M.S., Forestry, August 2025 - Present [expected May 2027]
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale IL
Graduate Thesis, advised by Dr. Brent S. Pease: Applications of secondary image data for novel ecological discovery
B.S., Forest Resources and Conservation, August 2023 – 2025
University of Florida, Milton, FL, 4.0 GPA, Summa Cum Laude
Undergraduate Honors Thesis, advised by Dr. Victoria M. Donovan: Biophysical and anthropogenic factors influencing human-caused wildfire occurrence in the southeastern United States
Research experience
Graduate Research Assistant Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. Aug. 2025 – 2027 Part-time, 20 hrs/wk, PI: Dr. Brent S. Pease
Conducted a literature review on uses of artificial intelligence and citizen science in ecology
Prepared a thesis proposal on applications of secondary image data
Created two thesis-related research posters and a presentation for two conferences
Collaborated on two inter-institutional research projects on bird vocalizations and artificial light at night by extracting and organizing remotely sensed data and big ecological data
Undergraduate Capstone & Thesis University of Florida, Milton, FL. June 2024 – Aug. 2025 Part-time, 10 hrs/wk, PI: Dr. Victoria M. Donovan
Performed a comprehensive literature review on tick and prescribed fire relationships
Analyzed remotely-sensed geospatial data using ArcGIS Pro, Google Earth Engine, and R
Performed generalized linear modeling (GLM) on a large geospatial dataset using R software
Prepared an undergraduate honors thesis for publication in the UF Honors Thesis Collection
Led independent research with ongoing development (expected manuscript in 2026)
Biophysical and anthropogenic factors influencing human-caused wildfire occurrence in the southeastern United States
Research Intern Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY. June – Aug. 2025 Full-time, 40 hrs/wk, Supervisor: Kathy Schwager and Sam Gilvarg
Supervised collaborative field sampling crews of up to seven interns
Sampled hard ticks with drags and flags for a long-term tick-fire and mesophication study
Managed long-term database and notched Eastern Box Turtles for a long-term study
Maintained a camera trap array for coyote detection and long-term monitoring
Developed open-source code in R for wrangling iButton microclimatic data
Led independent research with one research manuscript, three oral presentations, and one poster for the DOE-SULI program
Research Assistant University of Florida, Jay, FL. May 2023 – 2025 Full-time, 30 hrs/wk, PI: Dr. Silvana V. Paula-Moraes
Set up experiments and collected data in the field and laboratory
Reared large-scale insect populations (lepidopteran pests) under laboratory conditions
Conducted field trials for various crops, including regulated USDA-APHIS-BRS trials
Supervised field sampling, pest damage evaluations, and 1 undergraduate capstone project
Prepared 3 scientific manuscripts and 3 protocols for lab equipment and experiments
Led independent and collaborative research with 2 publications and 1 manuscript in prep.
Steidinger Scholar Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Garcon Point, FL. May – Oct. 2024 Part-time, 10 hrs/wk, Supervisor: Kallie Thornhill
Conducted long-term monitoring and targeted biological surveys for freshwater fishes, including Alligator Gar, Bluenose Shiners, Gulf Striped Bass and American Eels, via boat and backpack electrofishing, gillnetting, acoustic telemetry, and trapping
Identified riverine freshwater fish in both lab and field environments
Repaired and managed equipment such as gillnets, outboard motors, and telemetry array
Produced an annual research report and social media post for outreach
Awards
Fellowships and Scholarships
Date
Award
Aug 2025
McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forest Research Act, School of Forestry and Horticulture, Southern Illinois University
Feb 2025
Newins-Ziegler GPA Award, UF School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences (SFFGS)
Feb 2025
Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) Awardee, U.S. Department of Energy, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY
Jan 2025
RK Schoellhorn Scholarship, UF West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC)
Nov 2024
Lafontaine Fellow Endowment, UF/SFFGS
2024, 2023
UF Harry Haman College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Scholarship
2024, 2023
Erin M Tinney Scholarship, UF/WFREC
July 2024
Thomas Hill Jr. Education and Opportunity Fund, Society of American Foresters
July 2024
Blackwater Pyrates Foundation Scholarship
June 2024
Coastal Plains Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA) Scholarship
Apr 2024
Steidinger Scholars Awardee, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWC-FWRI), Garcon Point, FL
Nov 2023
David Conser Cooperative Forestry Assistance Scholarship, UF/SFFGS
Grants and Awards
Date
Award
Apr 2026
2nd place poster winner of the Illinois Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ILTWS) Meeting 2026 in Peoria, IL
Apr 2026
NextGen Travel Award for First Imageomics Conference in Columbus, OH
Mar 2026
Student Travel Award for Illinois Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ILTWS) Meeting 2026 in Peoria, IL
July 2025
1st place winner of the 2025 Semi-Final Ignite OFF! Competition, Department of Energy (DOE), Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS), Brookhaven National Laboratory
Apr 2025
Outstanding Natural Resource Conservation Student, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
2025-2023
4.0 GPA, University of Florida Dean’s List for Fall 2023, Spring & Fall 2024, Spring 2025
Apr 2024
Student Travel Award for Florida Association of Aquatic Biologists Spring 2024 Freshwater Mayflies Workshop in Gainesville, Florida
Apr 2023
Scholastic Achievement, Associate Level, Pensacola State College
Nov 2020
3rd Place Nonfiction Essay, Walter F. Spara Writing Contest, Pensacola State College
Torres KM, (2026). "Preparing Students for the Future: A Need to Integrate Entomology and Technology Education." American Entomologist, 72(1) 30-31. doi: 10.1093/ae/tmag011
Torres KM. (2025). Biophysical and anthropogenic factors influencing human-caused wildfire occurrence in the southeastern United States [Undergraduate Honors Thesis, University of Florida]. UF Undergraduate Honors Theses Collection. https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00115146/00001/pdf
Torres KM, Tan C, Mollet KA, Smith-Pardo AH, Xu R, Li C and Paula-Moraes SV. (2025). "Integration of wing pattern morphology and deep learning to support Plusiinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) pest identification." Frontiers in Agronomy, 7:1602164. doi: 10.3389/fagro.2025.1602164
Smith-Pardo AH, Torres KM and Paula-Moraes SV. (2025). "Validation of wing geometric morphometrics in Chrysodeixis spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to support pest identification in invasive species survey programs." Frontiers in Insect Science, 5:1542467. doi: 10.3389/finsc.2025.1542467
