ESA 2016-2017 Elections Results

Please use the links below to jump to the relevant results:

Certification Board Positions
Medical, Urban and Veterninary Entomology Section Positions
Physiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology Section Positions
Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section Positions
Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity Section Positions
International Branch Positions
Pacific Branch Positions
Southeastern Branch Positions
Southwestern Branch Positions

For ESA Governing Board Positions, click here.
For Honorary Member Awardees, click here.

Certification Board

Director-Elect - Chelle Hartzer
CHartzerI have bridged the worlds of research and industry for the last five years at IFC. I have been the president of the Certified Entomologist of Mid-America since 2014. While at IFC, I helped over a dozen of our current and past employees attain their ACE certification. I have been a vocal proponent of the certifications and will continue to do so.

 


 

ASutherlandPacific Branch Representative to the Certification Board - Andrew Sutherland (2nd Term)
Andrew is currently employed by University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) as the urban IPM advisor for the San Francisco Bay area. He provides education, outreach, and applied research services for household and structural pest control operators and other pest management professionals. He holds a PhD in entomology (2009) and a M.S. in horticulture and agronomy (2005), both from UC Davis, and a B.S. in environmental horticulture (2001) from the University of Florida. As a professional, a student, and a researcher, he has used the principles of IPM to manage horticultural, agricultural, and urban pests and diseases for the past 15 years. His overarching goals include education about IPM principles, development of IPM programs for clientele, reduction in unnecessary pesticide applications, promotion of IPM adoption by urban pest managers, and increases in demand for IPM services by the general public. Personal specialties include IPM protocols, decision support, reduced-risk pesticides, sampling programs, experimental design, mathematical modeling, and insectary management. Andrew has been an active member of ESA since January 2005. ESA activities have included participation in meetings, competition in ten-minute paper contests, competition as part of the UC Davis Linnaean Games teams, and publication of applied research articles in Annals of the Entomological Society of America and the Journal of Economic Entomology. Andrew attained BCE certification, with specialties in structural/industrial entomology and plant-related entomology in January 2012.

Medical, Urban and Veterinary Entomology Section

MUVE Incoming Vice-President Elect - Changlu Wang
CWangDr. Changlu Wang is an associate professor in the Department of Entomology at Rutgers University. He received his B.S. degree in forest protection from Beijing Forestry University in 1985, his M.S. degree in forest entomology from the Chinese Academy of Forestry in 1988, and his PhD in entomology from West Virginia University in 1998. His previous positions include research assistant at the Chinese Academy of Forestry for six years, postdoctoral research associate at USDA Agricultural Research Service for three years, and research scientist at Purdue University for six years. His current position involves research, teaching, and extension in urban pest management. He has published six books/book chapters, 60 peer-reviewed papers, and 22 non-peer reviewed articles, and has co-authored four patents. His research provides many practical solutions on bed bug and cockroach management. He is a nationally and internationally known authority on bed bugs. He is the co-author of an award-winning invention, the “Insect interceptor device.” This device is currently one of the most effective and affordable bed bug monitors used in the U.S. He has been an ESA member for 20 years and has served ESA in a number of roles, including Awards Committee member and Chair of the MUVE Section and the North Central Branch, speaker for the MUVE Section highlight, organizer of six symposia at ESA meetings, judge for student paper competitions, session moderator, and regular reviewer for Journal of Economic Entomology and Journal of Medical Entomology. He is currently the treasurer for the Overseas Chinese Entomologists Association.

MUVE Representative to the ESA Governing Board - Chris Geden (2nd Term)
CGedenChris Geden received his M.S. and PhD from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1979 and 1993, respectively. After working as a research associate at NC State University and Cornell, he joined USDA’s Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida, where he has been a research entomologist since 1992. His research has focused on IPM, behavior, and pathogen relations of muscoid flies affecting livestock, poultry, and humans. Biological control of flies has been a long-standing interest, and he has investigated beetle and mite predators, hymenopteran parasitoids, and fungal and viral pathogens of flies. He also has research interests in pathogens of beneficial insects and the potential effects of climate change on fly populations. Dr. Geden has published 99 papers in refereed scientific journals, three book chapters, two patents, one book (as editor), and 45 articles in trade journals and extension publications. He has presented 84 papers and 28 invited seminars in the U.S. and has given 26 invited international presentations. He has been an active member of ESA since 1977, attended most national meetings of the Society since then. He has organized three symposia at national meetings, participated in 11 other symposia, and served as moderator and student competition judge. Other ESA service has included the editorial boards of the Annals of the ESA (1991-1995) and the Journal of Medical Entomology (2007-2011), as MUVE President in 2012, as a subject editor for the Journal of Medical Entomology, and as MUVE Representative to the Governing Board (2013- 2016).

Physiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology Section

PBT Incoming Vice-President Elect - David O'Brochta
DOBrochtaDr. David O’Brochta was trained in entomology at the University of Kansas and received his PhD in developmental and cell biology from the University of California, Irvine, where he studied the developmental genetics of Drosophila melanogaster. He was a postdoctoral researcher with the USDA-ARS in Gainesville, Florida, where he began to work on bridging the genetic technology gap that separates the Drosophila research community and most other insect systems beginning with the development of basic transposon based gene vector systems. Most of Dr. O’Brochta’s research currently focuses on the physiological genetics of mosquitoes, where he also continues to develop and use insect genetic technologies in his research program. He heads the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology’s Insect Transformation Facility that provides insect genetic technology services to the research community, directs the NSF-funded Insect Genetic Technology Research Coordination Network (igtrcn.org) and is co- editor of the journal Insect Molecular Biology. He actively participates in undergraduate and graduate education by teaching Principles of Genetics to underclassmen and co-directs an NIH T32 training grant in Cell and Molecular Biology.

PBT Representative to the Publications Council - Guy Smagghe
GSmaggheDr. Guy Smagghe is professor and head of a globally-recognized, multi-disciplinary research group focusing on insect physiology and pest control at the Ghent University, Belgium. Dr. Smagghe received his PhD in 1995. His research group has a long tradition in basic and applied research studying the toxicology and mode of action of new insecticidal compounds and tactics in pest control. Major expertise is present also in the modern post-genomic technology of RNAi to better understand the function of gene products but also to control pest insects or increase health of beneficial insects. Ample expertise is present with regard to setting up and developing different insects and receptor assays and molecular biology techniques. Several model and pest insects are used, including caterpillars, beetles and aphids, and he also played a pioneering role in pollinator research on bumble bees and wild bees. Dr. Smagghe has written >350 publications in peer-reviewed journals, (co)authored 20 book chapters and (co)edited two books, and has given >750 presentations at national and international conferences. His review on “Mechanisms of dsRNA uptake in insects and potentials of RNAi for pest control: a review” in Journal of Insect Physiology is the most cited and downloaded of the journal. In 2012, Dr. Smagghe was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is also serving on the editorial board of 18 international journals. His current research is funded by grants from Ghent University, Flanders, Belgian, and European research agencies.

PBT Representative to the American Entomologist Editorial Board - Julián Hillyer (2nd term)
Dr. Julián Hillyer is an associate professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Hillyer's research focuses on basic aspects of mosquito immunology and circulatory physiology, focusing on the mechanical and molecular bases of hemolymph propulsion, and the immunological interaction between mosquitoes and pathogens in the hemocoel.

 


PBT Representative to the Annals of the ESA Editorial Board - Mark Brown (2nd term)
MBrownDr. Mark Brown received his master’s degree in entomology from Washington State University working on the reproductive biology of the codling moth. He then completed a doctorate in entomology from the University of Georgia and stayed on as a postdoctoral associate, research scientist, and faculty member. The primary objective of his research program is to characterize the endocrine regulation of key developmental and reproductive processes in diverse mosquito species. Long-term funding from NIH and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has enabled Dr. Brown’s collaboration with many students, postdoctoral associates, and colleagues, and the publication of more than 80 papers since 1982. For this work, he received the Recognition Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology from the SEB-ESA in 2014. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the editorial board for the Annals of the ESA and reviews grants for national and international agencies and manuscripts for scientific journals. For 20 years, he has taught the dreaded Insect Physiology course to all graduate students passing through the department.

