ESA 2015 Election Results


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Tamra Reall Lincoln, ESA Student Representative to the Governing Board
University of Missouri

Biographical Sketch

Tamra Reall Lincoln is an entomology doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri. Her research explores ecological influences of urban and forest fungal antagonists and their relationship with subterranean termites. She is also working on a minor in college teaching and a graduate certificate in science outreach. Tamra received her BS in horticulture from Brigham Young University. She has been actively involved in the Entomological Society of America since 2010. She is a member of MUVE but has also presented in P-IE. She has presented her research at several national meetings and North Central Branch meetings, and has participated on Mizzou’s Linnaean Games team. Tamra served on the ESA Student Affairs Committee as Vice Chair and currently as Chair. In these positions, she represented students’ needs and assisted in organizing the student symposium, the student debates, and the student reception for ESA’s 2013 and 2014 Annual Meetings. Presently, Tamra also serves as a student representative on the ESA 2014 Program Committee and the ICE 2016 Student Affairs Committee. Tamra actively serves her community and her school. She recently served as president of Mizzou’s graduate student organization, the CV Riley Entomological Society. She participates in many outreach activities, including organizing hands-on science events and speaking at schools about the importance of science, research, and insects. Tamra also co-writes “Ask a Scientist” articles for the local newspaper.


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Fred Baxendale, ESA Honorary Member
University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Frederick Baxendale is Professor of Entomology and Director of the Forensic Science program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). He joined the entomology faculty at UNL in 1984 as an Assistant Professor. He received his B.S. in Entomology from Cornell University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology from Texas A&M University. Fred’s research and extension programs have promoted effective and environmentally responsible IPM strategies for insect and mite pests affecting turfgrasses, landscapes, and other horticultural plantings. His current emphasis is on identifying the insects and mites associated with buffalograss and zoysiagrass, investigating their biology, ecology, distribution and injury potential, and developing management alternatives for potential pests. He has published over 56 refereed journal articles, and over 200 extension publications and trade journal articles, and is frequently an invited speaker at programs throughout the region and nation. One of the great strengths he brings to his extension programs is the enthusiasm for the subject that he is able to convey to his audience. He has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students who have received competitive scholarships and fellowships, and ESA awards, and have gone on to successful careers in the public and private sectors. He has contributed to entomology through many administrative roles at UNL, including Extension Entomology Coordinator, Interim Department Head and currently, Director of the Forensic Science program. In all these roles he has brought a high level of dedication, enthusiasm, and effort to contribute to the success of the unit.

Fred has frequently provided service and leadership to ESA including; NCB-ESA President-Elect, President, Past President (2010-2013); Annual Meeting Program, Co-Chair (2001-2002); Executive Committee, Member-at Large (2001-2003); Local Arrangements Committee, Co-Chair (1995-1996); Membership Committee (1988-1993) including Chair (1990-1993); Nominating Committee, Chair (1999); ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension Committee (1990-1992) including Chair (1991-1992); Entomology Foundation Counselor (2000-2009); Insect Pest Handbook Editorial Board (1996-2000) including Chair (2000); Professional Maintenance and Certification Committee (1993-1994); Program Evaluation Committee (1989-1991); Section Fa Nominating Committee (2001); and Stanley Beck Fellowship Selection Committee (1994-1997, 2003). His accomplishments have been recognized by a variety of professional groups, including: ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension; NCB Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension, Excellence in Extension Award - North Central Region, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC); ESA Recognition Award in Urban Entomology; Extension Award of Merit; Nebraska Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, Distinguished Service Award; Nebraska Cooperative Extension Association: and the NCB-ESA C.V. Riley Award in 2014.


