Christopher R Konowal

Laboratory Manager

Christopher Richard Konowal, aka Richie, is the laboratory manager for both the Eco-epidemiology lab and E3B department as a whole. Prior to his current appointment he completed his master’s degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology right here at Columbia University within the E3B department. His master’s thesis focused on the interplay between genetic similarity, kinship, and spatial organization of the common raccoon (Procyon lotor) within urban greenspaces.

Before coming to Columbia, Richie graduated from the University of Florida in 2016 with a B.S. in Entomology and Nematology. After graduating, he spent two and a half years working in commercial pest management. It was here that he developed an interest in the ecology and control of peridomestic insects and mammals. He then changed fields and spent the following years working at a commercial insectary start-up raising mealworms for the agricultural industry.