PBT Representative to the Arthropod Management Tests Editorial Board - Troy Anderson
TAndersonDr. Troy Anderson is Associate Professor of Integrative Physiology in the Department of Entomology at the University of Nebraska. He earned BS and MS degrees in Biological Sciences from Wichita State University, a PhD degree in Entomology from Kansas State University, and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from Virginia Tech. His research and teaching experience focuses on insecticide modes of actions, insecticide resistance monitoring and management, and insecticide target-site discovery. He supervises an interdisciplinary research team that not only addresses knowledge gaps with regard to the toxic action of existing chemistries for arthropod pest management, but assists in the development of experimental chemistries for the reduction of arthropod-transmitted diseases to wild and managed bees. He serves as an elected member of executive, planning, and development committees for ACS Division of Agrochemicals. He is elected Associate Editor for the Journal of Economic Entomology and served as invited Guest Editor for Pesticide Biochemistry & Physiology. He served as Science Adviser for the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues on Pollinator Health, Virginia Pollinator Protection Advisory Group, and USDA Varroa Working Group. He organized the "Pesticides and Pollinators" and “Exposure & Effects of Environmental Stressors to Bees” symposia at ACS and SETAC National Meetings. He is an active judge, organizer, and moderator for symposia and award competitions with ESA and ICE. He is principal investigator for a $1.4 million grant to investigate pesticide exposures and bee health in Virginia. He has 150+ scientific, extension, and instructional conference and workshop presentations related to pesticide exposures and pollinator health.

PBT Representative to the Journal of Medical Entomology Editorial Board - Joshua Benoit (2nd term)
JBenoitDr. Joshua Benoit received his doctorate from The Ohio State University, studying stress tolerance in blood-feeding arthropods. His postdoctoral research was at Yale University on tsetse fly reproductive physiology. Dr. Benoit’s current research at the University of Cincinnati centers on the integrative physiology of arthropods, particularly stress tolerance, dormancy-induced changes, and reproduction using sanguinivorius and non-sanguinivorous arthropod models. Dr. Benoit has published over 100 research papers on arthropod biology since 2003 with over 50 focused on blood-feeding arthropods. Along with his publication record, Dr. Benoit has presented on over 150 occasions, received 38 scientific awards, and has served as a grant/award reviewer for multiple agencies including the National Science Foundation, the South African National Research Foundation, and the Entomological Society of America. In addition to his research, Dr. Benoit is involved in multiple outreach projects including a ten-week short course for the Cincinnati Public Schools on arthropod vector biology and the impact of arthropod-associated diseases on human health and agricultural development.

Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section

P-IE Incoming Vice-President Elect - Diane Alston
DAlstonDiane Alston, a native of southern California, received her B.S. in Biology from the University of California, Riverside, before heading to the Southeast to complete her graduate degrees in nematology and entomology at North Carolina State University. Diane has served as an extension and research entomologist at Utah State University for 27 years. She also serves as the coordinator for the Utah Extension Integrated Pest Management Program and as co-director of the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab. Her major responsibilities are in development and testing novel integrated pest management technologies for horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables). She has published over 120 research and extension publications and mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students. Extension publications, slideshows, pest advisories, research reports and other products of useable knowledge can be viewed on the Utah Pests website (www.utahpests.usu.edu).

Diane has been a member of the Entomological Society of America for over 30 years. She is a long-time member of the Pacific Branch and Plant-Insect Ecosystems section. She has served the Society through many avenues, including Pacific Branch President and Executive Board member, ESA Awards and Honors Committee, Environmental Entomology Editorial Board, and numerous outings as a judge and moderator for student paper competitions at the Branch and national meetings. Diane’s most satisfying accomplishments as an entomologist are mentoring students (graduate and undergraduate) and studying insects in the field.

P-IE Secretary - Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris
RSchmidtJeffrisDr. Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris is currently a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University. Rebecca’s primary research interests are using conservation biological control and landscape ecology to inform integrated pest management practices. Her prior studies have focused on improving sustainability in agriculture by understanding factors that affect pest and natural enemy populations in perennial and annual cropping systems. She received her PhD in entomology from Washington State University (2015) and her B.S. in biology from Washburn University (2010). Rebecca joined ESA in 2010 and enjoys being highly active within the Society. She has been a member of several ESA committees, including the Program Planning Committee, the Student Transition and Early Professional (STEP) Committee, the ESA Student Affairs Committee (SAC), the ICE SAC, and the Childcare Grant Committee. Within these committees she has held leadership positions as the chair of the SAC and co-chair of the ICE SAC. In these roles, she has organized many events, including symposia, the student debates, the Pacific Branch text messaging competition, and a Lunch and Learn. She also enjoys volunteering as a judge for the Linnaean Games and the President’s Prize competition. Rebecca has received the Comstock Award, ESA Student Activity Award, and the Pacific Branch Student Leadership Award. She hopes to eventually serve the agricultural community as a professor with a research and extension appointment, or in USDA-ARS.

