Megan E. Kobiela

Megan E. Kobiela is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Sweet Briar College, located in Guion A104. She holds a B.S. from the University of Virginia, an M.S. from the College of William & Mary, and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on how animals navigate toxic environments, particularly investigating evolutionary and behavioral responses to plant defenses, heavy metals, pesticides, and anthropogenic toxins using butterflies as model organisms.

She teaches courses including BIOL 111 (Introduction to Organisms), BIOL 210 (Evolution), BIOL 324 (Ecology), BIOL 337 (Ornithology), and a core course on data-driven decision-making (CORE 170). Her work emphasizes ecological adaptation, toxin tolerance mechanisms, and conservation implications of environmental pollutants.

Publications highlight her exploration of neonicotinoid pesticide tolerance in butterflies, zinc toxicity effects, and transgenerational responses to nickel exposure. Recent studies also examine road salt impacts on monarch butterflies and sodium-driven ecological changes. Her research bridges evolutionary biology, ecotoxicology, and conservation, often involving undergraduate co-authors.

Professional affiliations include the Society for the Study of Evolution, Animal Behavior Society, and the American Society of Naturalists. Though no specific grants or awards are listed, her work reflects sustained contributions to understanding organismal resilience in toxic environments.