Current Lab Members
Risa Sargent
PI. Risa has a doctoral degree from the University of British Columbia and pursued postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley. She is interested in how species interactions impact processes such as adaptation and ecosystem services, especially in the context of global change. She uses a variety of tools, including meta-analysis, field experiments and phylogenetic tools to address questions in this area.
Faculty profile: https://www.landfood.ubc.ca/risa-sargent/
Tara Christensen
Tara earned her PhD at the University of Nevada, Reno in 2025 where she studied the role of host and nectar plants on butterflies experiencing environmental stressors. She joined the Sargent lab as part of the PERCS project where she is excited to learn more about pollinator communities in agricultural systems. In her free time, she enjoys climbing, cooking and spending time with her cat Morty.
Batoule Hyjazie
PhD Student. Batoule is interested in learning about the large-scale distribution of pollinator communities and how they are impacted by anthropogenic activity, particularly in the form of emerging agricultural practices and new crop technologies.
Yao Yao
PhD student. Yao is interested in how the restoration of intensive agriculture impacts bumblebee colony health. Outside of academics, Yao likes outdoor activities. She’s a devoted cat lover but lives without a cat now.
Sarah Knoerr
Field/lab coordinator. Sarah did her master’s in the lab, investigating the potential for grassland set-asides to serve as nesting habitat for bumble bees within agricultural landscapes. Outside of school Sarah likes to climb, ride and just generally be outdoors.