ASU doctoral students earn national recognition for life sciences research

Two Arizona State University doctoral students in the School of Life Sciences earned national recognition for their research at the 2026 American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting, held Feb. 12–14 in Phoenix.

The conference, one of the world’s largest general scientific gatherings, brings together researchers across disciplines to address global challenges. This year’s theme, "Science @ Scale," emphasized interdisciplinary research with real-world impact.

Both students presented in the meeting’s e-poster competition, where participants deliver brief presentations of their work to judges.

Michael Erickson earned first place in the Medicine and Public Health category. The award includes a $500 prize, a certificate and recognition in the April issue of Science.

His poster, “Investigating the Effects of Electric Field Charge Polarity on Aedes aegypti Mosquito Repellency,” examines nonchemical methods of mosquito control using electric fields.

“We usually think of mosquito control as bug spray or insecticides,” Erickson said. “But those can have harmful effects and lead to resistance over time.”

Erickson’s research focuses on Aedes aegypti, a mosquito species capable of transmitting diseases such as dengue and Zika. As temperatures rise, the species is expanding its range, increasing public health risks in regions including Arizona.

In the study, mosquitoes were attracted to carbon dioxide, which mimics human breath, but had to pass through an electric field to reach the source. Erickson tested whether positive or negative electric charges affected repellency.

“We found that the effects of charge polarity are negligible,” he said. “Both positive and negative charges repel mosquitoes at about the same rate.”

Repellency rates remained about 50% to 60%. However, researchers observed that some mosquitoes became temporarily stuck to negatively charged wires, suggesting potential applications for capturing and monitoring mosquito populations.

“This could potentially be used not only to repel mosquitoes, but also to capture them,” Erickson said.

Erickson said he entered the competition to gain experience communicating research, making the first-place recognition unexpected.

“I didn’t go in thinking I needed to win,” he said. “It showed that this is something others are genuinely interested in.”

Annie Weaver-Bryant received honorable mention in the Environment and Ecology category.

Their poster, “Oncosiphon in the City: Plant Associates in Abundance Patterns,” examines the environmental factors influencing the growth of Oncosiphon pilulifer, commonly known as stinknet.

Weaver-Bryant, a fifth-year doctoral candidate in environmental life sciences, said the project was motivated by a lack of research on the species.

“There’s a lot of research that is not done,” they said. “People will make claims, and I wanted to know more specifically about this species before responding to it.”

The study analyzed eight urban green spaces in south Phoenix, comparing differences in rainfall, irrigation and land-use history.

The findings show that stinknet is more prevalent in wetter conditions and commonly grows alongside both native desert species and urban-adapted plants. Areas with consistent moisture, including irrigated landscapes, supported higher abundance.

“If people are looking to affect the abundance of Oncosiphon, one method would be to manage or reduce year-round irrigation,” they said.

Weaver-Bryant said the research challenges fear-based responses to so-called invasive species and instead emphasizes environmental context.

“I think we can step away from fear-based responses and look at the environmental factors that are affecting it,” they said.

They added that the work highlights the importance of approaching new species with curiosity rather than fear.

Both students said the AAAS meeting provided an opportunity to present their work to a broader scientific audience.

“It’s one of those broad science experiences where you get more interaction in an interdisciplinary environment,” Weaver-Bryant said.

Erickson said the experience helped him communicate research beyond his field.

“I saw it as a good opportunity to improve my skills in communicating science,” he said.

Their work reflects the conference’s focus on research that addresses real-world challenges, from public health to environmental management.