“Dr. Nastasi is one of the best young taxonomists in the world today. He is describing hundreds of new species and innovating approaches to species discovery and description.” – Andrew Forbes

Hometown: Wayne, New Jersey

Faculty mentor/advisor: Andrew Forbes, PhD, professor of biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Louis Nastasi is on a mission to uncover the hidden diversity of parasitic wasps, tiny insects that play essential roles in ecosystems and represent a vast portion of Earth’s biodiversity. His research combines traditional taxonomy, how we classify living things, with genetics to better identify and name hundreds of previously unknown species—and trace their evolutionary relationships. These discoveries help scientists understand how interactions between wasps and their hosts drive the origin of new species.

“The excellent faculty and resources at University of Iowa have been instrumental in my framing of my study system and have inspired me to give back in a similar manner,” says Nastasi.

Beyond his research, Nastasi is committed to science education and outreach. He founded WaspID, an open-access online course that teaches enthusiasts and professionals how to identify wasps, making biodiversity knowledge more accessible worldwide. His long-term goal is to become a professor and inspire future generations to explore the wonders of insect life and the complexity of natural ecosystems.