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Forrest St. Aubin, BCE, Certification Board Director-Elect
Private Consulting Entomologist

Biographical Sketch

Forrest E. St. Aubin is a Board Certified Entomologist and nationally recognized consultant to the pest management and arts/antiquities industries and to the legal sector. He has served in various roles in the pesticide chemicals industry, both as a director of the Kansas Department of Agriculture and owner and operator of a successful pest management firm. He also served as a senior commissioned medical entomologist in the United States Army Medical Service Corps. He is a 56-year member of the Entomological Society of America, a past member of the Board of Directors of the Chemical Specialties Manufacturers Association, a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Pest Management Association, and he was Chair of the Food Protection and Sanitation Committee of that Association. He is a past president of the Kansas Pest Control Association and past vice president of the Missouri Pest Management Association.


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Robert Kunst, ACE, Certification Board ACE Representative
Fischer Environmental Services

Biographical Sketch

Robert Kunst is the President of Fischer Environmental Services, a full service pest control firm. Mr. Kunst worked in the industry since 1974. He is four-time past president of the Greater New Orleans Pest Control Association, past president of the Louisiana Pest Control Association, and past president of the National Pest Management Association. Mr. Kunst teaches a class in IPM at Louisiana State University, and has chaired more than 60 committees on pest control topics. Kunst is a recognized speaker, having spoken in 27 states and in 15 foreign countries. Bob is fully licensed in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, Florida, and South Carolina. Bob has been appointed by the governor of Louisiana to three four-year terms on the Louisiana Structural Pest Control Commission (2004, 2008, and 2012). Fischer Environmental Services was awarded “Champion of the Environment” in 2004 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Fischer Environmental Services became the first pest management company in the nation to be awarded the Gold Standard Level by the EPA in their PESP program. He has received the FMC Lifetime Achievement Award, the PCT Leadership Award, the Paul K. Adams Award of Excellence, and he’s the only person to ever receive the Chairman of the Year Award three times from the National Pest Management Association. He serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for a PCT publication, has received the Pinnacle Award from the NPMA in 2008, and was inducted into the Pest Control Hall of Fame in 2010.


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Alec Gerry, MUVE Vice President-Elect
University of California, Riverside

Biographical Sketch

Alec Gerry is an associate professor and extension specialist in the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside. He obtained his BA (biology) and PhD degrees (entomology) from UC Berkeley (1990) and UC Riverside (1999). Dr. Gerry formerly served as a public health biologist for the CA Dept. of Public Health, and is currently also a military entomologist (rank: Lieutenant Colonel) in the U.S. Army Reserves. He conducts research on pest and vector arthropods associated with animal agriculture, and with insects of human health and urban importance (canyon flies, mosquitoes). These arthropods may cause substantial economic losses for producers due to impacts on animal growth and productivity, or due to morbidity/mortality caused by the pathogens they carry. He is particularly interested in the integrated management of dipteran pests of animals, including their associated disease agents (e.g. West Nile virus, bluetongue). Dr. Gerry has served ably in many capacities for ESA. These include member and chair of the Publications Council (2012-14), member and chair of the Journal of Economic Entomology editorial board (2007-2011), member of the Awards Selection Committee for the Pacific Branch (2012-13), and counselor for the Entomological Foundation. Outside of ESA he has served on USDA Multistate Projects S-1030 and S-1060 (2010-14, member and chair), UC Riverside’s Community Engagement Committee (2009-10, chair), the UC Cooperative Extension Academic Assembly Council Executive Committee (2009-12), the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Partnership to Advance Cooperative Extension (2012-13), and he is co-organizing the national 2014 Livestock Insect Workers’ Conference.


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Neil Spomer, BCE, MUVE Treasurer
Dow AgroSciences

