Texas A&M Entomology Research Network

Rob Williams

Medina Receives COALS Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Diversity

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Dr. Raul Medina standing with an award plaque in front of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences backdrop. Photo by Rob Williams
Dr. Raul Medina with his award. Photo by Rob Williams.

Congratulations to Entomology professor Dr. Raul Medina as he received the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Diversity during the College’s Awards Ceremony on September 20 in the AgriLife Center.

Medina has been honored with the award for his outstanding commitment and hard work in keeping diversity in both his research team and recruiting efforts both on and off campus. Since Medina joined the department in 2006, three-fourths of his graduate, undergraduate students, and postdoctoral research associates in his lab have come from underrepresented groups.

Medina also helps to bring an awareness to diversity and its challenges to members of his lab during his weekly meetings. He addresses the challenges of underrepresented groups in the modern workforce by reading and discussing scholarly work on underrepresented professionals and their challenges they face in today’s scientific world.

Medina’s graduate students also share his passion for diversity in that many are partially funded by Texas A&M Sloan Foundation Exemplary Mentorship Program and the Texas A&M University Graduate Diversity Fellowship. They are also supported through many of the excellence fellowships offered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Several of his current lab members also are following in his footsteps as they are very active members of the Texas A&M University Women In Science and Engineering organization, where they are helping to bring awareness to diversity and increase the number of underrepresented voices in leadership positions.

“The students that Dr. Medina attracts to his lab are exceptionally gifted students who are poised to accomplish great things,” Entomology Department Head Dr. David Ragsdale said.

In his service to the Department, Medina has worked hard to increase the number of underrepresented faculty and students in the numerous committees he has been a member of or led as chair, including the Graduate Recruitment and Admission, Awards, and two faculty search committees.

He also has led to acquiring funds to help increase the diversity of recruitment activities in 2016 and has organized a symposium at the national Entomological Society of America to increase the number of Hispanic professionals in entomology.

Medina also has served as a panel member for the national Ford Foundation Fellowship, the Texas A&M Diversity Fellowship, and as a counselor for the Entomological Society of America’s SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability) program. As a SEEDS mentor, Medina has been able to be a mentor undergraduate students from underrepresented groups at national professional meetings, as well as recruiting new Ph.D. students for the Department.

In addition to the award, Medina also was recognized for his recent promotion to professor during the ceremony.

Former Student and Current Ph.D. Student Team Up to Help with Harvey Relief Efforts in Dickinson Area

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Xanthe Shirley and Tyler Raszick.
Xanthe Shirley and Tyler Raszick. Submitted photo.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas–The devastation from Hurricane Harvey has left thousands of people in the town of Dickinson without anything or very little in the aftermath. For former student Xanthe Shirley, it was a mission to help collect items for all those that were affected in the Dickinson area during Hurricane Harvey.

Some of the donated items included cleaning supplies, toiletries, baby wipes and diapers, and toiletries. Photo by Xanthe Shirley.

Shirley heard about the devastation that hit Dickinson and wanted to do something for those that were affected in her hometown by the flooding.

“Words can not express how heartbroken I was when I started to hear the news about my hometown,” Shirley said. “I felt helpless when I saw the news and read social media posts from friends and colleagues in that area about the incredibly devastating flooding in the community. That’s when Tyler and I decided that one way to help could be to bring down some items that were in need to help in the recovery during the aftermath of Harvey.”

During August 31-September 1, Shirley and Ph.D. student Tyler Raszick had set up locations both at her office in the TAMU Insect Collection and at the Biocontrol Center to collect such items as toiletries, clothes, school supplies, cleaning supplies, dog and cat food.

After collecting everything, Shirley and Raszick then traveled early Saturday morning where it was distributed to the people at the former Dickinson Junior High School, as well as to the pet shelters.

Shirley was very pleased with the turnout and the outpouring of help from everyone that donated.

“Our hearts are so full and grateful. My SUV was full when we left College Station Saturday morning to drop off donations in Dickinson,” she said. “The outpouring of support from the graduate students in the Entomology Department was incredible.”

Shirley was very grateful for everyone that donated and said the distribution of supplies went well after they delivered them on Saturday.

“We were able to drop off supplies to Dickinson ISD teachers, the Dickinson supply distribution center located at the former Junior High School, and the Dickinson animal shelter, Bayou Animal Services. We are so very thankful to all who helped in this venture!” Shirley said.

Website offers critical mosquito, disease information after Hurricane Harvey

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Screenshot of the Mosquito Safari homepage at mosquitosafari.tamu.edu

by Gabriel Saldana, Texas A&M AgriLife Communications

DALLAS — Visitors to the Mosquito Safari website at http://mosquitosafari.tamu.edu will find comprehensive information on common mosquitoes, the diseases they carry and instructions for controlling the pest, said Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologists.

They said the information is critical in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, whose initial rains forced mosquitoes from their habitats into human areas, and whose residual standing waters have created new environments for mosquito breeding.

