The Soil Health & Ecosystem Ecology Lab Team
Christine Sprunger, PhD
Principal Investigator
sprunge5@msu.edu
Dr. Christine Sprunger is an Associate Professor of Soil Health in the Department of Plant,
Soil, and Microbial Sciences and is based at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. Her research focuses on the intersection of agriculture and the environment, where she investigates how various agricultural management practices impact soil health and ecosystem services. In addition, Dr. Sprunger is interested in understanding how nematode communities can serve as key soil biological health indicators within agroecosystems. Lastly, Dr. Sprunger explores how climate change impacts rhizosphere dynamics and soil food webs.
Prior to joining MSU, Dr. Sprunger was an Assistant Professor of Soil Science and Rhizosphere Processes at Ohio State University from 2018-2022. Prior to starting a faculty position, Dr. Sprunger completed a National Science Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Biology at Columbia University, where she examined the relationship between soil carbon dynamics and crop productivity in small holder farming systems in Kenya and Tanzania. Dr. Sprunger holds a Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Sciences and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior from Michigan State University, and she received both a B.S. in Forest Resources and a B.A. in Program on the Environment from the University of Washington with a minor in Human Rights.
Katherine Naasko, PhD
Postdoc
naaskoka@msu.edu
Katherine obtained her Ph.D. in Soil Science from Washington State University in December 2022. She is originally from Michigan and graduated from Michigan State University in 2016 with a B.A. in Chemistry. Katherine’s dissertation work focused on soil profile health in semi-arid winter wheat and perennial tall wheatgrass systems, in cooperation with the USDA NRCS, ARS, and DOE Pacific Northwest National Lab. Katherine joined Dr. Sprunger's lab in January 2023 and is working on several on-going projects. Her research focuses on soil health with respect to soil-plant-microbe interactions that support agroecosystem function. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, exploring nature, and spending time with family and her cats, Sapphire and Tony.
Kaitlin Gattoni, PhD
Postdoc
gattonik@msu.edu
Katie obtained her Ph.D. in Nematology from the University of Florida in August 2023. She obtained a Bachelor’s from Mount Saint Mary College in 2017 and a Master’s in Plant Pathology from Auburn University in 2019. She worked with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation as a research scientist from 2023 to 2025. Katie’s dissertation work focused on nematode and microbial community assembly in the Western Nebraska Sandhills. Her work focused assemblies across a novel habitat gradient (i.e., lakes, shorelines, prairies), a natural alkalinity gradient, and with yearly variation in climate. Katie joined Dr. Sprunger's lab in April 2025. In her free time, Katie enjoys knitting, hiking, camping, and reading. She and her husband have three lovely pets; one dog named Cat, and two cats named Zemo and Bruce.
Rachel Drobnak,BS
PhD Student
drobnakr@msu.edu
Rachel joined Dr. Sprunger’s lab as a graduate student at the end of August 2023, after graduating with her B.S. in Crop & Soil Sciences from Michigan State University in May 2023. Her research will aim to determine the impacts of prairie strips on soil health through analysis of soil food web structures, nematode communities, and a variety of soil health indicators. This research will be conducted in the LTAR (Long-Term Agroecosystem Research) and LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research) plots at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. Rachel has previously worked with MSU Extension as an Agriculture & Environment Team Assistant and as an undergraduate intern. She values research that benefits both farmers and the environment and intends to have a career in agricultural outreach. Rachel is from the Greater Cleveland area and enjoys reading, hiking, playing the carillion, and spending quality time with cats.
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Monica Jean, BS
PhD Student
atkinmon@msu.edu
Monica Jean obtained her B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Central Michigan University and her M.S. in Animal Science from Michigan State University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in the Soil Health & Ecosystem Ecology lab where her research aims to understand the impact of field crop production practices across Michigan on Climate resilience. Evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions and soil biological function will be compared with management, financial consideration, and soil texture in mind. Monica is also currently a Field Crops educator for Michigan State University Extension, helping row crop growers in the Saginaw bay regions with agronomic recommendations. Her family has a farm outside of Mt. Pleasant, MI and she enjoys spending time with her family.
Meredith Mann, BA
Lab Manager
Meredith joined Dr. Sprunger's lab in the beginning of September 2019, after working for The Ohio State University's Soil Fertility Lab since 2017. As lab manager, she oversees lab operations and analyses, coordinates field research trials, and facilitates graduate and undergraduate research. Meredith is a northeast Ohio native with a B.A. in Geology from the College of Wooster. She enjoys working with the environment, learning all she can about soil nematodes, and conducting research relevant to farmers. In her free time can be found playing ultimate frisbee, reading, and gardening.
Lisa Hargest, BS
Research Technician
Lisa joined Dr. Sprunger’s lab as a technician in April 2024 after working as a Research Assistant in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University. She gained interest in agriculture and food systems while growing up cooking in the suburbs of Baltimore, Md. She moved to Oregon in 2008, where she spent 12 years working for small vegetable, fruit, and livestock farms. She obtained her B.S. in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry at Oregon State University in 2023. While earning her undergraduate degree, she gained laboratory experience working in the molecular diagnostic lab of the Plant Clinic at Oregon State. Her work and degree experiences piqued her interest in soil health, plant pathology, plant breeding, and agroecology. In her spare time, she enjoys running, biking, walking, cooking, knitting, foraging, and spending time with her partner Anthony and tortoise shell cat named Alligator and new kitten, Turtle.
