Education & Work
March 2024 - Present
August 2023 - March 2024
June 2018 - May 2023
August 2014 - May 2018
September 2010 - May 2014
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
ReThink Priorities
Remote
Insect physiology consultant
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona
PhD, Biology
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
B.S. Neuroscience and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Minor in Chemistry
Parkland High School
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Publications
Glass, J. R.; Johnson, M. G.; Harrison, J. F. Missing Pieces for understanding when temperature limits bee flight. Invited Review for Journal of Experimental Biology. Submitted.
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Johnson, M. G.; Waylett, C.; Sokalski, L.; Bowsher, J.; Rinehart, J.; Greenlee, K. Water balance in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata. Journal of Insect Physiology. Submitted.
Gonzalez, V. H.; Dreusicke, A.; Johnson, M. G.; Tscheulin, T. T.; Petanidou, T.; Hranitz, J. M.; Barthell, J. F. Morphological and ecological trait interactions shape desiccation tolerance in bees. Functional Ecology. Submitted.
Perl, C.; Coto, Z. N.; Johnson, R. A.; Johnson, M. G.; Graber, L. C.; Haas, J.; Traniello, J. F. A.; Waters, J.; Harrison, J. F. Phylogeny and body size, but not social complexity, determine brain energetics in Pogonomyrmex ants. Current Biology. Submitted.
Johnson, M. G., Barrett, M., Harrison, J. F. (2024) Solar radiation alters heat balance and thermoregulation in a flying desert bee. Journal of Experimental Biology, 228 (1): jeb247335.
Johnson, M. G. & Barrett, M. (2024) Exploring correctness, usefulness, and feasibility of potential physiological operational welfare indicators for farmed insects to establish research priorities. Animal, 101501.
Treidel, L. A., Deem, K. D., Salcedo, M. K., Dickinson, M. H., Bruce, H. S., Darveau, C. A., ..., Johnson, M. G., ... & Wold, E. S. (2024). Insect Flight: State of the Field and Future Directions. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 64(2), 533-555.Johnson, M. G., Glass, J. R., Dillon, M. E., & Harrison, J. F. (2023).
Johnson, M. G.; Glass, J. R.; Harrison, J. F. How will climatic warming affect insect pollinators? Advances in Insect Physiology, 64, 1-115.
Johnson, M. G., Alvarez, K., & Harrison, J. F. (2023). Water loss, not overheating, limits the activity period of an endothermic Sonoran Desert bee. Functional Ecology, 37, 2855–2867.
Barrett, M., & Johnson, M. G. (2023). Centris pallida (Hymenoptera: Apidae) male body size decreases across five decades. Ecological Entomology, 48(2), 154-163.
Johnson, M. G., Glass, J. R., & Harrison, J. F. (2022). A desert bee thermoregulates with an abdominal convector during flight. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(19), jeb244147.
Longbottom, C., Falk, J. J., Greenway, E. V., Johnson, M. G., Ramos, C., Rößler, D. C., ... & Somjee, U. (2022). Why does the matador bug, Anisoscelis alipes (Hemiptera: Coreidae), wave its brightly colored legs? Journal of Insect Behavior, 35(5), 171-182.
Fisher II, A., DeGrandi-Hoffman, G., Smith, B. H., Johnson, M. G., Kaftanoglu, O., Cogley, T., ... & Harrison, J. F. (2021). Colony field test reveals dramatically higher toxicity of a widely-used mito-toxic fungicide on honey bees (Apis mellifera). Environmental Pollution, 269, 115964.
Wachsmuth, L. M., Johnson, M. G., & Gavenonis, J. (2017). Essential multimeric enzymes in kinetoplastid parasites: A host of potentially druggable protein-protein interactions. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 11(6), e0005720.
Data Analysis and Manuscripts in Progress
Ostwald, M.; Johnson, M. G.; Childress, A.; Youngblood, A.; Seltmann, K. C. Revisiting bee heat budgets with empirical measurements of body volume and surface area using photogrammetry. Manuscript in preparation for Scientific Reports.
Johnson, M. G.; Pearson-Bortle, K.; Bowsher, J.; Greenlee, K.; Harrison, J. F. Body temperature and flight behavior in Centris pallida. Manuscript in preparation for Functional Ecology.
Johnson, M.G.; Barrett, M.; Buchmann, S. The nesting biology of Centris caesalpiniae Cockerell. Manuscript in preparation for Ecological Entomology.
Johnson, M.G.; Barrett, M.; DeMars, A; Harrison, J.F. Heat balance in Centris caesalpiniae females. Data analysis in progress.
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Lankford, B.; Johnson, M. G.; Bowsher, J.; Rinehart J.; Greenlee, K. Fit to fly: How does environment and nutrition shape flight performance in the alfalfa leaf cutting bee? Data analysis in progress.
Invited presentations and seminars
Johnson, M. G.; Waylett, C.; Sokalski, L.; Rinehart, J.; Bowsher, J.; Greenlee, K. (2025) Entomological Society of America. Portland, OR.
Johnson, M.G.; Barrett, M.; Harrison, J. F. (2024) The University of Moncton. Moncton, Canada.
Johnson, M.G.; Barrett, M.; Harrison, J. F. (2024) The International Congress of Entomology. Kyoto, Japan.
Johnson, M.G. (2024) North Dakota State University Biological Sciences Seminar. Fargo, ND.
