Personnel

Professor

Image of Dr. Romero

Dr. Alvaro Romero

(575)-646-5550; aromero2@nmsu.edu

DVM: National University, Colombia

MsC Veterinary Entomology, Kansas State University

Ph.D. in Urban Entomology, University of Kentucky

Post-Doc: Urban Entomology, North Carolina State University

I am primarily interested in basic and applied research on blood feeding insects. Bed bugs have re-surged as the most recent pressing issue in urban entomology, reducing the quality of life of affected individuals. This sudden resurgence and limited knowledge of their biology presents many challenges for the management of bed bugs in today's society. Thus, my research objectives are designed to provide not only practical information for the pest control industry and its stakeholders, but to also begin to resolve the knowledge vacuum that surrounds this pest. My program also conducts applied research on other regional urban pests such as kissing bugs and Turkestan cockroaches.

Romero Curriculum Vitae (CV)


Lab Manager

Image of Lab Manager Brittny Blakely

Brittny Blakely

Laboratory Manager/Masters Student

brittnyb@nmsu.edu

B.S. at New Mexico State University

I am currently working on rearing fleas in vitro and conducting industry sponsored insecticide studies. I also perform general lab maintenance and assist the other graduate and undergraduate students.


Graduate Students

Image of Nisael Nieves

Nisael J. Nieves-Lopez

Masters Student

njnieves@nmsu.edu

B.S. at University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

I am evaluating the effects of human disturbance on the abundance and diversity of pest ants in southern New Mexico. I am also examining factors that may affect ant communities.


Image of Mostafa Dehghanizadeh

Mostafa Dehghanizadeh

Ph.D. Student

mdhz@nmsu.edu

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Iran

M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Iran

Mostafa is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering at New Mexico State University. His research focuses on extraction and separation of guayule resin for value-added chemicals, including a) fractionating guayule resin using green solvents like supercritical CO2, b) Identifying the most efficient separation method(s) for each group of compounds, c) finding commercially viable application(s) for each group of compounds, d) confirming experimentally the performance of resin fraction applications, e) modeling proposed separation process(es).


Lab Technicians

Image of John Agnew

John Agnew

Lab Technician

agnewj@nmsu.edu

B.S. at New Mexico State University

In the lab I conduct general lab maintenance, website management and I sort and feed bed bugs. I also help Dr. Romero and the other graduate students with their experimental design and use of the video tracking system to study responses of insects to semi-chemicals.


Undergraduate Students

Image of Patrick Tutton

Patrick Tuton

Undergraduate Student

johnptut@nmsu.edu

I am currently seeking a degree in plant pathology along with a minor in entomology at NMSU. I primarily maintain the cockroach colonies within the lab as well as sort and feed bed bugs. I also perform lab maintenance tasks as well as assist the graduate students with their projects.


Image of Ashton Gorzelski

Ashton Gorzelski

Undergraduate Student

agorzels@nmsu.edu

I am currently seeking a degree in biology with a minor in biochemistry. I research the effects of botanical compounds on a variety of arthropods including the Turkestan Cockroach, Kissing Bugs and the Arizona Bark Scorpion. My goal is to test the repellency of these compounds for use against these arthropods and many others.

Past Students

Image of Sudip Gaire
Sudip Gaire
Image of Andres Indaccochea
Andres Indaccochea
Image of Maria Gonzalez
Maria A. Gonzalez-Moralez
Image of Manda Sechler
Manda Sechler
Image of Martin Teran
Martin Teran
Image of Brian Sanchez
Brian Sanchez
Image of Nicole Mortensen
Nicole Mortensen
Image of Antonio Gonzalez
Antonio Gonzalez
Image of Connor Riddle Standing In Front of A Tree
Connor Riddle
Image of Matt Griffin
Matt Griffin
Image of Raymond Berry
Raymond Berry
Image of Cynthia Mendez
Cynthia Mendez
Image of Felipe Escalante
Felipe Escalante