Merry Makela's Home Page


Mailing Address:	Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University
Mailing Address:	College Station, TX 77843-2475
Phone & Fax:	(409) 846-9120 & (409) 845-6305
E-mail:	makela@kelsun2.tamu.edu
Education:	Ph.D., Zoology, specifically Theoretical Population Genetics, 1975, University of Texas at Austin, Texas.
Education:	B.A. with Honors, Zoology with minors in Chemistry and Mathematics, 1968, University of Texas at Austin, Texas.

Research Scientist Department of Entomology TAMU, 1998 - Present (Part-time appointment)	Design and code object-oriented simulation models of biological and ecological systems. Currently involved in designing a colony level model of Solinopsis invicta, the red imported fire ant.
Owner Bazillion Beautiful Beads 1996 - Present	A full-service retail bead store in Bryan, Texas.
Research Scientist Department of Entomology TAMU, 1989 - 1996	Design and code object-oriented simulation models of biological and ecological systems. Designed a honey bee colony (Apis mellifera) model in LISP flavors with genetics to simulate the inheritance of differential traits and subsequent selection of Africanized (AHB) and European honey bees given seasonal resource availability in various ecological areas of Texas. Designed a second honey bee colony model in C++ which simulates the migration of Africanized honey bees within Texas. A Varroa mite population component was added. This mite is a serious parasitic pest of honey bees and is thought responsible for slowing range expansion of AHB into Texas. An object-oriented plant model was developed in C++ that simulates the growth of a rice plant. Individual plant structures are modeled as separate objects so that fungal lesions growing on these parts can differetially affect rates of photosynthesis and/or transport of carbohydrates.
Research Associate, Department of Entomology, TAMU, 1986 - 1989
Biostatistician and Database Analyst Management and Technical Services Company (MATSCO, a subsidiary of General Electric), Biomedical Research, Analysis, and Planning Group 1984 - 1986	Assisted NASA mission scientists in planning and preparing for life science experiments to be conducted aboard the Space Shuttle during Space Life Science Mission I. Mission was delayed due to Challenger explosion.
1984 - 1986 Secret Security Clearance
Research Assistant Professor in Biometry School of Public Health University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston 1979 - 1984	Designed and coordinated hospital surveys of severely head injured patients. Used SIR (Scientific Information Retrieval), a relational database system, to store hospital records and outcome data for nearly 1000 patients at five university hospitals across the U.S.
Faculty Associate in Biometry, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1977 - 1979
Postdoctoral Research Associate Center for Demographic and Population Genetics University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston 1975 - 1977	Conducted a statistical analysis on data gathered on the Aymara Indians in the northern Chilean Andes to determine whether they possessed a genetically inherited protection from heart disease. Concluded that the rigors of native life at 3500-4500 meters above sea level conferred healthy hearts since these advantages were lost upon migration to coastal communities and an easier life style.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Zoology, University of Texas at Austin 1974 - 1975
ADP Programmer 1, Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife, 1973 - 1974

1994 - 1995, Principal Investigator, "A system for forecasting blast disease (Pyricurlaia oryzae) on Texas rice", Texas Advanced Technology Program Grant.

1992 - 1993, Principal Investigator, "Estimation of northern limitations of the Africanized honey bee based on behavioral response to climate and resource availability". Texas Advanced Technology Program Grant.

1990 - 1991, Principal Investigator, "Geographic Information System to predict seasonal movement and economic impact of Africanized Honey Bee". Texas Advanced Technology Program Grant.

1990 - 1991, Principal Investigator, "Africanized Honey Bee movement and behavior: models for strategic planning". TAES ERA Grant.

1990 - 1991, Co-Principal Investigator, "A farm level expert system (FLEX) for cotton production in Texas", TAES ERA Grant (renewal).

1990 - 1991, Co-Principal Investigator, "Control of Fever Ticks and Texas Fever", TAES ERA Grant.

1986 - 1989, Research Associate, "A farm level expert system (FLEX) for cotton production in Texas", TAES ERA Grant.

1984 - 1986, Consultant, "Space Biomedical Research Institute Payload Science and Planning" funded by NASA contract NAS 9-17133 task order no. JSC-2V1

1981 - 1984, Principal Investigator, "Modeling and Statistical Aspects of Tobacco Budworm Control by Sterile Hybrids" funded by USDA, Cooperative Agreement No. 58-7B30-1-306

1979 - 1984, Co-Investigator, "A comprehensive Central Nervous System Trauma Center for the Galveston-Houston Health Services Agency Area" funded by NIH, NINCDS NO1-NS-9-2314, a six year contract starting September, 1979

Merry Makela is married to a Professor of Biology at Texas A&M University. In 1996 she retired from active academic life and opened a bead store. In the fall of that year she finished a book on a new beading technique called "The Magic of Beaded Spherical Nets: Techniques and Projects" published by The Honey Beads Press. While still active as a bead merchant, Merry rejoined her old collegues in Entomology in January 1998 to help develop an object oriented fire ant model.