International Branch Virtual Symposium Submission Descriptions

Program Chair:  

Rory Mc Donnell,Oregon State University

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an all-encompassing approach to managing pests in an economically and environmentally sound way. It combines biological, cultural and chemical control methods to effectively manage pest species. This session will focus on innovations and key aspects in the IPM of insect pests including accurate pest identification, effective monitoring, developing action thresholds, and optimal use of new and existing biological, cultural and chemical tools.

Plenary Speakers

Jhonn Christopher Gonzalez Rodriguez, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA)

Integrating RNAi into fruit fly IPM: semi-field suppression of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) and unexpected boosts in parasitoid performance

I have built a solid research trajectory in plant defense, pest management, and innovative control technologies. My early work, conducted during my Agricultural Engineering studies at UTMach in Ecuador, focused on biostimulation and the characterization of plant species. I later completed a master’s thesis at IVIA investigating how volatile compounds induce plant defenses and affect entomofauna. This foundation, combined with training in the Virology Laboratory at UPV, enabled me to earn the competitive “Santiago Grisolía” predoctoral fellowship. I am currently pursuing my PhD at IVIA, specializing in RNA interference (RNAi) as an innovative and sustainable strategy for agricultural pest control. I have now completed my second year with promising results that advance the development of RNAi as a more effective and environmentally friendly tool for medfly management. To date, I have published seven scientific articles and received two awards recognizing excellence in science outreach.

Pascal Osa Aigbedion-Atalor, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Insect chemical communications and IPM under variable climates: the role of modulating temperature

Dr. Atalor is an insect ecologist researching the biological control of invasive pests and several aspects of applied ecology, including semiochemical-mediated behavior, and general integrated pest management. He obtained a BS (Hons.) in Zoology from Ambrose Alli University in Nigeria, MPhil. Entomology from the University of Ghana, and a PhD in Entomology from Rhodes University, South Africa, through the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Kenya. Before joining the University of Hawaii as an Assistant Professor in late 2024, Dr. Atalor was a postdoctoral researcher at the Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS in Hilo, Hawaii. He had two prior postdoctoral research fellowships: at Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus, Germany, and at the Center for Biological Control, Rhodes University, South Africa.

Dr. Silvia I. Rondon,Oregon State University, Oregon IPM Center

Solve Pest Problems: Supporting Integrated Pest Management Decisions

Dr. Silvia I. Rondon serves as Director of the Oregon State University (OSU) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center and as a Professor and Extension Entomology Specialist in the Department of Crop and Soil Science. From August 2021 to September 2022, she served as Interim Director of the OSU Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Dr. Rondon earned her B.A. and M.S. degrees in Entomology from Agraria University in Lima, Peru, and her Ph.D. in Crop Sciences, with a major in Entomology and IPM, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2002, she completed a postdoctoral appointment in the University of Florida’s Horticulture Department. She joined OSU in 2005, where her appointment included research and extension responsibilities and leadership of the Irrigated Agricultural Entomology Program. In this role, she secured and managed more than $36 million in private, state, and federal funding. In September 2022, her position expanded to include administrative leadership. Her expertise centers on integrated pest management, with emphasis on insect ecology, distribution, population dynamics, insect–plant interactions, and biological and chemical control strategies. She has collaborated extensively with commodity groups representing potatoes, grass seed, wheat, and high-value vegetable crops, including onions, sweet corn, hemp, and carrots. Dr. Rondon has authored more than 137 peer-reviewed scientific and extension publications, 16 book chapters, and 174 additional scholarly and professional works, including abstracts and reports. She has delivered 43 international, 142 national, and 151 regional volunteer and invited presentations, as well as 194 extension presentations. She is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and has actively contributed to related initiatives, including the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences Task Force (2021), the OSU Crop and Soil Science DEI Advisory Board (2021), the Entomological Society of America DEI efforts (2021–2022), and the IPM Centers’ DEI Working Groups (2023– present). Mentorship is a central component of her professional mission. Dr. Rondon has mentored undergraduate and graduate students, interns, postdoctoral scholars, early-career professionals, and colleagues within academic and professional organizations, as well as international students through the ENTOMENTOS program. Most recently, she served as President of the Entomological Society of America Pacific Branch (2024–2025).

Program Chair:   

Jessica Awad, Naturalis Biodiversity Center

For many entomologists, the word “taxonomy” conjures images of cluttered old laboratories, dusty historical books, and endlessly opinionated arguments over minor nomenclatural details. In reality, taxonomy remains an essential and vital information system for biodiversity, and it continues to evolve along with the people and technologies of the 21st century. This session showcases contemporary research in insect taxonomy, with a focus on the special problems, new methods, and pressing applications of our time.