Johnson, M.G. & Harrison, J. F. (2022) Animals, Temperature, and Man Conference. Lund, Sweden.
Johnson, M.G. & Glass, J. R. (2022) The Desert Botanical Garden. Tempe, AZ.
Johnson, M.G. (2022) Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Graduate Honors Symposium. Tempe, AZ.
Johnson, M.G. & Harrison, J. F. (2023) The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Austin, TX.
Presentations
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Johnson, M.G.; Glass, J.R.; Harrison, J.F. (2021) Thermoregulatory tactics and water balance of Centris caesalpiniae males. Virtual talk at the Entomological Society of America.
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Johnson, M.G.; Glass, J.R.; Harrison, J.F. (2021) Mechanisms for Flight Thermoreguation for a Sonoran Desert Bee. Virtual poster presentation at Experimental Biology.
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Johnson, M.G.; Glass, J.R.; Harrison, J.F. (2021) Thermoregulatory tactics and water balance of Centris caesalpiniae males. Virtual talk at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.
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Johnson, M.G.; Glass, J.R.; Harrison, J.F. (2020) Thermoregulatory tactics and water balance of Centris caesalpiniae males. Virtual talk at the Entomological Society of America.
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Johnson, M.G.; Gavenonis, J. (2018) Is Leishmania major pteridine reductase (PTR1) a functional monomer? Poster presentation at The American Chemical Society.
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Johnson, M.; Loubriel Grajales, D.; Niedzialek, O.; Perez Torres, M.; Melendez, A.; Aleman Rios, J.; Mosier, A.; Abramson, C.; Giray, T.; Barthell, J.; Gonzalez, V.H.; Agosto Rivera, J. (2017) A comparative analysis of the circadian rhythms of specialist and generalist bees visiting Convolvulaceae flowers. Poster presentation at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.
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Anderson , S.; Cruz, P.; Folks, N.; Johnson, M.; Loubriel, D.; Niedzialek, O.; Perez, M.; Travis, D.; Gonzalez, V.; Hranitz, J.; Barthell, J. (2017) Mark-Recapture Studies of Pollinator Species on the Greek Island of Lesvos . Poster presentation at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Awards, Fellowships, and Honors
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Journal of Experimental Biology, Outstanding Paper Prize Shortlist, 2023.
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SICB, Division of Comparative Physiology and Biology Best Student Presentation Finalist, 2023.
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Presidential Management Fellowship Semi-Finalist, 2022
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American Physiological Society Scholander Finalist and first runner up, 2022
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IUSSI travel award to pollinator researchers, 2022.
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Friends of the Sonoran Desert Student Grant Program, 2022
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SIRG Summer Fellowship, Arizona State University, 2021 and 2022
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Sigma Xi logo design competition winner, 2021.
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Fulbright Research Fellowship, Panama, The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 2019 - 2020. Mentor: William Wcislo, Ph.D. and David Roubik, Ph.D.
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Centerpiece at the Art and Science ceramics exhibition, 2019.
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Fulbright research / open study semi-finalist, Panama, The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 2018.
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The Graduate College Fellowship, Arizona State University, 2020 - 2021.
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The Barry Goldwater Scholarship, Honorable Mention, 2017.
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Amy Snow ‘93 Prize, Dickinson College, 2017.
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Forney P. George Scholarship, Dickinson College, 2017.
$69,890 total in funding, awards, and honors.
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Teaching
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Teaching Assistant, Tropical Biology, The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Summer 2023
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Teaching Assistant, Online Animal Physiology, Arizona State University, Fall 2022.
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Teaching Assistant, Animal Physiology Laboratory, Arizona State University, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022.
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Teaching Assistant, Online Introductory Biology, Arizona State University, Summer 2020
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Teaching Assistant, Virtual Animal Physiology, Arizona State University, Fall 2020
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Teaching Assistant, Online Animal Physiology, Arizona State University, Summer 2020
WHAT STUDENTS SAY:
“Meredith was an exceptional TA (probably the best one I’ve had since I started at ASU in 2019). She was very knowledgeable and when we faced obstacles, she was good at troubleshooting - we ended up getting all the necessary data for lab reports and understood the mechanisms even when something didn’t work. 10/10, she’s also really cool.”
“Meredith has been one of the best lab TAs I’ve had! Not only was she super effective at guiding you to the correct answers, she was able to connect with a lot of the students in normal conversation.”
"She was an amazing TA. I loved her recitations, and she was super fun in lab."
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"She makes lab and recitation very fun. She is very helpful and knows her science."
Service and Outreach
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Art and Science professional gallery show, Modified Arts, 2023
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Maricopa County Master Naturalist trainee, 2023
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Ask A Biologist Scientific Illustrator, Arizona State University, August 2022.
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Desert Botanical Garden EcoQuest and pollinator month consultant and presenter, June 2022.
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Graduate Programs Committee student representative, Arizona State University, 2021 - 2022.
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Social Insect Research Group seminar co-coordinator, Arizona State University, 2020 - 2021.
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School of Life Sciences graduate programs recruitment Co-coordinator, 2020-2021.
Professional Memberships
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Arizona Master Naturalist Association (AMNA), Maricopa County Chapter
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The International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI)
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The Entomological Society of America (ESA)
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The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB)
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The American Physiological Society (APS)
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The Arizona Physiological Society (AZPS)