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| Ladybird beetle, peri-urban garden, Havana, Cuba |
Theresa Wei Ying Ong, PhD.,M.S.
wyong@princeton.edu
106A Guyot Hall
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08544-2016
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08544-2016
I am broadly interested in theoretical agroecology, especially in the setting of urban gardens. My work focuses on how biocomplexity influences the resilience of these agricultural systems to both ecological and political perturbations.
Here is a copy of my current NSF project abstract:
This is an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology, under the program Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellow, Theresa Wei Ying Ong, is conducting research and receiving training that is increasing the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The fellow is being mentored by the following sponsoring scientists: Simon Levin (Princeton University), Stacy Philpott (University of California Santa Cruz), and Brenda Lin (CSIRO- Australia). Urban agriculture provides food security, biodiversity, greenspace and educational opportunities to underrepresented groups in science, yet urban landscapes are in constant flux, with parcels frequently transitioning between vacant lots, urban gardens and developed land. This research explores past and future patterns of land-use change in urban areas, the role of socio-economic and ecological factors in driving change, and how land-use change influences biodiversity and ecosystem function. The fellow is participating in multidisciplinary collaborations that will advance her work at the intersection of theoretical, landscape and urban ecology. The project addresses why transitions to urban agriculture are more permanent in some cases than others, and results will be shared with community members who are seeking land-tenure for urban gardens in gentrifying neighborhoods.
The fellow is receiving training in socio-ecological theory through collaborations with the sponsoring scientists, and is developing a spatially-explicit dynamic model of land-use transitions as a function of the net socio-ecological costs associated with the direction and frequency of transitions between land-use states. The model is also being fit with socio-ecological data from urban gardens, future land-use changes are being predicted, and results are compared to past patterns observed for large, urban counties of California using historical aerial imagery. Historical land-use change is being categorized into dynamic types ranging from critical to smooth, and transition type regressed against data on pest and natural enemy biodiversity in urban gardens to understand its impact on biological control. Broader impacts and broadening participation efforts target youth from working-class families that use urban agriculture for food subsistence and are directly influenced by the land-use change resulting from gentrification of their neighborhoods. These individuals are participating in workshops focused on the socio-ecological drivers and consequences of land-use transitions for biological control services in their own neighborhoods. The results of this research are being further disseminated through policy pamphlets designed for relevance to urban gardeners and city planners.
This web graphic is the result of a collaboration with the Community Agroecology Network's Growing Justice team. Growing Justice is a group of 12-17 year olds who come from families of farmworkers in the Northern California region. I spoke to them about their experiences urban gardening, and the changes they witnessed in their quickly gentrifying neighborhoods. Click through the buttons to hear their stories!
Also, check out CAN's write up about the BioBlitz here.
Education
PhD., 2017. University of Michigan, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - Advisor: John Vandermeer
M.S., 2011 University of Michigan, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - Advisor: John Vandermeer
B.A., 2009 Williams College, Biology & Chinese - Advisor: David Smith
Links
Science Daily:“Predators, Parasites, Pests, and the Paradox of Biological Control”
* Indicates students I have mentored
Publications (In review)
Ong. T. W., A. Lucatero*
and J. Vandermeer. Coupling unstable agents rescues biological control in a
greenhouse experiment.
Publications (In preparation)
Ong, T. W., B. Lin, S. Philpott, S. Barthel and S. Levin. A model for growing and
shrinking cities: the urban garden bridge to chaos.
Ong, T. W., L. McManus, V. Vasconcelos, and S. Levin. Turing patterns in the
sea: coral rings.
Ong, T. W., H. Cohen, A. Lucatero*, H. Liere and B. Lin. Does rarity beget rarity? Species and people in
urban gardens.
Ong, T. W., K. Sanchez*, and M.
Duffy. Algae
blooms and hysteresis: experimental
demonstrations using Daphnia microcosms.
Ong, T. W., K. Li, D. Pak*, A. Lucatero*, L. Hawkes*, M.
Hunter and J. H. Vandermeer. Taylor made landscapes: using Taylor’s law to
scale between metapopulations and source-sinks in urban garden space
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. Transitions in garden
management practices drive hysteresis in an experimental setting with evidence
of unstable and stable regions
Ong, T. W., J. Vandermeer, and T. Y. James. Evidence for
high-dispersal levels in pea aphids across an urban-rural landscape
B. Duan*, E. Jackson*, C. Ho*, J. H. Vandermeer and Ong, T.
W. Signatures of chaos derived from plant-structure time approximations.
Invited
Presentations
Ong, T. W. “Autonomous
biological control: chaos and complex hysteretic patterns.” Proc. of
Ecological Society of America, New Orleans, LA. 2018. (Invited speaker for
Symposia: Agroecology and Theory:
Progress and Prospects)
Ong, T. W. “Dynamic urban gardens.” Lightning presentation:
SESYNC Boundary Spanning Symposium, Annapolis, MD. 2018.
Ong, T. W. “Multiple hysteretic patterns from elementary population models.” Gordon Research Conference, Predator Prey Interactions, Ventura, CA. 2018.
Ong, T. W. “Multiple hysteretic patterns from elementary population models.” Gordon Research Conference, Predator Prey Interactions, Ventura, CA. 2018.