P-IE Representative to the Arthropod Management Tests Editorial Board - Jonathan Babcock (2nd Term)
JBabcockJon Babcock is currently leader of the Insect, Nematode and Disease Management Technology Center for Dow AgroSciences. In this role, he leads a team of global and regional biology project managers responsible for characterizing the technical market fit of Dow AgroSciences’ insecticide and fungicide discovery and development pipeline projects, as well as supporting the successful technical launch and adoption of new registered products for the marketplace. Through his 27 year career with Dow AgroSciences, Jon has worked in a variety of technical roles within insecticide discovery biology and field research organizations, where he has been involved in the successful development of insecticide products containing spinosad, spinetoram, and Isoclast, as well as Herculex I insect resistant trait products.

Jon received an MS degree in entomology from Washington State University and is an active member of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). He edits or co-edits multiple sections and is on the editorial board of the ESA journal Arthropod Management Tests. Jon is currently located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

P-IE Representative to the Journal of Insect Science Editorial Board - Sanford Eigenbrode (2nd Term)
SEigenbrodeSanford D. Eigenbrode is professor of Entomology and university distinguished professor at the University of Idaho. He received degrees in natural resources (M.S., 1986) and entomology (PhD, 1990) from Cornell University. Sanford conducts research on the chemical ecology of insect-plant and multi- trophic interactions. This has included an emphasis on the chemical ecology, landscape ecology, and management of insect-vectored viruses of wheat, potatoes, and legumes in the Pacific Northwest. He is also involved in interdisciplinary efforts addressing the sustainability of agricultural systems. He is project director for a NIFA-funded coordinated agricultural project on regional approaches to climate change in Pacific Northwest agriculture. He has been a co-PI on two NSF-IGERT projects, one ongoing, studying resilience of ecological and social systems in changing landscapes. The IGERT includes extensive collaboration with the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center in Costa Rica. Sanford is engaged in research with philosophers and sociologists focused on improving the process of collaborative science. He is the P-IE representative on the editorial board for the Journal of Insect Science, serving in 2016 as chair.

P-IE Representative to the Journal of Integrated Pest Management Editorial Board - Paula Shrewsbury (2nd Term)
PShrewsburyDr. Paula Shrewsbury received her B.S. in plant science from the University of Rhode Island, her M.S. in entomology from the University of California, Riverside, and her PhD in entomology from the University of Maryland. Paula is an associate professor and extension specialist in entomology at the University of Maryland. She has conducted applied research and extension education programs towards furthering the development and adoption of integrated pest management for pests of ornamental plants and turfgrass for over 20 years. Within the context of IPM, Paula has focused on the development of ecologically based measures to reduce and prevent pest insect outbreaks, particularly in the area of biological control, to create sustainable managed ecosystems, especially as it relates to the role of native and non-native plants, and indigenous and exotic natural enemies and invasive species. Paula has actively served in ESA. She was EB ESA President, Program Chair, and has held several other committee positions. She is currently the ESA Governing Board Representative for the EB ESA, and the P- IE ESA Editorial Board Representative to the Journal of IPM. Paula’s extensive experience in research, extension, and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students in the field of IPM, and experience with ESA will allow her to contribute as an ESA Editorial Board Representative to the Journal of IPM. She is excited to have the opportunity to continue to contribute to the profession via this position in the area of IPM.

Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity Section

SysEB Incoming Vice-President Elect - Floyd Shockley
FShockleyDr. Floyd Shockley earned his B.A. in biology from Westminster College and his M.S. and Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Missouri and the University of Georgia, respectively. His primary research focus is on the family Endomychidae (the handsome fungus beetles), and he is a recognized authority on the evolution, taxonomy, morphology, phylogenetics, and natural history of endomychids and other mycophagous beetles. He has authored or co-authored 72 publications, including 30 journal articles and two book chapters, and presented on his research or on collections 73 times. In 2010, he joined the Department of Entomology at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. He is the acting collections manager, responsible for the care and preservation of the National Insect Collection. He is the curatorial authority for all but two of the families of the beetle superfamilies Cucujoidea and Coccinelloidea. He has conducted domestic fieldwork in more than 35 U.S. states and international fieldwork in Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Bolivia, and Zambia. He has been a member of ESA since 1997 and has moderated regular and student presentations, judged student presentations and posters, and participated in symposia. He is currently the SysEB section representative on the Science Policy Committee and the editorial board for American Entomologist. He chaired the writing team that developed the ESA Position Statement on Entomological Collections, and participated in a Congressional briefing for ESA on the value of collections for invasive species. He is currently president of the Entomological Collections Network.

