Rob Williams

Hawkings Receives Ethel Ashworth-Tsutsui Memorial Award for Mentoring

February 8, 2018 by Rob Williams

Chloe Hawkings, center, standing with Women in Science and Engineering president Carolina Mantilla Rojas, left, and WISE finance chair Keya Mukherjee, right. — Chloë Hawkings, center, standing with Women in Science and Engineering president Carolina Mantilla Rojas, left, and WISE finance chair Keya Mukherjee, right.

Congratulations to Ph.D. student Chloë Hawkings as she received the 2018 Ethel Ashworth-Tsutsui Memorial Award for mentorship on Thursday, February 8 during the Ethel Ashworth-Tsutsui Memorial Lecture at the Engineering Technologies Building.

Hawkings is the first student in the Departmentt of Entomology that received this high honor, which recognizes the research and mentoring efforts of women on the Texas A&M campus. She was recognized for her efforts in mentoring both undergraduate and graduate women students into the field of entomology.

In 2017, Hawkings was one of the founders of the Aggie Women in Entomology, an organization created to enhance the professional community of women in entomology. Since its founding, the organization has hosted several Mentorship Panels during the fall semester where undergraduate students could answer questions about general entomology, the panelists’ research interests, and transitioning to graduate school.

Hawkings serves as the president of the Aggie Women in Entomology and serves as the Event Coordinator for the Entomology Graduate Student Organization. She also served as a graduate mentor for the College of Science’s learning communities program and served as a research mentor for undergraduate students Franchesca Rodriguez and Colin Roper in 2017. Both Rodriguez and Roper work in Dr. Cecilia Tamborindeguy’s lab.

During her college career, Hawkings has been involved in several outreach programs including Expand Your Horizons in December, the “Insects and Beyond! An Interactive Introduction to the Wonder-full World of Entomology” event for members of the North Bryan Community Center’s summer camp program, and for programs at various area schools and community events.

“I am very proud,” Hawkings’ advisor Dr. Cecilia Tamborindeguy said. “It is a great recognition for her work and leadership in this area. Chloe has been instrumental for developing and leading many mentoring efforts.”

Hawkings was very honored to have received the award.

“I am grateful the experiences and opportunities I have had in mentorship within the Department of Entomology, both through teaching and through the Aggie Women in Entomology Organization, she said. “Mentorship is something that is deeply important to me”

Sponsored by the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), the award is given to honor women graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and research staff who take action to encourage and support women graduate students in the university.

Pest Management Conference Teaches Professionals Safety, Newest Control Techniques

January 25, 2018 by Rob Williams

Speaker Danielle Wallace on stage — Danielle Wallace speaking about laws and regulations during a session at the conference. Photo by Rob Williams

Hundreds of pest control professionals descended upon the Brazos Center during the first week of January for the annual Texas A&M University Pest Management Conference and Workshop at the Brazos Center.

This year, the workshop focused on pest control operator safety, updates on laws and regulations, and the newest research the Urban and Structural Program has been working on during the past year.

The conference opened with introductions from Dr. Ed Vargo, the Endowed Chair of the program, Entomology Department Head Dr. David Ragsdale, and a representative from the Texas Pest Control Association.

During Ragsdale’s opening comments, he commended the Urban Center on its excellence and progress on research throughout the year.

Karen Marquart looks at a vial during the mosquito control mini-course. Photo by Rob Williams.

“It’s one of the largest programs in the country and we are proud of that fact and proud of the people that make a living day-to-day dealing with pests that invade our homes and businesses,” Ragsdale said. “There will be great things coming from the Urban and Structural Entomology program for the years to come which helps keep you informed about the latest control strategies.”

Ragsdale was also proud that the Department’s faculty was awarded 34 new grants in the past year for approximately $8.5 million in new funding for all areas of the discipline of entomology.

“The Department of Entomology is really making an impact locally, throughout the State of Texas and beyond,” he said.

Carlos Bográn presenting about scale insect pests.

He also mentioned the partnership the Department has with University of Texas Medical Branch and the UT Rio Grande Valley to create the Gulf Coast Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases. The Center is one of 5 such centers created by the CDC with a goal of training the next generation of vector biologists to help the world deal with human and animal pathogens transmitted by insects and other blood feeding arthropods.

