon. Conducted classroom discussions and led field exercises for senior high school students studying insects and related arthropods (2 class periods). Included collection and identification of insects.

July 1994 to August 1994
Co-Instructor, Adventures in Learning, Oregon State University Higher Education. Developed and presented exercises for "Insects Around Us" (5 week) course, designed to stimulate TAG (talented and gifted) 10-12 year old students. Included field and laboratory exercises.

September 1990 to October 1991
Guest Lecturer, Guilford Public Elementary Schools, Guilford, Connecticut. Presented information and displays on insects and related arthropods to kindergarten through third grade students (5 separate lectures). Included question and answer period.

Professional Societies:

Society of Systematic Biologists, Society for Conservation Biology, Entomological Society of America, Hawaiian Entomological Society, Lepidopterists' Society