SysEB Treasurer - Jennifer Zaspel (2nd Term)
JZaspelJennifer Zaspel received a PhD in entomology and nematology from the University of Florida in 2008. She is now an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at Purdue University. Her research program focuses on the evolution of communication systems and host associations in Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and Diptera (flies, gnats, midges). Zaspel’s program also involves investigating the molecular and environmental mechanisms that influence host switching in insects that feed on blood and in some cases, vector human and animal diseases. She conducts fieldwork all over the world in order to observe and collect samples for molecular, morphological, and behavioral research. Zaspel is also the director of the Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) and the collections-based portion of her research program involves revisionary systematics, biodiversity informatics, and advanced digitization of biological specimens. Zaspel has been a member of ESA since 2004 and served as Treasurer of the Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity (SysEB) Section for two years.

SysEB Representative to the Insect Systematics and Diversity Editorial Board - John Wenzel
JWenzelJohn Wenzel currently is director of Powdermill Nature Reserve, the research field station of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. He was formerly professor at The Ohio State University, where he served for 17 years. He began studying insects at the age of 19, working in Panama as a field assistant to the legendary Edward O. Wilson at Harvard, and received his PhD under Charles Michener at University of Kansas. Wenzel's main expertise is social insects, particularly Vespidae, but he has also published with his students phylogenetic studies of spiders, moths, fireflies, scarabs, grasshoppers, and damselflies. He is recognized as an authority on the use of behavioral and ecological characters in phylogenetic analyses. He has served as chair of the ESA Section on Systematics and Evolution (ancestor of today's SysEB), president of the Willi Hennig Society, and president of the North American Section of the International Society for the Study of Social Insects. He has served as assistant editor for several journals, most notably Cladistics. Wenzel also frequently serves on review panels at the National Science Foundation and as a consultant to universities in the United States and abroad. Parallel to his dedication to research, Wenzel insisted on teaching introductory biology survey courses at OSU and continues to create educational science programming for a broad spectrum of audiences.

International Branch

International Branch Incoming President-Elect - Maya Evenden
MEvendenDr. Maya Evenden researches the behavioral and chemical ecology of insects and how semiochemicals can be exploited for pest management. Maya received a BSc from the University of Victoria, BC, Canada in 1991. Her graduate work was conducted in the laboratory of the renowned insect chemical ecologist Dr. John Borden at Simon Fraser University, BC, where she received a master of pest management (MPM) in 1994 and a PhD in 1998. Maya pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of Kentucky, USA. After two years as an assistant professor at West Chester University, PA, USA, Maya received a university faculty award from the National Science and Engineering Research Council (Canada) to take up a faculty position at the University of Alberta, Canada in 2003, where she currently is a full professor. Maya has extensive service experience in a variety of roles in several entomological societies. She served on the executive board of the Entomological Society of Alberta from 2005-2007 and as president in 2006. Maya was elected by her Canadian colleagues to the executive council of the Entomological Society of Canada (ESC) for 2008-2011 and served as ESC president in 2010. Maya has been a member of ESA since 1994 and served as Chair of the Public Information Committee of the ESA Eastern Branch in 2003. Maya would welcome the chance to share her experience and enthusiasm for entomology with her international colleagues as President-Elect of the International Branch of ESA.

International Branch Treasurer - Ayyasamy Regupathy
ARegupathyDr. Ayyasamy Regupathy, native of India, earned a B.Sc. in agriculture (1994) from Maharashtra, India, and an M.S. (1997) in Agricultural Entomology from Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India, and PhD (2001) in Agricultural Entomology from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Ayyasamy joined Syngenta India Ltd in Coimbatore, as research biologist and later moved to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore and served as research fellow (2004-2005). In 2005, Dr. Ayyasamy joined his current position at Annamalai University, India in the Department of Entomology as Assistant Professor. His research focuses on evaluating new insecticide molecules in various crops for data generation to enable product registration and crop label extension for the agro chemical industry.

Dr. Ayyasamy is a leader in insecticide toxicology research, teaching, and service, with an exemplary record of scientific research and publication. The book A Guide on Crop Pests, co-authored by Ayyasamy, is widely referred to by students in state agricultural universities, the Department of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu, and by the agrochemical industry. He has authored/co-authored 20 refereed publications, co- organized symposia, and has presented papers. He is active internationally by attending conferences in Bhutan and Thailand. He received the best research paper award in “National Seminar on Current Trends in Biotechnological strategies for Eco-Friendly Crop Protection” (2011) and best oral presentation in “IV National Symposium on plant protection in horticultural crops: Emerging challenges and sustainable pest management” (2012). He has been active in entomology professional societies for the last 15 years.

