T. Blake Hudson
He/Him They/Them
I am bi and queer and I am a graduate student and entomologist.//
I am currently a graduate student at the University of Louisville studying leafcutter ants in Costa Rica. Before this, I worked as a technician in two extension entomology labs after graduating with my BS in Ecology and BA in Spanish from UNC Asheville. My overarching interests are studying how insects and other invertebrates impact the ecosystems they’re in and how we can potentially leverage these impacts sustainably (via pest management and nutrient cycling).
I’m originally from rural western North Carolina, where I grew up loving the outdoors and learning. While it wasn’t the most ideal place to be a queer youth, I was fortunate enough to surround myself with a wide, supportive community, which has only grown over the years. These connections help to motivate me as a scientist and scholar, two things I never really expected to make a career out of as a kid. I hope in the future to be able to mentor other young aspiring scientists and cultivate a culture of diversity and acceptance in STEM, especially for those who may have never felt seen in the scientific community before.