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Entomology

Department of Entomology

CFAES

Entomology Stridulations | Spring 2021 Newsletter

June 4, 2021
bumble bee

Latest Edition Features Summaries of Spring Semester 2021 Activities:

  • Department Announcements
  • Featured Researchers
  • Outreach Highlights
  • Bug Zoo Featured Arthropods
  • Awards & Honors, Graduate Degrees Awarded
  • Publications
  • Courses
  • Entomology Student Groups, EGSA & Chrysalis

 

Letter from the ChairDr. Jamie Strange  

As we wrap up spring semester and the school year, the Department of Entomology is looking forward to a summer of field work and the return to campus next fall.  I am hopeful that the best metaphor for 2021 will be the emergence of Brood X cicadas as we try to get back to our old patterns.  Last year we were hunkering down as COVID-19 was spreading like murder hornets across the Northwest, or maybe like spotted lanternfly across a vineyard, either way the metaphor is not that great and kind of depressing.  But cicadas remind us that even after a long time hidden away it is possible to come out of our holes, climb to high places, and make some noise.  If you scroll down to the awards, you will see that our undergrads, grad students, post docs, and researcher scientists already made noise by winning a number of awards at the CFAES Annual Research Paper Competition.  

Our students continue to emerge from our department and climb to success. Vashti Tatman (BS ’21) was named a CFAES Distinguished Senior. Tae-Young Lee, Dr. Katie Turo, and Adrian Pekarcik won our entomology awards for teaching, research, and service, respectively. Caitlin Peffers (MS ’21), Dr. Denisha Parker (PhD ’21) and Dr. Katie Turo (PhD ’21) defended their thesis and dissertations in Entomology this spring as did Emily Walker (MS ’21) in the Environmental Science Graduate Program.  Five students advised by Entomology faculty graduated from the Master’s in Plant Health Management Program. Like cicadas we offer our stridulations to all the successful graduates that emerged this year. 

Our emergence from Thorne Hall and move into the Wooster Science Building is nearly complete and we look forward to showing our new home off to visitors soon.  Once COVID -19 subsides to the point where we can safely host guests, we will plan a proper celebration so keep an eye out for that.  The WSB and the new Bug Zoo are attracting a lot of attention for the department and we can’t wait to have you visit us soon and see what the buzz is all about.

I want to end with a Brood X level stridulation for Dr. Celeste Welty.  Celeste has been a true asset to the department for over 30 years and she is retiring on June 30th.  Her dedicated service to the department, our students, and the growers of Ohio will be missed, and we wish her the best as she migrates to new adventures.  

I wish everyone a productive and safe summer.  Go get those vaccines so that we can gather together in the future and celebrate the successes we are sure to have, and in the meantime, keep climbing higher and singing loudly.