Tuesday, April 7, 2026
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
This webinar is hosted by the Early Career Professionals Committee to provide an opportunity for students and ECPs to hear more about navigating career transitions. This webinar will provide attendees with an opportunity to hear the experiences from ECPs who are working, or have worked for startups after graduating. The program features excellent panelists who will present their experiences, share professional advice, and provide personal and professional testimonies of how they made the decision and shifted to a less prevalent career path. This interactive webinar will be formatted as a panel discussion and will allow attendees to ask questions about navigating this less common career path.
Hosted by the Early Career Professionals Committee.
Moderator: Lidia Gual Gonzalez
Panelists: Mary Wallace, Swati Mishra, Heena Puri, Miles Maxcer
 | Dr. Mary Wallace is a research scientist at Lepidext Inc., an agricultural biotechnology startup developing virus-based biopesticides for sustainable pest control. She earned her Ph.D. in Entomology at the University of Kentucky, where her research focused on applying molecular tools to manage forest insect pests. Drawn to work that translates science into novel solutions, she chose to continue developing biotechnology tools in an industry setting. At Lepidext, she works at the intersection of entomology, product development, and commercialization, helping advance innovative technologies toward practical use in agriculture. In her current role, Dr. Wallace works across a wide range of scientific and strategic efforts that reflect the broad scope of startup life. Alongside her research and development work in the lab and field, she also engages with growers, partners, and regulators, while contributing to presentations, grant writing, and outreach that support the company’s technology. Working at a startup has given her experience not only in the science behind an emerging product, but also in the wider process of moving that product toward commercial application. As an early-career professional, she brings a perspective shaped by working in an entrepreneurial setting where flexibility, collaboration, and creative problem-solving are essential, and where startup roles can offer unique opportunities for growth and impact. |
 | Dr. Swati Mishra is a Research Scientist at Trillium Agriculture, where she designs and tests novel RNA-protein constructs for agricultural applications using a cell-free expression platform in a fast-paced startup environment. She earned her Ph.D. in Entomology from University of Tennessee, where her research focused on uncovering the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in the Colorado potato beetle, the first documented case of resistance to foliar-delivered dsRNA. Her work integrates molecular biology, bioinformatics, insect physiology, and bioassay development, and has been published in leading journals. She has also authored multiple book chapters on RNAi and insect resistance. Swati has collaborated extensively with academic, industry, and regulatory stakeholders, and has been invited to speak at multiple international conferences on RNAi technologies and resistance management. Having transitioned directly from academia to an agricultural biotech startup, she is passionate about translating fundamental science into deployable products and navigating the cultural and strategic shifts that come with building science in an industry setting. |
 | Dr. Heena Puri serves as Insect Control Pipeline Testing Lead at Impetus Agriculture Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri. In her current role, she contributes to advancing next-generation biologicals, supporting the rigorous evaluation and translation of innovative, biologically based solutions aimed at enhancing pest control while promoting sustainable agricultural systems. Dr. Puri earned her Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where her research focused on plant defense mechanisms against sap-feeding insect pests. She previously completed her bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and master’s degree in Entomology from Punjab Agricultural University, India. Her training spans both academic and industry-aligned research environments and focuses on advancing durable and integrated pest-management strategies. Her doctoral work investigated how plants perceive and respond to insect herbivory and how the defense mechanisms influence insect performance. By examining defense signaling pathways, plant metabolites, and insect feeding behavior using molecular, biochemical, and physiological approaches, her research provided mechanistic insights into crop resistance and advanced understanding of resilient approaches to insect-pest management. Dr. Puri has authored 14 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters on plant-aphid interactions and host-plant resistance, and she regularly presents her work at national and international scientific meetings. She has received multiple research and presentation awards acknowledging her scientific impact and professional engagement. In recognition of her contributions to host-plant resistance research, she also received the Kenneth and Barbara Starks Award for Excellence in Plant Resistance to Insects from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Dr. Puri has been an active member of the ESA for the past six years and values her continued involvement in society’s professional and scientific community. She has actively participated in organizing research- and career-oriented symposia, workshops, networking initiatives, and mentorship opportunities for students and early-career professionals. She currently serves on the North Central Branch Early Career Professional Committee, where she contributes to programming and initiatives that support professional development and community building within entomology. |
 | Miles Maxcer is an entomologist, science communicator, exhibit designer, and the founder of The Ant Network and its parent company, Trapjaw Science Communications. A specialist in ant biology and live arthropod display, he earned his M.S. in Entomology from the University of Florida in 2024 as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. His research examined interactions between invasive twig ants and native Lepidoptera, while also advancing ant-rearing methods, community science initiatives, and federal biosecurity policy. He received his B.S. in Directed Interdisciplinary Studies from Montana State University in 2020, integrating Environmental Science, Political Science, Science Communication, and Entomology as an MSU Presidential Scholar. Miles is passionate about public service and science-based policy; he was nominated by U.S. Senator Jon Tester for the Truman Scholarship and endorsed by Governor Steve Bullock to represent Montana for the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship’s College Student Congress in Kentucky and Washington, D.C., where he engaged with Members of Congress on healthcare policy. In addition to his contributions as a student presenter, Miles has been an invited speaker at several ESA Meetings, where he has also competed in the Antlion Pitch Competition and, most recently, tabled at the Artisan Row in 2025. As an early-career professional, Miles Maxcer integrates scientific expertise with a passion for communication, education, and entrepreneurship to expand public engagement with the natural world. |
Note: Starting in February 2026, live webinar attendance will be an ESA members-only benefit. Join ESA now so you can tune in live to upcoming ESA webinars, engage with panelists, and ask questions. Recorded webinars will be available free in video and podcast format approximately 1-2 weeks after the original event date.