After the opening comments, Janis Reed spoke about workplace safety and how to keep the 12 most common accidents that occur in the workplace and in the field. Danielle Dean Wallace updated participants in the latest laws and regulation changes that may affect the industry.

Mississippi State Professor Dr. Jerome Goddard spoke about current issues in the integrated pest management and newest methods on using IPM for pests such as ticks, mosquitoes, and flies. Other topics during the first day of the conference included managing weeds in Texas turfgrass, bats and birds in urban settings, termite biology and how it dictates control methods that are currently used in the industry.

The second included a panel of experts session where participants could ask questions about pests and pest control to experts in the industry, as well as Extension personnel. The panel was

Research Associate Phillip Shults speaking to pest control professionals about termite control techniques

followed with a talk about the biology and management of scale insect pests led by Carlos Bográn, and various mini-sessions that included laws and regulations in pest management in schools, structural and commodity fumigation, and keeping companies’ computers safe from hackers and other malicious activity.

Members of the Entomology Graduate Student Organization had a table set up for anyone that was interested in the organization and hosted the “Ultimate Challenge” where participants could test their insect identification knowledge.

Participants also received specialized instruction with three short courses in mosquito control, termite biology and control, and fumigation of both commercial and residential structures. All of the mini-courses were designed to help pest control professionals receive hands-on experience and learn the latest techniques. Each course consisted of a short classroom-type lecture mixed with demonstrations with actual equipment specific to the subject.

Mike Merchant Receives Award for Distinguished Career from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

January 18, 2018 by Rob Williams

Dr. Mike Merchant, right, receiving the Superior Service Award for Distinguished Career from Dr. Doug Steele, Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Photo by Kay Ledbetter

The Department of Entomology would like to congratulate Professor and AgriLife Extension Specialist Dr. Mike Merchant for receiving the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Superior Service Award for Distinguished Career during a ceremony in Bryan on January 9.

Merchant received the award for his outstanding service and commitment to the field of urban entomology for 28 years serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He started as an entomologist in 1989 in the District 4 offices and has been instrumental in starting many important outreach projects and programs in urban entomology.

His career highlights started in 1993 when Merchant was named Chair of the statewide School IPM Advisory Committee. As chair, Merchant served as principal drafter of the original regulations establishing the Texas School IPM program. Since then, he has created video training tapes and wrote a handbook for school IPM coordinators, and a training conference.

In 2001, Merchant and Program Leader and Extension Specialist Dr. Don Renchie were awarded a multi-state grant in to develop the Southwestern Technical Resource Center for IPM in Schools and Daycare Facilities. The grant also allowed Merchant to hire Extension Program Specialist Janet Hurley to help create the Texas School IPM Team, which gained national recognition for their outstanding work developing training materials and courses in integrated pest management for schools.

“The fact that school IPM has been around for over 22 years as an unfunded mandate and still has positive impacts to show is impressive,” Hurley said. “Again he was very instrumental in the rules, but also developed the ABC’s of IPM videos, which are on YouTube.”

In the early 1990’s Merchant was the author of the original fact sheet for the “Texas Two-Step” method of controlling fire ants that was developed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The sheet was the most frequently requested publication from 1995-1997 and is now being used by commercial fire ant bait manufacturers and is recognized as the most effective control program available in the nation.

Over the past decade, Merchant led a team of entomologists to identify a new insect pest of crape myrtle, officially named the crape myrtle bark scale or Eriococcus lagerstroemiae. The scale has now spread throughout the southern U.S. Merchant demonstrate that neonicotinoid soil drenches controlled the scale, and his research has focused on safe andeffective methods of controlthat are also safe, economically feasible, and do not adversely impact pollinators who use crape myrtle as a source of pollen in the late summer.

In 2003, Merchant along with colleagues Drs. John Jackman and Carlos Bogran developed the Master Volunteer Specialist in Entomology program. This training consists of a course which offers in-depth training in entomology to Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists and created an online outreach tool for professionals and general public called Insects in the City. He also oversaw the renovation project in 2016 that eventually became the Texas IPM House, which is a hands-on training facility for pest management professionals to learn about IPM and pests that invade homes or used structures as a source of food and shelter.