“The best thing people can do to fight this pest is to arm themselves with knowledge,” said AgriLife Extension entomologist Dr. Mike Merchant, Dallas. “Mosquito Safari gives people the best available scientific information for dealing with these pests, which is especially important following the state’s recent weather events.”

The newly redesigned website identifies the seven types of mosquitoes considered by entomologists to pose the biggest public health concerns. It reviews the diseases they carry by offering in-depth descriptions, video and infographics on effects and symptoms. An interactive “backyard safari” also allows users to explore the places mosquitoes inhabit around the home.

In the face of recent and expected mosquito population surges, Mosquito Safari’s most important offering is mosquito control methods, Merchant said. The site lays out an integrated approach to mosquito control, which includes a range of tools and practices that can be used in tandem to reduce mosquito numbers and to help avoid human contact.

“There are many ways of controlling mosquitoes that involve practices beyond just chemical spray solutions,” Merchant said. “It all depends on the environment where the infestation has occurred. Mosquito Safari is designed to provide control measures for a range of scenarios, using science-backed methods and information.”

Those who wish to learn more about the pests and about what makes the website’s prescribed control methods effective can also use Mosquito Safari to delve deeper into the mosquito’s life cycle. Videos on each stage of the life cycle walk viewers through the mosquito’s development, covering the egg, larva, pupa and adult stages.

“Especially in light of the shocking mosquito numbers we’re seeing now in Harvey-impacted areas, we’re urging people to take advantage of this free, valuable tool,” Merchant said.

Grad Students Receive Awards during 20th Annual Graduate Student Forum

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Chloë Hawkings with award with ornate background
Chloë Hawkings with her second place award. Photo by Rob Williams.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Three students received top recognition during the Department’s annual Graduate Student Forum on Thursday, August 24.

Ph.D. student Shavonn Whiten received first place for her presentation titled “Putting the pieces together: Insight into the perimeter of protection provided by the peritrophic matrix after adult mosquito blood feeding” while Ph.D. student Chloe Hawkings got second place for her talk titled “Expression analysis of vitellogenin in the worker caste of the red imported ant, Solenopsis invicta,”and Ph.D. student Alex Payne received third place for her presentation titled “Synergistic effects of in-hive miticides and agro-chemicals on honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony growth and survival”

Shavonn Whiten, left, and Alex Payne, right, in a classroom holding their award certificates. Photo by Rob Williams
Shavonn Whiten, left, and Alex Payne, right, with their certificates. Whiten received first place and Payne received third for their talks during the forum. Photo by Rob Williams

These students’ presentations were chosen from more than nine presentations that were spread over two sessions that covered several different presentation topics ranging from population genomics of cotton fleahoppers to monarch butterfly breeding in the south central United States.

The forum allows current graduate students a chance to present their latest research projects and to practice public speaking skills and to get ready for upcoming 10-minute paper presentation competitions at the upcoming national meeting of the Entomological Society of America that will be held in Denver on November 5-8.

 

Janowiecki Receives Shripat Kamble Urban Entomology Graduate Student Award for Innovative Research

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Mark Janowiecki. Photo by Rob Williams.

Congratulations to Ph.D. student Mark Janowiecki as he was named the 2017 recipient of the Shripat Kamble Urban Entomology Graduate Student Award for Innovative Research.

The award is given to a Ph.D. student that is currently conducting research which demonstrates innovative and realistic approaches to the field of Urban Entomology. Janowiecki received the award for his research in subterranean termite colony interactions.

Through lab and field studies, Janowiecki is currently researching subterranean termite biology and specifically how subterranean termite colonies interact with each other. He said he wants to have a better understanding on how the termites locate surrounding colonies and how they distinguish unique colonies and react to opposing colonies.

“Through my research, I hope to better understand the biology of subterranean termites,” Janowiecki said.  “Much of this basic biology is difficult to observe because termites have widespread, cryptic colonies.”

He said that the end result of his research could possibly be used to help control the termites.

“This research could be applied to termite control by manipulating cues that colonies use to avoid other colonies in an area,” Janowiecki said.  “If these cues are removed, competition may increase and eliminate colonies.”

Janowiecki will be presented with a cash award and a plaque during the Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology (MUVE) networking business meeting held at the Entomological Society of America’s annual meeting this November in Denver, CO

He said the grant will be used to support the genetic analysis needed to complete his research.

“I am very honored to be recognized by this great award,” Janowiecki said.

“It’s a great honor for Mark to receive this prestigious research award from ESA. It shows the creativity and relevance of his cutting edge research. This, along with other awards he’s won, also recognizes his productivity and his potential to be rising star in urban entomology,” Janowiecki’s advisor Dr. Ed Vargo said. “We are very proud of Mark for being chosen as the recipient of the Shripat Kamble Urban Entomology Graduate Student Award for Innovative Research.”