Plenary Speakers

Erinn Fagan-Jeffries, University of Adelaide

Insect Investigators and community science: making taxonomy relevant to the next generation

Dr Erinn Fagan-Jeffries is a research fellow based at Adelaide University in South Australia. She leads a small research group working to improve knowledge of Australia’s wasp diversity using rapid-DNA barcoding, phylogenomics and integrative taxonomy. With a background in science communication, her passion is bringing taxonomy out of universities and museums and into the community through citizen science projects.

Dominic Evangelista,University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

How many amazonian insects are there and how many have gone extinct?

Dr Dominic Evangelista is an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is an evolutionary biologist interested in how biodiversity originates through evolutionary processes, specializing on mainly on cockroaches and termites. His systematic research aims to infer phylogenies using genome-scale data, map biological trends over evolutionary histories, and to improve upon phylogenetic methods. His past research explored palaeoentomology, tropical community ecology, niche evolution, and species delimitation.

Rudolf Meier, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

From Dark Taxa to Digital Species: Scaling Insect Biodiversity Discovery with Novel Technologies

Rudolf Meier is Professor of Biology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Head of the Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. He develops scalable, technology-enabled approaches to insect biodiversity discovery, combining DNA barcoding, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

Program Chairs:   

Véronique Martel, Natural Resources Canada 

Kaylin Chong, Graduate Student, Brian Farrell Lab

As entomologists, we regularly face the challenge of visually representing our study organisms—whether in conference presentations, publications, or graphical abstracts. While some of us rely on photography, others turn to digital illustrations or traditional drawings, each approach offering distinct advantages. This session will explore diverse methods of insect illustration and image acquisition, examining both artistic and scientific perspectives. Participants will gain insight into selecting and implementing visualization techniques that best serve their research communication goals.

Plenary Speakers

Amanda Roe, Natural Resources Canada

Scientific observation through brush and pen

Dr. Amanda Roe is a federal research scientist focusing on the ecophysiology and evolutionary history of forest pests and invasive species. Amanda has long considered herself both a scientist and an artist, weaving scientific observation with visual expression in both her professional and personal life. 

Dara Ojo, Independent macro photographer and conservation storyteller; explorewithdara.com

Reframing Insects Through the Lens: Visual Storytelling for Entomology and Conservation

Dara Ojo is an award-winning macro photographer and conservation storyteller based in Edmonton, Canada. His work focuses on revealing the hidden beauty and ecological importance of insects and arthropods, using photography as a bridge between science, art, and public engagement. His images have been featured internationally by PBS, National Geographic, BBC, CNN, Love Nature, Canadian Geographic, and the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity. Through exhibitions, publications, and educational outreach, Dara works closely with scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, and conservation organizations to reshape public perception of insects and highlight their critical role in sustaining ecosystems.

Martha Iserman, Natural History and Folklore Artist; marthaiserman.com

From Specimen to Symbol: How Insects Move Between Science and Art

Martha Iserman is an Australian-based artist and former professional scientific illustrator who has worked with museums and research institutions including the Smithsonian. She holds a Master’s degree in biological illustration and has created illustrations for multiple biology textbooks. Her current practice explores insects, plants, and ecosystems through watercolor and mixed media, blending natural history with folklore, symbolism, and narrative world-building. Her work has been exhibited in Australia and internationally.

Program Chair:    

Fernanda Cingolani,Centro de Estudios Parasitologicos y de Vectores CEPAVE, Argentina

The IOBC-NTRS is the Neotropical Region Section of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), a non-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of biological control, and its use in integrated pest management programs all over the world. In particular, the IOBC-NTRS fosters connection and cooperation among people interested in biological control in Latin America and the Caribbean. We greatly appreciate the interdisciplinary work with institutions for educational and research purposes as universities and academic societies, government entities, extension services, NGOs, growers and private companies which pursue similar objectives. We promote the establishment of contact with representatives from the different countries in the region, for the exchange of information, building of cooperation, and working on joint initiatives.

Plenary Speakers

Nelson Laville, Director of the Caribbean Plant Health Directors Forum, Dominica

Gabriela Luna, Research Professor at UNLP, Argentina

Regiane Cristina de Oliveira, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural Sciences, Botucatu

Fernanda Cingolani, CEPAVE (CONICET-UNLP)

10-minute oral presentations and posters presenting work on any insects and their relatives, not included in the other sessions, are welcome in these general sessions.