Welcome!

I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Davidson College in the Department of Biology.

I was hired in the Fall of 2022 and plan to have my lab up and running by Spring of 2023. At Davidson I mix both research and teaching to help train the next generation of ecologists and evolutionary biologist. I teach Introduction to Biology (currently) and Animal Behavior (Spring 2023). My lab focus on evolutionary questions concerning animal mating behavior using two insect models: monarch butterflies and squash bugs, which are widespread agricultural pests.

I’ve conducted research and teaching at a wide variety of institutions, ranging from large research universities to small liberal arts colleges. Prior to starting at Davidson, I was an NIH postdoctoral fellow at Emory University and taught biology courses at Spelman College.


The Villa lab is hiring!

Positions available for Spring and Summer 2023. Students interested in joining the Villa lab should contact me at scvilla@davidson.edu to set up a meeting.