Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America to Present Latest Discoveries in Insect Science

Lanham, Md., September 4, 2003 -- Each year more than 2,500 entomologists and professionals in related disciplines from around the world gather to exchange scientific information at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). These scientists make significant contributions in such diverse fields as agriculture, biology, chemistry, ecology, forensics, forestry, genetics, human and veterinary medicine, and pest control.

The 2003 ESA Annual Meeting will be held October 26-29 at the Cincinnati Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Some of the latest findings in insect research will be presented in the following areas:

Biotech Vegetables for Insect and Insect-Vectored Disease Management
In contrast to the rapid increase in acreage planted to biotech field crops -- cotton, corn, and soybeans -- the development, commercialization, and use of biotech vegetable crops have taken dramatically different paths than non-biotech crops. Such differences include sharp declines in acreage of some vegetable crops, different paths for fresh and processed food markets, and the successful use of vegetables engineered to thwart insect-transmitted diseases of certain food crops. This symposium, to be held on Tuesday, October 28, 1 to 5 p.m. in Rooms 241 through 243, will examine the potential and some of the most important environmental, food safety, and social issues affecting the present and future of agriculture.

The Great Endemic Diseases: Entomological Considerations
This symposium, to be held on Wednesday, October 26, 8 a.m. to noon, in Rooms 201 and 213, will focus on the latest contributions of entomologists to the international control and understanding of the world's great insect-borne endemic diseases. Topics will include: (1) diseases and their insect vectors in the United States and Central and South America, such as ticks and Lyme disease, assassin bugs and Chagas disease, mosquitoes and dengue, and black flies and river blindness; and (2) in Africa, mosquitoes and malaria, as well as tsetse flies and human and animal trypanosomiasis.

Vision, Resonance, and Spirit: Insects in Art and Culture
Aspects of the science of entomology reach far into the artistic, religious, and cultural context of human society. This holds true in antiquity as well as today, and in both primitive and advanced cultures. This symposium, to be held on Monday, October 27, 8 a.m. to noon, in Rooms 262 and 263, will seek to demonstrate key ways in which art and cultural entomology illustrate and communicate about insects. The agenda will include insects in rock and roll, the aesthetics of insect architecture, and fabricating insects for display. There will also be a poster session on similar topics, including maggot art, love bugs as nature's Viagra, and the photography of insects. The posters will be available for viewing on Monday, October 27, 1-5 p.m., in Rooms 262 and 263.

Other sessions will cover entomological research in biology, agriculture, medicine, and veterinary sciences, pest control, and the environment. The meeting's program is available online via the ESA Personal Scheduler. The Personal Scheduler allows you to search the entire scientific program. Details on the meeting and housing are available here.

Media may attend ESA's Annual Meeting free of charge. However, you must register; proper credentials required. To register, please contact ESA Society Relations Officer Lisa Spurlock at sro@entsoc.org before October 22. After that date, members of the media should register on site between October 25 and 29 at the ESA Information Booth located in the Hall B Foyer on the first floor of the Cincinnati Convention Center.

Founded in 1889, ESA is a non-profit organization committed to serving the scientific and professional needs of nearly 6,000 entomologists and individuals in related disciplines. ESA's membership includes representatives from educational institutions, government, health agencies, and private industry.

Contact: Lisa Spurlock, ESA Society Relations Officer, 301-731-4535, ext. 3009, sro@entsoc.org.