Academic Highlights

Acadian Entomological Society: President's Prize (2025)
“Snug as a bug: The eastern spruce budworm bundles up in a hibernaculum to survive winter” awarded 1st place in the student poster competition

Nova Scotian Institute of Science: Student Science & Technology Communication Competition (2025)
Awarded 1st place in the graduate category for the essay “Diapause: How overwintering insects adapt to seasonal challenges in a changing climate”

Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarship (2024)
Awarded for graduate research in biology at St. Francis Xavier University

William Budge Scholarship (2022)
Awarded for English studies at the University of North Dakota

Phi Beta Kappa
Member of liberal arts honor society as of 2022

Entomological Society of America: Best Poster Award (2021)
“Overview of ladybird beetle microbiomes” awarded best undergraduate poster for the Systematics, Evolution, & Biodiversity Section ESA’s annual meeting

Sigma Tau Delta
Member of English honor society as of 2021

Thomas McGrath Award (2020)
Poetry award for “matchstick keeper,” “weather vane,” and “phoenix” from the University of North Dakota

International Symposium on the Environmental Physiology of Ectotherms & Plants (2025)
“Temperature-dependent gene expression during early diapause of the eastern spruce budworm.” Talk by J. Lopez Pedersen, K.C. Ojukwu, A.D. Roe, K.E. Marshall, & J. Toxopeus. Vancouver, BC, Canada

Acadian Entomological Society (2025)
“Snug as a bug: The eastern spruce budworm bundles up in a hibernaculum to survive winter.” Poster by J. Lopez Pedersen & J. Toxopeus. Moncton, NB, Canada

Acadian Entomological Society (2024)
“Lord of the Stoneflies: How a Nova Scotian capniid (Allocapnia pygmaea) conquered winter.” Talk by J. Lopez Pedersen, L.S. Burton, T.M. Rodela & J. Toxopeus. Corner Brook, NL, Canada

Entomological Society of America (2022)
“The Insect Apocalypse: Representation bias in media.” Poster by J. Lopez Pedersen & R. Simmons. Vancouver, BC, Canada

Entomological Society of America (2021)
“Overview of ladybird beetle microbiomes (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).” Poster by J. Lopez Pedersen, J. Fetzerd, M. Martin, S. McGuinness, S. Poitraa, L. Qualley, B. Rainbow, K. Rienschee, & R. Simmons. Denver, CO, USA