Hi, everyone! My name is Kailey Legier and I am an undergraduate student pursuing a double-degree in Soil Science and Sustainability. I have joined the OSU Garden Ecology Lab as a field and lab research assistant! I jumped at the opportunity to join this lab because it aligned so well with what I’m passionate about: sustainable urban horticulture, insects, and learning.  

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, just about three and a half hours north of Corvallis, and from an early age I was a big fan of creepy-crawlers. Baby-Kailey could often be found toting around a plastic critter keeper full of insects that she had indiscriminately caught and dug up.

Now, as an adult, I remain a big fan of insects of all kinds and an advocate for nurturing a childlike sense of wonder for the natural world in both myself and my community. I believe that the feeling of rich, damp soil between your fingers, the tickle of a lady beetle traversing the landscape of your arm, and the sound of native pollinators buzzing through your home garden are imperative pieces to the study of garden ecology. In my spare time, I grow flowers with a specific interest in perennial cut flower beds and bulb flowers.

My research interests include subsoil insect diversity, soil health, and the family Carabidae — the ground beetles! There is something amazing about knowing the soil is full of curious little critters working full time jobs eating pests, chomping on weed seeds, and churning the soil slowly but surely.

Aside from hard science pursuits, I am invested in social equity and sustainability at Oregon State. I am a big fan of attending town halls and being politically active on sustainability and ecological issues.

I am so excited to join this lab as it serves as a confluence for quite a few of my interests and passions. I am surrounded by incredible people each day, and it is a huge honor to be able to glean knowledge from them and gain experience in this setting.