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. “Agro-ecological transitions
and hysteresis: Combining experiment with theory.” Proc. of Ecological Society
of America, Portland, OR. 2017. (Invited
speaker for Organized Oral Session: Beyond Biodiversity in Urban Agriculture
Research: Ecosystem Services, Social Dimensions, and Management Applications)
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. “The stability of urban
agriculture: hysteresis and spatio-temporal flux.” Proc. of Ecological Society
of America, Baltimore, MD. 2015. (Invited speaker for Organized Oral Session:
Contributions of Urban Agriculture to the Urban Ecosystem)
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. “The effect of biocomplexity
on the spread of pests in urban agriculture.” Proc. of Ecological Society of
America, Portland, OR. 2012. (Invited speaker
for Organized Oral Session: Agroecology of Urban Gardens)
Presentations
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. “Scaling from
meta-populations to source-sinks: Taylor’s law and landscape structure.” Proc.
of Ecological Society of America, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 2016.
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. “Autonomous control achieved
through the coupling of two unstable control agents.” Proc. of Ecological
Society of America, Sacramento, CA. 2014.
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. “Navigating the urban matrix:
Pest population dynamics in an urban agroecosystem.” Proc. of Ecological
Society of America, Minneapolis, MN. 2013.
Ong, T. W., and J. Vandermeer. “Predation-controlled infection: Coexistence in a multi-exploiter
system.” Proc. of Ecological Society of America, Austin, TX. 2011.
Ong, T. W., E. Roche, and F. Cuthbert. "Innate
Anti-predator Behavior in Captive-reared Piping Plovers (Charadrius Melodus)." Proc. of Ecological Society of America,
Pittsburgh, PA. 2010.
Teaching Experience
Instructor / Co-Instructor
·
Field
Ecology R Workshops (2015, 2016), University of Michigan
·
Agroecology
(2014), University of Michigan
Guest Lecturer
·
Population
& Community Ecology (2014), University of Michigan
Graduate Student
Instructor / TA / Primary Lab Instructor
·
Field
Ecology (2013, 2015, 2016), University of Michigan:
·
Practical
Botany (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015), University of Michigan
·
Food,
Energy and the Environment (2012), University of Michigan
·
Introductory
Ecology Laboratory (2011), University of Michigan
·
Introductory
Biology Laboratory (2009, 2010), University of Michigan
Awards
1.
Social Environmental Research
Network (SEReNe) Grant (2018)
2.
Socio-Environmental Synthesis (SESYNC)
Boundary Spanning Symposium (2018)
3.
Gordon Research Conference Grant
(2017)
4.
National Science Foundation
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (NSF PRFB) with Simon Levin
(Princeton University), Stacy Philpott (UC Santa Cruz) and Brenda Lin (CSIRO-
Australia) (2017)
5.
ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation
Nomination (2017)
6.
Rackham One-Term Grant, University
of Michigan (2016)
7.
Outstanding Graduate Student
Instructor Nomination (2016, 2017)
8.
Rackham Travel Grant, University of
Michigan (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
9.
Block Grant, University of Michigan
(2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
10.
M-Cubed Grant: “Urban Gardens:
constrained auto-generation of spatial pattern and consequences for ecosystem
services.” (2013)
11.
Rackham Candidate Award (2013)
12.
Rackham Pre-Candidate Award (2011)
Media attention
1.
Science Daily:
“Predators, Parasites, Pests, and the Paradox of Biological Control” (2015)
2.
University of Michigan- Record: “Predators, Parasites, Pests, and the Paradox of
Biological Control” (2015)
3.
Michigan Today:
“Teach-In +50” (2015)
4.
The Ann Magazine: “You
don’t have to be extreme to be an activist” (2015)
5.
NPR interview with Stateside’s
Cynthia Canty (2015)
Volunteer and service activities
1.
Strategies
for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability (SEEDS) Mentor to Amairani
Marin Tovar. (2018)
2.
Community Agroecology Network (CAN) Urban
Transitions Workshop organizer for Growing Justice youth group. (2018)
3.
Sustainability Special Issue:
“Agroecology in the City: Applying Ecological Principles to Sustainable Urban
Agriculture.” Guest Editor with Ivette Perfecto and Stacy Philpott. (2018)
4.
UM Bicentennial Celebration: MC2:
Michigan and the Climate Crisis- conference committee member, organizer, and
panelist. (2017, 2018)
5.
Science with a Passion and a Moral
Compass- conference committee member, organizer, and panelist. (2017)
6.
Climate Teach-In +50: End the War
Against the Planet- conference committee member, organizer, promoter. (2015,
2016)
7.
Science for the People-
Co-organizer, Panelist at Science Café- “Science, Politics & Power.”
Co-sponsored with the U-M Natural History Museum. (2015)
8.
UROP- Undergraduate Research
Opportunities Advisor. Students: Kerrel Spivey (2014), Anderson Shu (2014)
9.
Humans as a force of Ecological and
Evolutionary Change- conference committee member, organizer, promoter. (2014)
10.
Ed-Ques2t Mentor- for
underrepresented minorities in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Students:
L’Oreal Hawkes (2012), Azucena Lucatero (2013)
11.
Panelist for M-STEM (M-Science and
M-Engineering) Student Orientation: discussing graduate school for
undergraduate students from underrepresented minorities (2012)
12.
Science Mentoring Weekend - Williams
College: Invited Alumni Panelist (2010)
Additional undergraduates mentored:
1.
Damie Pak, Independent study (2014)
2.
Tim Kuzel, Independent study (2014)
3.
Madeline Baroli, Independent study (2014)
4.
Jane Li, Independent study (2014)
5.
Jessica Ruff, Independent study
(2011-2013)
6.
Corinne Erickson, Independent study
(2011-2013)
Professional membership
1.
AMA-AWA
(Mujeres en Agroecología/ Women in Agroecology) (2016, 2017, 2018)
2.
Ecological
Society of America (2010-2018)
3.
Frontiers
Masters Program, University of Michigan (2009, 2010)
4.
One
Voice Scholars (2003, 2004, 2005)
5.
Math,
Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
