Will Koval

Disease ecologist and wannabe naturalist studying spatial structure in insect baculovirus interactions

I’m currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology and evolution program at the University of Chicago, where I study the ecology of insect-baculovirus interactions. Originally from Atlanta, I first explored ecological research and modeling at Emory University, where I studied population dynamics of the West Nile vector Culex quinquefasciatus and the impact of human mobility on dengue case load distribution. (If you’re going to visit Emory, I highly recommend Falafel King.)

My research philosophy

I favor computational approaches that combine stochastic, mechanistic modeling with Bayesian statistical methods. In my experience, these methods often allow the data to place bounds on model uncertainty and bring my computational work closer to biology. The moth I study is one of many outbreaking insects that impact forest health, so, in addition to general ecological knowledge, I try to direct my research toward building and communicating effective tools for practioners predicting population dynamics. I'm interested in the intersection of computational modeling and land management, and firmly believe that each can learn from the other (though I'm certain that computational modeling has more to gain from that exchange).

Like any researcher, my philosophy on the field of disease ecology and research in general is informed by what I read and the people I engage with. I believe that research is directly tied to the researcher and that we have to strive to unpack our own personal predispositions in order to improve our understanding and science. The following, in no particular order, is a brief list of journal articles and books that have most shaped my views and inform my research process

  • American Tropics: The Caribbean Roots of Biodiversity Science by Megan Raby, 2017
  • The carrier bag theory of fiction by Ursula K. LeGuin, 1986.
  • Thick: and other essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom, 2019.
  • The dialectical biologist by Richard Levins and Richard Lewontin, 1985.
  • Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, 2012
  • Galit Shmueli. To Explain or to Predict? Statistical Science (2010)
  • Andrew Gelman and Eric Loken. The garden of forking paths: Why multiple comparisons can be a problem, even when there is no “fishing expedition” or “p-hacking” and the research hypothesis was posited ahead of time (2019).
  • Simha et al. Moving beyond the “Diversity Paradox”: the limitations of competition-based frameworks in understanding species diversity, The American Naturalist (2022).

Getting in touch

If you have any questions about my research or my experiences, you can get in touch with me via email wkoval@uchicago.edu (wkoval * at * uchicago * dot * edu)