Biographical Sketch

Neil Spomer was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. Neil received his BS in business administration/marketing in 1999. After three years working in the banking industry, he returned to the University of Nebraska and earned MS and PhD degrees in urban entomology (2005 and 2009). Neil’s research focused on termite baiting and the environmental fate of liquid termiticides. In 2009, Neil accepted a field scientist position with Dow AgroSciences in Brookings, South Dakota. In that role, he had responsibilities that included evaluating pest efficacy and crop response to herbicides and insecticides. In 2012, Neil accepted a position as global urban pest laboratory leader and field scientist in Indianapolis, where he leads the global UPM lab testing program and supports the Sentricon business with field trials and technical support. Neil was the first recipient of the Entomological Society of America’s Student Certification Award (2005), and he received the Jeffery P. LaFage Graduate Student Research Award in 2008. He has served on the ESA North Central Branch Student Affairs Committee (2005-2008), the ESA Awards Committee (2005), the ESA Rules Committee (2006-2007), the ESA Linnaean Games Committee (2006-2007), and the Jeffery P. LaFage Student Research Award judging panel (2010-2013). In 2010, Neil was accredited as a Board Certified Entomologist. Neil’s primary research interests relate to evaluating and discovering novel insect control methods and technologies in the urban environment. He currently has 11 refereed publications involving termite bait and liquid termiticide efficacy and fate in the soil environment.


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Glen Scoles, MUVE Publications Council Representative
USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research Unit

Biographical Sketch

Glen Scoles received his BS in entomology from Cornell University (1980). After working as a technician for several years, he began graduate work at the University of Notre Dame, where he earned his MS (1994) and PhD (1997) in biological science. Postdoctoral work followed at the USDA-ARS Plum Island Animal Disease Center (1996-98), and the Yale University School of Medicine (1998-2000). Dr. Scoles began work at Cornell as a technician in medical (1980-81) and veterinary (1981-86) entomology immediately after graduating. He then took a position for Johns Hopkins University as field supervisor of the Onchocerciasis Research Project in Liberia (1986), and after returning to the U.S. (1987) again worked as a technician at Cornell in insect chemical ecology, before starting graduate school in 1990. After graduate and postdoctoral studies, he joined the USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research Unit at Washington State University in 2000 as a research entomologist, where he remains today. He holds adjunct faculty appointments at Washington State University and the University of Idaho. Scoles conducts research on ticks and tick-borne pathogens of livestock and leads the Tick-Borne Disease Research Group, coordinating all tick research conducted in USDA facilities at WSU and UI. Current research focuses on transmission of equine piroplasmosis and East Coast Fever. He has been an ESA member since 1989; Section D representative to the Youth and Education Committee (2003-2006); and MUVE representative to the Annals editorial board (2009-2012). Scoles has also served ESA frequently as a student competition judge, session moderator, and symposium organizer.


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Peter Jensen , PBT Vice President-Elect
Monsanto Company

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Peter Jensen earned his BS in biology from the University of Waterloo (1998), followed by an MS in entomology focused on native bee behavior from Montana State University (2001) and a PhD in entomology, examining the toxicology of metals in insect food chains, from the University of California, Riverside (2006). From 2006-2007, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Entomology at the University of Maryland, College Park, examining the potential effects of plant incorporated protectants on aquatic invertebrate communities in agricultural streams. From 2007-2010 Peter worked on eco-toxicology projects with vertebrate and invertebrate components at an environmental consulting firm, Integral Consulting Inc. Since 2010, he has been working as an entomologist at Monsanto Company. Peter has more than 15 years of field and laboratory experience in ecological and eco-toxicological investigations for academic, government, and private interests, with a focus on macro-invertebrate communities. Currently leading a biotechnology-focused eco-toxicology platform with three research teams, he is focused on evaluating the environmental fate and effects of plant incorporated protectants using pest and non-target invertebrate species for environmental risk assessments. An ESA member since 2000, Peter has contributed to the Society through submitted articles and volunteer positions at ESA Annual Meetings, and most recently as a committee representative for the PBT Section. With increased stability and support in his current role, this is a perfect time to give back through increased participation and involvement in governance.


