Andersonn Prestes



 Contact Info 
E-mail: nittadan [at] hawaii [dot] edu

Background

I am from a city called Porto Alegre in Southern Brazil. I think almost all of us really like soccer, “churrasco” (a typical food) and “chimarrao” (a kind of tea). I have always been interested in science and philosophy. Early in my undergraduate school I started to study entomology. During that time, I just remember asking myself: how can they be so diverse? That is what I needed. Since then I have this strange thought that moths will help me to understand the world and myself.

Education

Ph.D Student, Entomology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Advisor: Dan Rubinoff, 2011-present

M.Sc Student, Entomology, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, University of Sao Paulo, 2011 (declined in favor of Ph.D scholarship in University of Hawaii)

Lic. P., Biological Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre, Brazil), 2008, Honors (1st place)


Projects

I am here to study the Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) of Hawaii. This speciose and heterogeneous clade has about 74 endemic and 47 invasive species each occurring on at least one of the eight Hawaiian Islands. The 14 native genera have an intriguing diversity where few of them became markedly more diverse than others. For example, Agrotis, one of the most speciose genera of Noctuidae, has about 27 species and Haliophyle, endemic to Hawaii, surely more than 8. On the other hand, lineages such as Hipocala or Heliothis have just 1. Thus, I am interested in the study of their patterns of diversification in an attempt to understanding what could lead to such disharmony. Also, the noctuids of this remote archipelago give the opportunity to study the complex relationship between native and exotic species. Ultimately, how these invasive species may be interacting with their related natives and environment.


Previous Work Experience

2005-2011 Student, Alfred Moser Lepidoptera collection.

2010-2011 Biologist, monitoring of the entomofauna in Porto Velho, Amazon forest, Rondonia, Brazil, for licensing of the hydroelectric Santo Antonio. Perfomed quarterly campaign surveys.

2003-2009 Undergraduate researcher and collaborator, Entomology Laboratory and Insect collection of the Museu de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Bioscience Department, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.

2008 Field Supervisor, Prevention of Dengue Program of the City Hall of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

2007 Teaching assistant, State elementary and high school Antonio Vieira Caldas Junior, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

2006 Scholar, Canada World Youth Program, Wildlife Division, Department of Environment & Conservation, Canadian Government, Corner Brook, Canada.

2006 Scholar, Rondon Project, Benjamin Constant, Amazonas, Brazil. Course/workshop on environmental education directed to local teachers of elementary and high school.

Grants and Awards

  • Ph.D Scholarship Coordenacao de aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES), 2011
  • M.Sc Scholarship Coordenacao de aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES), 2011 (declined in favor of Ph.D Scholarship)
  • Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) tuition aid scholarship, 2010
  • 1st place among graduates in Biological Sciences (Lic.P), Pontifi?cia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, 2008
  • Canada World Youth (CWY). International Educational Program Brazil/Canada, 2006
  • Science Initiation Fellowship, CNPq - The National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, Brazil, 2006
  • Rondon Project, public management and sustainable development, 2006
  • Honorable Mention, Student Awards, VI Salão de Iniciacão Científica, Biological Sciences, in Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (presentation and expanded abstract), 2005
  • Science Initiation Fellowship, FAPERGS - Rio Grande do Sul Research Aid Foundation, Brazil, 2003-2005

Publications

Prestes, A. S.; Nunes, F. G.; Corseuil, E.; Moser, A. 2009. Arsenurinae and Ceratocampinae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 63(4): 214-232.

Specht, A.; Corseuil, E.; Formentini, A. C.; Prestes, A. S. 2004. Lepidópteros de importância médica ocorrentes no Rio Grande do Sul. I. Megalopygidae. Revista Biociências, 12 (2): 173-179.

Nunes, F. G.; Prestes, A. S.; Corseuil, E. 2004. Mariposas do gênero Rothschildia (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) registradas para o Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Revista Biociê?ncias, 12 (1): 31-36.