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I'm Charley, a traditional/mixed-media artist and entomologist originally from Shenyang, China. I moved to the United States with my family in 2014 and settled in Morrison, IL. Compared to life in urban China, I found that I have had the opportunity here to grow and develop as an artist as well as pursue my passions as a student. I have competed in multiple juried art shows and have become comfortable with many mediums. Among many other endeavors, I began pinning and curating insect specimens in 2023. While attending Augustana College I fell in love with entomology and connected with my mentor Dr. Tierney Brosius. I graduated from Augustana in May 2025 and am now applying to grad school!
Research
Under the guidance and encouragement of Dr. Brosius, I conducted my first research project during the summer of 2024. This initiative aimed to bridge the gap between science and art, educating the public about local beetle diversity in the Quad Cities area and fostering a broader understanding of microfauna. I was able to practice field identification of many species of beetles with the help of Dr. Brosius, as well as the Seek app by iNaturalist (which I continue to use!)
During this time I also had the honor to perform Bombus affinis (rusty patched bumblebee) surveys with the USFWS. I traveled to several local habitats that were indicated as being suitable for B. affinis. This research helped me learn to further develop my field identification skills for Illinois-native bumblebee species.
Following the conclusion of this research, I had the honor of participating in the 2024 conference held by the Entomological Society of America in Arizona. My work earned me second place in the undergraduate poster competition.
In April 2025, to culminate the research project, we collaborated with Wendy DeSchene and Jeff Schmuki to create a campus mural. This artistic endeavor aimed to visually showcase the amazing local beetle diversity to students and the wider community.
Article Links
- Morrison student named Augustana College summer research assistant
- Presenting at ESA 🐛🔬
- Students recognized for 2024-25 achievements
- Student art to be shown at Figge Museum Dec. 7-Feb. 23
- Augustana Academics: Areas of Study - Art
- Biology department unveils collaborative mural
- Biology department reveals a beetle mural

















