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Carol Anelli, PBT Governing Board Representative
The Ohio State University

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Carol M. Anelli is a professor and associate chair of the Department of Entomology at The Ohio State University and currently serves as PBT’s Governing Board Representative.  As a graduate student at the University of Illinois (MS, PhD) she garnered distinction for teaching. She completed post-docs at the USDA-ARS and NIH and rose through the ranks to professor at Washington State University (WSU), where she taught numerous courses for the General Education program, the Honors College, and the Department of Entomology. She served as inaugural chair for the WSU President’s Teaching Academy and was recognized at WSU for her teaching contributions with the Marian E. Smith Award for Faculty Achievement (1999), the Honors College Faculty Award (2002), the Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Instruction (2009), and the Faculty Library Excellence Award (2010). She was awarded the ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching (2009).  Carol has organized numerous ESA symposia and has served as an Entomological Foundation counselor, ESA Program Co-Chair (2004), Section B Chair (2004), Linnaean Games organizer/moderator (EB-ESA, PB-ESA), and Student Competitions Chair (PB-ESA). She serves as a Linnaean Games judge and has been co-editor for the Heritage feature of American Entomologist since 1997.  Her current publications address the history of entomology and evolutionary thought, and pedagogy using interdisciplinary approaches.  She has appeared on radio and television advocating for evolution education.  


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Melissa Willrich Siebert, P-IE Vice President-Elect
DowAgrosciences LLC

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Melissa Willrich Siebert is a research entomologist with Dow AgroSciences and presently leads the R&D biology research efforts for North and Central America. Melissa obtained her BS in plant and soil science from Texas A&M University (1999) and her MS and PhD in entomology from Louisiana State University (2001, 2004). Her prior work experience at Dow AgroSciences includes field scientist and leader. Since 2004, she has had primary responsibility for the characterization of discovery stage biologic, chemical, and transgenic pest control solutions. As a field station leader, she managed a large science program along with all administrative and management responsibilities. In her current role, she is accountable for development of new innovative pest management technology concepts and technical/stewardship responsibility with existing products. As a member of ESA, Melissa regularly presents research results at ESA national and Branch meetings and has published many articles in ESA journals. Her leadership roles within ESA include Secretary of the P-IE Section (2010-2013), subject editor for JIPM (2010-present), current P-IE Representative to the Publications Council, and current member of the P-IE Awards Committee. Within the ESA-SEB, she has served as member and chair of the Student Awards Committee (2010-2012), member of the Nominations Committee (2013), and member-at-large to the Executive Committee (2011-2012). She has also previously served as President of the Mississippi Entomological Association and was named the outstanding early career scientist within Dow AgroSciences. If elected, Melissa will apply her experience, energy, skill, and passion for IPM to the leadership of P-IE.


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Christopher D. Beatty, SysEB Vice President-Elect
Santa Clara University

Biographical Sketch

Christopher is an Evolutionary Ecologist, with interests in biogeography, speciation, and the evolution of behavior. He works predominantly with aquatic insects, namely dragonflies and damselflies. He has worked in the US, Canada, Spain, Kenya, Peru and the Fiji Islands, trying to understand the driving forces behind speciation and diversification. He always strives to increase student participation in his projects. As an officer For the SysEB Section Chris would work to bring the important research of the members of SysEB to a wider public audience, and to foster greater interaction and collaboration among its members; he would also work to increase support for research on systematics, evolution and biodiversity.


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John D. Oswald, SysEB Governing Board Representative
Texas A&M University

Biographical Sketch

John received his B.S. in Forest Management (1982) and M.S. in entomology (1985) from Oregon State University, and a Ph.D. in Systematic Entomology from Cornell University (1991). John is a Professor in the Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, and Curator of the Texas A&M University Insect Collection. Before accepting his current position in 1995, he held postdoctoral positions at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. John’s research interests include the systematics of the Neuropterida on a global scale, especially the Hemerobiidae and Myrmeleontoidea, and biodiversity informatics, particularly the organization and digital delivery of taxonomic, nomenclatural and collection-based entomological data. His recent research has centered on descriptive and revisionary studies of a variety of neuropteran taxa and the development of comprehensive, web-based, resources that serve the global systematic neuropterology community. John teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in insect biodiversity and biology, insect evolution and field entomology. John is a long-time member of ESA and has presented submitted and invited papers at various meetings. He has served as a member and Chair of the Annals of the ESA Editorial Board, the Systematics Resources Committee, and the ESA Publications Council. He is currently the SysEB representative to the ESA Governing Board, and Past President of the International Association for Neuropterology.