Merchant also created an interactive website called “Mosquito Safari” to help teach homeowners and businesses about proper mosquito control. During the emergence of the Zika virus, Merchant worked with Dr. Sonja Swiger to develop a statewide outreach program to educate about controlling mosquitoes and prevention of Zika in Texas. In 2016, they enlisted the help of several Extension agents, specialists, and program specialists to create and distribute materials.

Their efforts in mosquito control educational programming resulted in 339 education events, directly training nearly 140,000 people plus over 2 million media contacts engaged with the programs. In addition, 76,400 people received newsletters with Zika information and more than 11,000 printed copies were distributed throughout the state.

“Mike is patient and kind and one of the best mentors I have ever had,” Hurley said. “There are times Mike and I agree to disagree, but that is rare. He is a friend, a mentor and a coworker and someone I am so blessed to call a friend. I truly want everyone to know that Mike has done a lot over his career with AgriLife Extension.”

Grad Student Receives Top Award for Research at Beltwide Cotton Conference

January 11, 2018 by Rob Williams

James Glover, center, with Dr. Greg Sword, left, and Dr. Michael Brewer, right. Submitted photo.

Congratulations to Ph.D student James Glover on receiving a top honor for his research at the 2018 Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio on January 3-5.

Glover received the Best Ph.D. Oral Presentation in Entomology during the conference for his talk titled “Pathogenicity and Transmission of Cotton Seed & Boll Rotting Bacteria Vectored by the Verde Plant Bug”

“James did a great job authenticating that a plant bug on cotton, the verde plant bug, transmits and retains a cotton boll rot pathogen,” Brewer said. “His research led him to work with growers along the Gulf Coast and both entomologists and plant pathologists. His presentation was excellent, and its success was built on the foundation of these collaborations.”

Glover also received the same award during the 2016 conference for a different presentation he gave during the competition in New Orleans.

“James has done some solid research and put together a very effective presentation with a clear summary of the applicability of his results,” he said. “I was happy to see him win this award again.”

Gold Receives Staff Meritorious Service Award, Jeanes Receives Lifetime Achievement

December 21, 2017 by Rob Williams

Teresa Gold (left) with Dr. Ragsdale (right). Photos by Rob Williams — Teresa Gold (left) with Dr. David Ragsdale (right). Photos by Rob Williams

Two people in the Department of Entomology received early Christmas gifts in December as the department announced its annual awards during the last week in December.

Senior Administrative Coordinator Teresa Gold received the Department of Entomology Staff Meritorious Service Award during a special staff meeting on December 21. Gold has been working with the Department for 17 years as an administrative assistant to the Department Head.

As assistant to the department head, Gold works with the Department Head by providing long-range planning and scheduling of activities and events, coordinating logistical and administrative support for meetings, events, and department functions. She also is responsible for providing the department head important information for decision making.

“As department head I’d simply not be able to function if Teresa didn’t organize my calendar, keep me abreast of tasks or reports that are due and the million deadlines that I must simply respond to,” Ragsdale said. “This is one of her responsibilities, but she goes far beyond what is necessary and executes it flawlessly.”

Alice Ramsey Jeanes, right, standing with Carla Smith, left.

The Department also recognized Alice Ramsey Jeanes earlier this month with the Lifetime Achievement Recognition award during its annual Holiday in the Heep celebration on December 14. Jeanes was awarded for serving 25 years as an administrative assistant.

Jeanes began her career in 1972 as a clerk typist II in the Entomology Research Laboratory for Drs. Tom Payne, Winfield Sterling, Bill Plapp, Brad Vinson, and Larry Keeley. She worked with 20+ faculty members over her 25 years from Drs. Adkisson and Maxwell as an assistant and secretary to the Dept. Head to graduate students affiliated with several busy labs.

Her outstanding service was recognized when Jeanes was nominated for the 1996 Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence Program and in 1997 when she received the Department of Entomology’s Staff Meritorious Service Award. She retired on February 28, 1997.