Arlo Robles, MS
Research Technician
Before coming to the U.S., Arlo worked as an agriculturist in the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines after earning his Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture major in Soil Science at the University of the Philippines – Los Baños in 2019. His professional experience, along with research on slow-release nanofertilizers and nutrient use efficiency, fueled his interest in sustainability and soil ecological functions. In 2021, Arlo moved to the U.S. to get his Master’s degree in Crop and Soil Sciences at Michigan State University. His MSc. thesis focused on assessing the effect of integrated management practices such as biochar, cover cropping, and no-till on improving crop biomass production, yield, and soil health of corn-soybean systems. He successfully completed his MSc program in December 2023. Prior to joining Sprunger Lab, Arlo worked as a Research Technician at the Cropping Systems Agronomy Lab in MSU where his main responsibilities were to conduct field measurements, laboratory and statistical analysis, and developing manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication of climate-smart related studies. In his free time and outside the academic life, Arlo enjoys coffee, reading, sleeping, playing badminton, and cuddling with his orange cat, Boots.
Morgan Filhart, BS
Research Technician
Morgan graduated in December 2023 with a B.S. in Animal Science and a minor in Agribusiness Management from Michigan State University. Morgan joined Dr.Sprunger’s lab in the fall of 2024 as a technician helping with Monica Jean’s Climate Resiliency Ph.D study. Growing up on a beef cattle and crop farm in Central Michigan, she plans to build a career in the Agriculture Industry. While completing her undergraduate degree, she gained laboratory experience working in the irrigation lab in the department of Biosystems & Agriculture Engineering. She completed both an internship in Kansas working for Gardiner Angus Ranch and studied abroad in South Africa aiding in the conservation efforts of the endangered cheetah population. She enjoys traveling, all things animal related, reading, and golfing!
Hailey Hilscher, BS
Research Technician
Hailey Hilscher graduated from Michigan State University in May 2025, obtaining a degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability with a focus on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. Before joining the Sprunger Lab, Hailey worked as a research assistant in an applied nematology lab. There, she contributed to various projects on plant-parasitic nematodes, processed soil samples, and assisted with on-farm experiments. In her free time, Hailey enjoys gardening, cooking, frequenting Trader Joe’s, and spending time with her partner, Julia, and their two cats, Cobalt and Nox.
Aerin Braunohler, BA
Research Technician
Aerin graduated in 2024 with a B.A. in biology and a concentration in environmental studies from Kalamazoo College. Their interest in soil health and agriculture was sparked while studying abroad in Thailand and working on an organic farm. While completing their undergraduate degree, Aerin conducted research comparing sheep grazing to conventional mowing and interned as a shepherd. These experiences deepened their interest in the connection between land and people, which they are excited to continue exploring. Aerin enjoys spending time outdoors, drinking coffee, reading, and crafting with friends.
Teagan Bush
Undergraduate Research Assistant (URA)
Teagan is an undergraduate student at Michigan State University studying Environmental Studies and Sustainability with minors in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems as well as American Indian and Indigenous Studies. She has interests in ecological restoration, sustainable resource management, and the interconnectedness of sustainable agriculture with Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Teagan works under her mentor, Stephen Stresow, in the Hayden lab that is located on MSU’s campus in East Lansing. While being a URA (Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship) at KBS she will have a space within the Sprunger Lab for the summer of 2025. Teagan spends her free time reading books, playing cards, mushroom hunting, hanging out with her cat, and swimming!
Research Experience Undergraduate (REU)
Francesca Gervase is an undergraduate student at North Carolina State University, pursuing a degree in Crop & Soil Sciences with a concentration in Soil Science and a minor in Environmental Education. She joins the Sprunger Lab for the summer of 2025 as an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) student. At NC State, Francesca is a member of the NCSU Soil Judging Team and has traveled the Southeast region and to Wisconsin to describe soil morphology, classify soils, and make land use interpretations. These experiences inspired her to seek opportunities in soil microbiology research, which she plans to connect with her passion for environmental outreach. In her free time, Francesca enjoys spending time with her two dogs, reading, and watching Formula 1.
Cherith Pickett
Research Experience Undergraduate (REU)
Cherith is set to graduate with a B.S. in Environmental Science from Calvin University in 2026. She is joining the Sprunger Lab for the summer of 2025 as a REU student. Her interests lie in agroecology and sustainable food systems. She is excited to learn more about soils and become a better researcher at the Lab. In previous summers she has worked for a non-profit watershed group in Grand Rapids, MI called Plaster Creek Stewards. There she installed residential curbside rain gardens and conducted her own pilot research on rain garden contaminant buildup. She also spent some time on a hobby farm in Oregon. When not peering at soil, one can catch Cherith rock climbing, reading, painting, recreating outdoors, or playing cards indoors.
SPRUNGER LAB 2024
KBS on Gull Lake - Hickory Corners, MI
From left to right:
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Megan DeLoose
Alexa Smychkovich
Katherine Naasko
Christine Sprunger
Meredith Mann
Rachel Drobnak
Emily Parker
Lisa Hargest
Andrew Wade &
Tvisha Martin
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