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Robin Todd, BCE, Eastern Branch Certification Board Representative
i2LResearch USA

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Robin Todd is originally from Totnes, Devon in the UK. He obtained his BA in biological sciences from the University of Lancaster (UK) in 1971. Robin spent 1971-78 on Grand Cayman working for the Mosquito Research & Control Unit under the formidable Dr. Marco Giglioli, first as a VSO and then as a graduate research assistant. His duties included assisting a network of rain and tide gauges, nightly light-trapping and truck-mounted fogging, assessing experimental aerial sprays and canalizing the mangrove swamps. Robin obtained a PhD from the University of Reading (UK) in 1979, based on his Cayman field work on the biological control of Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus (black saltmarsh mosquito) using indigenous minnow species. He joined Baltimore-based Insect Control & Research Inc. (later ICR Inc.) in 1979 to work for Dr. Gene Gerberg in contract efficacy testing and regulatory entomology. When Gene retired in 1990, and sold ICR to McLaughlin Gormley King Company, Robin became the director. In October 2012, i2L Research Ltd. of Cardiff, UK acquired ICR, which now trades as i2LResearch USA, Inc. Robin overseas i2L USA’s marketing efforts and its testing program, using colonies of 28 species of household and public health pests and other wild-caught species. I2L USA conducts GLP and non-GLP studies for chemical, fragrance, pharmaceutical, and personal care companies. Robin and his regulatory team also consult for companies to register their products with EPA, the states’ and Canada’s PMRA, as well as maintaining existing registrations.


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Stuart Mitchell, BCE, North Central Branch Certification Board Representative
PestWest Environmental Science

Biographical Sketch

Stuart Mitchell is an observing physician (board certified), a Fellow of Integrative Medicine (board certified) in Family Medicine, a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Examiners, and a Certified Medical Investigator. In addition, he is an accredited associate member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (UK) and is board certified in urban, industrial, medical, and veterinary entomology. Dr. Mitchell has been in the pest management industry since 1982, and has served as a technical specialist, technical director, consultant, expert-witness, columnist, author, lecturer, speaker, technical director for NPMA, and BCE Director in 2009. He serves as principal technical specialist for PestWest Environmental Science in Sarasota, FL and as technical editor for Pest Management Professional Magazine.


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Andrew Sutherland, BCE, Pacific Branch Certification Board Representative
University of California Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM)

Biographical Sketch

Andrew is currently employed by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and the UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM) as the Urban IPM Advisor for the San Francisco Bay area. He provides education, outreach, and applied research services for professional landscape managers, structural pest control operators, and other pest management professionals. He holds a PhD in entomology (2009) and an MS in horticulture and agronomy (2005), both from UC Davis, and a BS in environmental horticulture (2001) from the University of Florida. As a professional, a student, and a researcher, he has used the principles of IPM to manage horticultural, agricultural, and urban pests and diseases for the past 15 years. His overarching goals include education about IPM principles, development of IPM programs for clientele, reduction in unnecessary pesticide applications, promotion of IPM adoption by urban pest managers, and increases in demand for IPM services by the general public. Personal specialties include IPM protocols, biological control, decision support, reduced-risk pesticides, vector ecology, sampling programs, environmental horticulture, arboriculture, experimental design, mathematical modeling, and insectary management. Andrew has been an active member of ESA since January 2005. ESA activities have included participation in meetings, competition in ten-minute paper contests, competition as part of the UC Davis Linnaean Games teams, and publication of applied research articles in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America and the Journal of Economic Entomology. Andrew attained BCE certification, with specialties in plant-related entomology and structural/industrial entomology in January, 2012.


