Prarthana Dharampalمشاهده پروفایل
پژوهشگر ارشد
Prarthana Dharampal is a Post Doctoral Research Associate in the Department of Entomology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She is affiliated with the Steffan Lab, which focuses on basic and applied aspects of cranberry entomology and ecology, with research designed to refine IPM strategies while providing mechanistic understanding of key ecosystem functions. Dr. Dharampal's educational background includes a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Alabama (2015), an MS in Environmental Science from the University of Calcutta (2007), and a BS in Zoology Honors with minors in Botany and Chemistry (2005). Her dissertation focused on compound specific isotope analysis of amino acids in freshwater ecosystems. Her primary research interest involves using biomarker molecules to describe trophic tendencies and community structure across ecosystems. She specializes in carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to understand cryptic trophic interactions involving microbial communities. Her work spans food web ecology, pollinator health, and environmental contaminants, with particular emphasis on how microbivory shapes ecological networks. Dr. Dharampal's publication record demonstrates expertise in stable isotope methodology with applications across freshwater ecosystems, agricultural systems, and pollinator habitats. Her research reveals connections between microbial communities and higher trophic levels, showing how fungicide exposure affects bee microbiomes and health. A significant portion of her work examines trophic positions in food webs using advanced isotopic techniques. NSF Research Assistantship (2010-11) Graduate Council Fellowship for Dissertation Research, University of Alabama (2012-2013) Graduate Travel and Research Award (2011, 2012) Inge and Ilouise Hill Research Fellowship, University of Alabama (2011) Lalchand Mookherjee Foreign Scholarship, University of Calcutta (2008) Dr. Dharampal has presented her research at numerous national and international venues including the Entomological Society of America meetings, International Congress on Entomology, and specialized workshops on stable isotope analysis. She is an active member of the Entomological Society of America, Ecological Society of America, Association for Women in Science, and Association of Indian Entomologists in North America. Her technical expertise includes advanced sample preparation and analysis for stable isotope probing, lipid analysis, and microbial community characterization using chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques.











