Texas A&M Entomology Research Network

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Congratulations August Graduates!

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The August 2015 graduating class. From left to right, Beatrice Oyombe, Stephanie White, Alison Bockoven, Meaghan Pimsler, Josephine Antwi, and Ernie Ramos. Photo by Rob Williams

COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Thirteen students  joined more than 1,800 Aggies this August in walking the stage at Reed Arena during summer graduation.

The thirteen included 3 Bachelor of Science, 4 Master of Science, and 5 Ph.D. students, as well as two students that received their Public Health Entomology certificates during the 9am ceremony.

Dr. Greg Sword with Josephine Antwi. Photo by Rob Williams
Dr. Greg Sword with Josephine Antwi. Photo by Rob Williams

Before the ceremony started, students and their families were treated with a pre-commencement breakfast reception with faculty and staff in the fourth floor atrium where they could share their memories and congratulations before lineup.

Associate Department Head Dr. Pete Teel welcomed everyone and wished all the students good luck.

“We want to extend our congratulations to you and we wish you the very best,” said Associate Department Head for Academic Programs Dr. Pete Teel. “We are extremely proud of you guys.”

The Department wants to wish all our graduates good luck in their futures!!

Bachelor of Science

Jaycob Gorski Entomology
Kelsey Merritt Entomology
Richard Hernandez Entomology

Master of Science

Ernesto “Ernie” Ramos Entomology
Angela Martin Entomology
Michael Sanders Entomology
Stephanie White Entomology

Ph.D.

Josephine Antwi Entomology
Alison Bockoven Entomology
Carrie Deans Entomology
Loriann Garcia Entomology
Meaghan Pimsler Entomology

Certificate in Public Health Entomology

Jaycob Gorski Entomology
Beatrice Oyombe Health

Grad Student Receives Top Honors at International Research Competition

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Liz Walsh
Liz Walsh

LEXINGTON—Rangel Lab member and Ph.D. student Elizabeth Walsh was one of two students from Texas A&M that received a high awards for their research at a company’s international agricultural science competition.

Walsh and Xiaoquiu “Churchill” Wang submitted research projects to the Alltech Young Scientist Competition that was held in Lexington, Kentucky. Walsh received second place and Wang received first out of more than 9,000 students from 61 countries that participated in the competition.

A native of Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, Walsh entered her project named “The Effects of In-Hive miticides on honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen retinue”.

Walsh’s project involves chemicals that are used to protect honey bees from Varroa mites, which are deadly pests that affect honey bees.

Walsh’s love for bees goes even farther back since she has been a beekeeper for nine years. She said that she wants to help beekeepers from losing production with her research.

“As a part of the beekeeping community, my goal is to make a positive impact on the beekeeping industry and community which have had such a positive impact on me, both personally and professionally,” she said.

Walsh received her undergraduate degree in both biology and English at Ripon College in Wisconsin, but came to Texas for the Department’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program in 2013, where she studied under Dr. Juliana Rangel.

She said the program has been a big help with graduate school.

“My REU experience is what I credit with showing me what graduate school is like,” she said. “It was a great experience.”

Rangel was very proud of Walsh and praised her hard work and dedication.

“Liz is a very accomplished young scientist and beekeeper, who is committed to helping the beekeeping industry that she cherishes so much in finding the effects of beekeeper-applied chemicals used to control the parasitic Varroa mite on the reproductive quality of honey bee queens,” Rangel said.  “She is a terrific beekeeper with an infectiously positive attitude, which seeps through as she talks about bees and her research interests to beekeepers and fellow scientists alike. Liz’s recognition at the national level is noteworthy and solely due to her own accomplishments in bee biology.”

Rangel also stressed the importance of such projects as Walsh’s.

“Her recognition in the media does increase the visibility and importance of honey bees and of our honey bee research program at Texas A&M University,” she said.  “These types of awards come to those who are passionate about their work, and her accomplishments so far are increasingly effective in showcasing her work, our ongoing research efforts, and the importance of pollinators to every member of our society!”

According to Alltech’s website, the global competition is to help raise awareness of quality research by grad students and gives them the opportunity to be rewarded for their scientific discoveries and research and to compete internationally at the highest level.

“I’m very excited that Alltech saw value in my research and I am honored to be an award recipient,” Walsh said.

Department Participates In Unique Outreach Opportunity at Butterfly Release

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Adrian Fisher releasing his butterfly. Photo by Rob Williams

The air was filled with lots of butterflies as the Department of Entomology helped celebrate the fourth annual “Wish upon a Butterfly” butterfly release at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural Science on Saturday, July 25.

The annual fundraiser helps the museum, and also was an opportunity for members of the Department’s Entomology Graduate Student Organization and Dr. Juliana Rangel’s lab to raise awareness of how butterflies benefit humanity.

According to the museum’s website, the fundraiser pays homage and well-wishes to celebration, childhood wonder, the memory and presence of loved ones, and fallen or deployed service members. Some of the activities included live music performed by Joey McGee, a light brunch, and various children’s activities.

During the release, each participant received a butterfly in a small envelope and was asked to make a wish on each of their butterflies when they opened them up.

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Visitors had the chance to speak to members of the Entomology Graduate Student Organization, as well as members of Dr. Juliana Rangel lab inside the museum until noon. Activities included live music and children’s activities. Photo by Rob Williams.

Rangel Lab member and grad student Liz Walsh thought the event was a great way to promote the lab and also to raise awareness about insects and entomology.

“This has been a really great event for everyone. Our lab has a big emphasis on outreach and this is one of many we do,” Walsh said. “This is a great way for us to talk about what we do with our observation hive, as well as honey bees and our research at the lab.”

She also said that the butterfly release was a great outreach for the children, as well as adults.