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Dennis Ring, BCE, Southeastern Branch Certification Board Representative
Louisiana State University AgCenter

Biographical Sketch

Dennis Ring received a PhD in entomology from Texas A&M in 1981, an MS in entomology from Texas A&M in 1978 and a BS in biology from Baylor University in 1974. Dennis is an extension entomologist (100%) for the LSU AgCenter (1995-present). He has worked in several areas and commodities, including structural, the French Quarter Formosan subterranean termite program, Louisiana’s Formosan subterranean termite tree treating program, the Lois Caffey Termite Training Center, pecans, ornamentals, school IPM, household, rice, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. Prior to his extension appointment, Dennis conducted research on pecans, degree day models, EILS, sequential sampling plans, modeling, cotton, sugarcane, ticks, and screwworms. His research is directed towards IPM of arthropod pests. Dennis is providing unbiased information to the public on IPM of arthropods. He has published several refereed articles and extension articles. In addition, he has given numerous oral and poster presentations. Dennis provides several lectures in the advanced IPM course at LSU. He is currently the Southeastern Branch Representative to the Certification Board. He has served as member and Chair of the ESA Public Information Committee, the Nominating Committee, Section F, the Southeastern Branch Auditing Committee, and program chair of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Entomologists. Dennis has been a Board Certified Entomologist for more than 30 years.


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Ed Bynum, Southwestern Branch Secretary Treasurer-Elect
Texas A&M University

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Ed Bynum earned his BS in animal production (1973), his MS in entomology (1976), and his PhD in agronomy (2003) from Texas Tech University. He worked from 1976 to 2003 in the Grain Crops Entomology Project at Texas A&M AgiLife Research in Lubbock. Areas of research have been in insect ecology, population dynamics, damage assessment, biological control, cultural control, host-plant resistance, precision agriculture, application technology, and insecticide efficacy and resistance management for insects and mites of corn, grain sorghum, wheat, and sunflower. From 2005 to 2008, he served as an IPM extension agent with the Texas A&M AgiLife Extension Service and conducted the IPM program for Jones, Mitchell, Nolan, and Scurry counties. He joined the Entomology Department at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service at Amarillo in 2009 as the extension entomologist for the Texas Panhandle (Extension District 1). His extension and research programs address IPM for arthropods of agricultural crops (corn, grain, sorghum, wheat, cotton, and sunflower) and urban areas, with an emphasis on spider mites. Dr. Bynum has authored or co-authored 56 peer-reviewed publications, 16 editor-reviewed publications, seven extension publications, and numerous other reports and popular articles. He has presented over 150 presentations at professional societies and at grower or master gardener programs. He served as the president of the Society of Southwestern Entomologist (2013-2014). He is currently serving on the Audit Committee of the Southwestern Branch of ESA and has judged student oral and poster competitions.


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Molly Keck, BCE , Southwestern Branch Certification Board Representative
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Biographical Sketch

Molly received her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University,with a double major in biology and entomology, and her master’s degree from Texas A&M University in entomology under Dr. Roger Gold, studying invasive interactions of red imported fire ants and little black ants. Molly joined Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in 2005 as an extension program specialist in Integrated Pest Management. With extension, Molly is responsible for adult and youth educational outreach and research projects related to urban pests. She reaches an average of 4,846 individuals each year and provides an average of 200 educational programs. Her clientele includes youth and 4-H members, master gardeners and master naturalists, homeowners, parks and recreation professionals, pest management professionals, and others. Current research includes fire ants, termites, bed bugs, flies, mosquitoes, and vegetable IPM, and monitoring for invasive pests. Molly is a Board Certified Entomologist and is an elected member of the Certification Board for ESA. She served on the Local Arrangements Committee for the 2014 ESA Southwestern Branch meeting and currently serves as a committee member of the Youth and Education Committee for the ESA-SWB and on their Insect EXPO Committee. Molly has been a member of ESA and the Southwestern Branch for ten years, attending and presenting at meetings and participating on the aforementioned committees.


 
 
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