Our Story

Our Team

Jonathan Lundgren

Dr. Jonathan Lundgren is the founder and director of the Ecdysis foundation. He earned his PhD from the University of Illinois. His vision is to use Ecdysis generated research to shift agricultural practices at home and abroad toward regenerative principals.

Mike Bredeson

Dr. Mike Bredeson earned his PhD in Biological Sciences at South Dakota State University. He heads up the Ecdysis Grove City branch in MN. There, in addition to setting up and managing a lab, he is studying the effects of tilling and cover crops on soil health.

Ryan Schmid

Dr. Ryan Schmid earned his PhD in Entomology from Kansas State University. At Ecdysis Blue Dasher Farm, he heads up several experiments which mainly revolve around insect and grazing animal interactions as they relate to pastureland health.

Kelton Welch

Dr. Kelton Welch earned his PhD in Entomology from the University of Kentucky. He manages the insect collection at Blue Dasher Farm and conducts research on identifying and monitoring beneficial insects.

Liz Adee

Liz Adee has a Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture and works as a research assistant at Blue Dasher Farm. She assists with many aspects of the experiments around Ecdysis Blue Dasher Farm.

Roger Brown

Roger Brown is a retired military man that works as a maintenance man for the lab and assists in building many of the structures needed to fulfill the goals of the various experiments.

Tommy Fenster

Tommy is working with Ecdysis as he pursues his masters at California State University East Bay. He studies regenerative management in California almond orchards.

Alex Michels

Alex, a graduate student at SDSU, is pursuing her masters degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science as she works with Ecdysis studying the ecosystem services that insects provide in regenerative crop systems.

Liam O'Connor

Liam an undergraduate student at SDSU studying Wildlife and Fisheries Science. At Ecdysis he assists with ongoing experiments as well as various other tasks requiring a jack of all trades.

Sierra Stendahl

Sierra is an undergraduate student working her summer at Ecdysis. She assists the scientists in their experiments with a variety of tasks.

Julia Stueven

Julia has a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from SDSU. A research technician with Ecdysis, she helps with scientific experiments, and sheep wrangling as needed.