Pacific Branch

Pacific Branch Representative to the ESA Governing Board - Doug Walsh (2nd Term)
DWalshDr. Douglas B. Walsh received his B.S. in biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1985 and his PhD in entomology from the University of California, Davis in 1998. Dr. Walsh was hired as an assistant professor at Washington State University in 1998. He is currently a professor of entomology at WSU, holding a 50% organized research/ 50% extension academic appointment. Dr. Walsh is the research director of the Environmental and Agricultural Entomology Laboratory located at the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in the Yakima Valley near Prosser, Washington. He is the extension integrated pest management coordinator for Washington State and the Washington state liaison representative to the USDA IR-4 Program. Dr. Walsh has an extensive and varied IPM research and extension program, assisting regionally important commodities including hops, alfalfa, grapes, mint, and other specialty crops. Dr. Walsh also directs environmental impact studies on alfalfa leafcutting and alkali bees, the key pollinators of alfalfa produced for seed. Dr. Walsh’s efforts in IPM have resulted in the reduction of over 100,000 pounds of insecticide use in the Pacific Northwest annually. Dr. Walsh serves on various advisory boards, including the National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance, Salmon Safe, and LIVE (low input viticulture and enology) programs. Dr. Walsh has served the Pacific Branch of ESA as President in 2010, Executive Committee Member (2007-2009), Nominations Committee Chair (2010-2011), Representative to the National Awards Committee (2006-2009), and Awards Canvassing Chair (2001-2006 and 2011).

Southeastern Branch

Southeastern Branch Representative to the ESA Governing Board - Tim Schowalter (2nd Term)
TSchowalterDr. Timothy Schowalter is professor of entomology at Louisiana State University (2003-present) and served as department head 2003-2015. He received his PhD from the University of Georgia (1979) and was a postdoc at Texas A&M University (1979-1981) before joining the Department of Entomology at Oregon State University as an assistant professor in 1981. He was promoted to Professor in 1993 and served as interim head (2001-2003) before moving to LSU. His research focuses on insect responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances and effects of these responses on ecosystem structure, function, including herbivory, decomposition, and biogeochemical fluxes, and services. He has published four books, including Insect Ecology: an Ecosystem Approach (2000, 2006, 2011, 2016) and Insects and Sustainability of Ecosystem Services (2013), more than 70 peer-reviewed journal papers, three invited reviews, and a large number of additional book chapters, symposia proceedings, and other publications. He has been a member of ESA for 37 years. He was program director for ecosystem studies at the National Science Foundation (1992-1993) and SEB Representative to the ESA Governing Board (2013-2016). He also was named a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America in 2012. He is committed to the goals of the SEB and ESA, including promotion of student participation and diversity of membership, raising the visibility of entomological science, integration of sub-disciplines, increased delivery of entomological science to policy makers and service to society. He will work to encourage membership among students and young career professionals in the SEB-ESA and ESA at large. 

Southwestern Branch

Secretary-Elect of the Southwestern Branch - Molly Keck
MKeckMolly Keck, BCE, received her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University with a double major in Biology and Entomology and her master’s degree from Texas A&M University in Entomology under Dr. Roger Gold, studying invasive interactions of red imported fire ants and little black ants. Molly joined Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in 2005 as an Extension Program Specialist in Integrated Pest Management. With Extension, Molly is responsible for adult and youth educational outreach and research projects related to urban pests. She reaches an average of 4,846 individuals each year and provides an average of 200 educational programs. Her clientele includes youth and 4-H members, Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists, homeowners, wildlife, parks and recreation professionals, pest management professionals and others. Current research includes fire ants, termites, bed bugs, flies, mosquitoes, and vegetable IPM, and monitoring for invasive pests. Molly is a Board Certified Entomologist and is an elected member of the Certification Board for ESA since 2014. She served on the local arrangements committee for the 2014-16 ESA Southwestern Branch meeting and currently serves as a committee member of the Youth Education Committee for ESA-SWB and the Insect EXPO Committee. Molly has been a member of ESA and the Southwestern Branch for 11 years, attending and presenting at meetings and participating in the aforementioned committees.

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