Dr. George L. Teetes, professor emeritus of Texas A&M University Department of Entomology, was elected as Fellow in 1996. He is internationally recognized for his research on integrated pest management of sorghum insect pests with an emphasis on plant resistance and his courses on field crop insect pests.
Teetes was born in Harlingen, TX in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, on 17 November 1941. He attended Texas A&M University where he received his B.S. (1964) and M.S. degrees (1965) in entomology. He worked for two years as an entomologist with the Texas Department of Corrections and returned to Texas A&M University as a research associate and started work toward his Ph.D. degree in entomology. He taught veterinary entomology for one year and completed his Ph.D. degree in 1971. That same year he accepted a position as assistant professor with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station at Lubbock, TX and became associate professor in 1975. Later, he was transferred to the College Station campus of Texas A&M University where he was professor and Texas Agricultural Experiment Station faculty fellow until his retirement in 2000.
Teetes was instrumental in developing strategies for managing insect pests of sorghum worldwide, including many areas where sorghum is a principal food crop. He collaborated with plant breeders in developing sorghum resistant to insects and mites and developed economic injury levels to distinguish the benefits of plant resistance. He also was a principal investigator, technical committee member, and chair of the International Sorghum/Millet Collaborative Research Support Program (INTSORMIL), a member of the Board of Directors of the Consortium for International Crop Protection (CICP), and Director for the Mali Strengthing Research Planning and Research on Commodities (SPARC) project.
Teetes has received the following honors and awards: Texas A&M University Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty Fellow; ESA Distinguished Service to the Certification Program Award; the Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in International Programs; National Grain Sorghum Producers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Grain Sorghum Utilization; Texas A&M University Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award for Research; Certificat de Reconnaissance pour Travaux de Recherche from the Executive Secretary of the Organisation de l'Unité Africaine; Special Recognition from the Sociedad Colombiana de Entomología; Texas Association of Agricultural Consultants Outstanding Public Servant of the Year Award; ESA Recognition Award; Southwestern Branch of ESA Recognition Award; Central Texas Chapter of the American Registry of Professional Entomologists (ARPE) Outstanding Entomologist Award; Texas A&M University Deputy Chancellor for Agriculture Distinguished Performance Award in Team Research; ARPE Outstanding Agricultural Entomology Award; Central Texas Chapter of ARPE Outstanding Agricultural Entomology Award; West Texas Agricultural Chemicals Institute Institutional Award; Texas A&M University Chapter of the Society of the Sigma Xi Outstanding Research Award in Graduate Study; Texas A&M University Department of Entomology Outstanding Professor (three times).
Teetes is married to Ellen and he has three sons. He fishes during the spring and summer and hunts during the fall and winter.
(Updated November, 2014)