Early Career Professionals face many new areas to navigate after completion of their degrees. Discussions on time management continue to evolve during this transition period. This webinar explores themes related to time management from entomologists from diverse backgrounds.
Moderator: Dr. Akilah Stewart
Panelists: Dr. Shahbaz Ahmad, Dr. Berenice Romero, Dr. Berlin Londono, Dr. Todd D. Johnson
 |
Dr. Shahbaz Ahmad is an Associate Professor at the University of the Punjab, specializing in Entomology. With a Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Dr. Ahmad's research interests revolve around Integrated Pest Management, Biological Control of Insect Pests, Insect Ecology, and Beneficial Insects. Throughout his academic journey, Dr. Ahmad has garnered extensive experience and expertise in various domains of entomology, including field/greenhouse/lab work, designing and conducting experiments, insect collection and identification, and insect population monitoring. His research contributions have been recognized through numerous honors, awards, and research support grants. As an active member of several professional organizations, including the Entomological Society of Pakistan and the International Organization of Biological Control, Dr. Ahmad is deeply engaged in advancing entomological research and education. He has also contributed significantly to academic committees and professional services within his institution, demonstrating his commitment to fostering excellence in education and research. With a passion for teaching and research, Dr. Shahbaz Ahmad continues to make significant contributions to the field of entomology, shaping the future of pest management and insect ecology through his work. He has actively participated in various workshops, seminars, training programs, and conferences related to agricultural sciences, pest management, professional development, and research. Notable events include a national seminar on sustainable management of insect pests, a workshop on tunnel farming, online courses on citrus peel miner biology and article writing, and hands-on training on ENDNOTE. Additionally, he has engaged in sessions on quality management, active citizen facilitation, dengue management, next-generation sequencing, and curriculum development. His involvement spans both national and international platforms, showcasing a commitment to continuous learning and expertise enhancement in his field. |
 |
Dr. Berenice Romero attended the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), where she obtained her degree in Biology (Licenciatura). She discovered her passion for insects and fellow arthropods during a Zoology class and later became curious about chemical compounds mediating interactions among trophic levels, particularly those involved in plant-insect and plant-insect-pathogen interactions. For these reasons, Berenice joined Dr. Jorge Zavala’s lab, where her work focused on soybean insect pests and plant defense responses to insect herbivory. She then moved to Canada to start her graduate program at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), under the supervision of Dr. Sean Prager. Berenice’s PhD project focused on the ecology and behavior of a leafhopper species capable of transmitting a bacterial plant pathogen to several plant species found in the Western Canadian prairies. She completed her PhD in January 2024 and is now working on plant-soil interactions. |
 |
Dr. Berlin Londono's current role is as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tropical Medicine at Tulane University as the lead scientist of the Arthropod-borne pathogens Laboratory. She is also the Head of the Vaccine Development Unit at the US Naval Research Medical Unit SOUTH (NAMRU-SOUTH). Her research is focused on the characterization of biomarkers for disease risk and pathogen transmission dynamics. They aim to develop new control strategies, including vaccines and diagnostic devices, by better understanding clinical characteristics and cellular/humoral immune responses against diseases such as malaria and dengue. Additionally, they study the innate and adaptive responses against arthropod saliva, looking at the interactions between immunodominant salivary proteins and vertebrate skin cells (Fibroblast, mast cells, dendritic cells) to characterize their role in disease progression and pathogenesis. She has a strong background in human immunology and microbiology and have published more than 49 peer-reviewed articles in journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and PLOS Pathogens and Frontiers of Immunology. |
 |
Dr. Todd D. Johnson is a behavioral and chemical ecologist that studies arthropods that are beneficial or harmful to forest ecosystems. His research group conducts field and laboratory studies to understand how natural variability impacts the foraging ecology of insects. A better understanding of the factors that influence how insects locate resources and mates can lead to novel management techniques that exploit these behaviors. Johnson received his doctoral degree in Entomology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his masters degree in Entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his undergraduate degree in Biology from Moravian University (formerly Moravian College). |
*Closed captioning is available*