Rachel Lasley-Rasher

Rachel Lasley-Rasher is an Associate Professor of Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Southern Maine (USM), part of the College of Science, Technology, and Health. She joined USM in 2017 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Maine and serving as Research Coordinator for Maine Sea Grant. Her expertise lies in zooplankton ecology, focusing on how small marine organisms influence ecosystem dynamics through behaviors like predator avoidance and migration.

Education:

• PhD in Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology
• BS in Marine Biology, University of the Virgin Islands

Research Interests:
Dr. Lasley-Rasher investigates the ecological roles of zooplankton, particularly their effects on food webs, predator-prey interactions, and responses to environmental changes. Current projects include studying the Penobscot River restoration’s impact on zooplankton communities and quantifying algal toxin effects on copepod behavior. She collaborates with NOAA and the University of Maine on interdisciplinary projects linking individual behaviors to large-scale ecological patterns.

Teaching:
She teaches ecology (BIO 203, 337), organismal biology (BIO 351), and contributes to the introductory course BIO 107.

Labs/Teams:
Collaborates with NOAA and University of Maine researchers on marine ecosystem studies.