“It’s so great to have a fun event like this to make people aware of insects,” she said. “I thought it was neat to watch the kids that have never touched insects before.”

EGSO member Derek Woller said that the outreach opportunity is a perfect way for people to learn about the science of entomology in a fun way.

“I think focusing on insects at events like this brings focus to an area of science that some people shy away from,” he said. “With our outreach, we are showing insects in a very different light.”

Woller also said the favorite part of the event was working with the kids.

“I love working with the kids,” he said “Kids are crucial to establishing a good foundation for science learning. It’s great seeing the local families coming out and interacting with the insects in a creative and fun way.”

Extension Program Specialist Enjoys Helping the Community

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Wizzie Brown teaching a course at the Facilities Services training room at Texas A&M University in College Station. Photo by Rob Williams

The Department of Entomology is featuring some of our Extension personnel and how they became interested in entomology and their jobs as entomologists.

Extension Program Specialist Wizzie Brown works in the Austin/Travis county area and handles issues with integrated pest management and urban educational programs.

Brown started her career in Extension in 2002 working as an Extension agent with the integrated pest management (IPM). She said that she was very interested in entomology when she was younger but didn’t start studying it as a possible field of study until she went to college.

“I always liked insects as a child. While I enjoyed insects, I didn’t know that it was a college track or career choice. Fortunately, I discovered that entomology was something I could do for a job.”

After taking an entomology class during her undergraduate years at Ohio State, Brown decided to make entomology a major field of study when she found out that she enjoyed the subject matter.

“I took an entomology class and changed my major after about two weeks,” she said.

After she graduated from Ohio State, she went on to further her education at Texas A&M. Brown did not get interested in working with Extension until after she had worked in industry with her husband when they lived in the Houston area.

“My husband and I were working for a pest control company in Houston. He decided he wanted to start his own pest control business, but we had signed a non-compete clause so we had to move out of the area,” she said. “I started looking for a job and stumbled upon the job listing for Extension. I remember reading the job description and telling my husband that it was perfect and seemed to be written for me.”

As an Extension Program Specialist, she works with the community on urban insect issues, as well as conducting education and training sessions. She also has written several articles and appeared on television and radio talking about pests and integrated pest management.

The best part about working for Extension, Brown said, was connecting with the community.

“I really like the connections that I make with people of all ages,” she said. “People are fascinated, even sometimes disgusted, by insects. When I provide information to them on how to identify something or how to manage a pest they are having problems with, I feel like I’m helping them.”

Department Remembers Dr. Jimmy Olson

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Tinside_page_wordpresshe Department of Entomology remembers the life of Dr. Jimmy Olson this week after he passed away on Thursday, July 2, at St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan.

Olson was born to James Francis and Ruth Ann Peck Olson on February 18, 1942 in Twin Falls, Idaho. He received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Idaho in 1965 and his Ph.D. in Entomology in 1971 from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

He worked with the Department for 37 years as a Professor and medical entomologist where he taught several entomology courses and researched mosquitoes and other insects related to medical entomology.He also served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Chemical Corps.

Some of the projects Olson has worked on included the study of the genetics of Culex salinarius, the species diversity and biology of mosquito populations associating with small, intra-urban wetland sites and the interaction between Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus populations in Central Texas urban areas. Olson also worked on projects involoving the species composition of natural arthropod predator populations associated with Cx. salinarius larval populations in their coastal upland marsh over-summering sites along with studying the association of blow fly species with carrion beetles. .

Olson routinely taught three courses, Medical Entomology (ENTO 423), Forensic Entomology and Lab (ENTO 431-432), and Medical and Veterinary Entomology (ENTO 618). Olson also possessed a passion for his graduate students to succeed in all their endeavors. He was an influential advocate and mentor but especially a friend to his students.

He also has authored or co-authored over 100 scientific journals publications and abstracts in his 30-plus year career with the university

“Jimmy Olson was a good friend and valuable colleague in this department,” said Dr. Brad Vinson. “He was a help to me on a number of occasions. He will be missed.”

Beaumont center director Dr. Ted Wilson said that Olson was a great colleague and friend.

“I learned to admire Jimmy for his forth-right views, honesty, deep love for students and exceptionally knowledge of medical entomology,” he said. He was one in a million and will be dearly missed as both a friend and colleague.”

“Dr. Olson was a great teacher, mentor, boss, and most of all friend.  He was one of the rare people who would take the time to build a relationship with you.  He always went that extra mile to make sure that you felt like you were part of his extended family,” said. Dr. Mark Johnsen, a former grad student of Olson’s.   “He was a leader in his field and directly influenced mosquito control in the state of Texas through his graduate and undergraduate students, and through his willingness to lend his support and experience to anyone in need. Dr. Olson will live on in the hearts and minds of all those who have had the fortune to meet him.”

Senior Academic Advisor Rebecca Hapes remembered most was Olson’s enthusiasm and commitment to students’ success.

“Dr. Olson was an enthusiastic professor, beloved by many students.  He was deeply passionate and committed to student success,” Hapes said.  “Every time I speak to students about the history of the forensics program in our department, I will think of him.  He has left a wonderful educational legacy that will span much further than the Department of Entomology.”

He is survived by his children Ashley and wife Faith Alexander of Clinton Tennessee; Robin and husband Robert Von Heeder of Houston, Texas; Teri and husband Mike Belyeu of Giddings, Texas; Kristine and husband Chris Boehm of Florence, Montana; Jason and wife Donna Alexander of Snook, Texas; Christopher and wife Maria Olson of Houston, Texas, Megan Olson and Bobby Collins of Houston, Texas; his sister JoAnn Olson Robbins of Buhl, Idaho, numerous grandchildren and other relatives.