2019 ESA Honorary Member Nominees

Honorary Membership acknowledges those who have served the Entomological Society of America for at least 20 years through significant involvement in the affairs of the Society that has reached an extraordinary level. Candidates for this honor are selected by the ESA Governing Board and then voted on by the ESA membership. 

Voting will take place during ESA's 2019-2020 elections, conducted via electronic ballot. Voting is open beginning July 22, 2019, at 10 a.m. U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and will close August 21, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. U.S. EDT.

For additional information on voting, see ESA voting instructions.

Questions? Contact elections@entsoc.org.

Honorary Membership Nominees

Frank Gilstrap, Ph.D.Frank Gilstrap, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Entomology Department at Texas A&M University, researched biological control of insects and mites damaging small grains, field crops, and fruit. He earned a B.A. (1968) in biology from Fresno State College and an M.S. (1971) and Ph.D. (1974) in entomology from the University California-Riverside. Gilstrap researched (1974-2008) in the United States, Africa, and Central America; generated $4.25 million in funding; graduated 14 M.S. and 14 Ph.D. students; and published 237 articles and reports (83 refereed, 31 in ESA journals). As AgriLife Research associate director (1996-2003), Gilstrap managed intellectual property, $5 million in appropriated funds, and Texas commodity relationships. As Dallas Urban Solutions Center director (2005-2010), he created and implemented a business-based management model for the Center, established more than 60 partnerships, and grew annual Center revenue from $250,000 (2000-2005) to $2.1 million (2011).

An ESA member since 1972, Gilstrap was 2006 ESA President; 2003 President of the Entomological Foundation (EF); 2000-2007 ESA Governing Board member; 1997-2003 EF Board of Counselors and EF Board of Directors member; 1995-1998 Certified Entomologists Board member; 1995 ESA Poster Sessions Chair; 1994 ESA Program Committee Chair; 1993 ESA Student Competition for the President's Prize Chair; 1993 ESA Section C Chair; 1991 President of the American Registry of Professional Entomologists, Central Texas Chapter; 1987 Journal of Economic Entomology Editorial Board Chair; 1982 ESA Subsection Ca Chair; 1980 ESA Southwestern Branch Program Committee Chair; member of 10-plus other ESA committees and 1979 Southwestern Entomological Society President.

Scott H. Hutchins, Ph.D., BCEScott H. Hutchins, Ph.D., BCE, was sworn in as Deputy Undersecretary at the United States Department of Agriculture in January 2019, with responsibilities for Research, Education, and Economics. Prior to USDA, Hutchins worked at Corteva AgriScience (previously Dow AgroSciences) for 32 years, where he held a wide range of roles in field science, project leadership, human resources, and product development and ultimately as Global R&D Leader. Hutchins holds degrees from Auburn University, Mississippi State University, and Iowa State University, all in entomology. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 refereed articles, reviews, and scientific presentations.

Throughout 38 years of ESA membership, beginning with the North-Central Branch Student Affairs Committee, Hutchins has been a passionate and consistent contributor and leader to the Society. As a young professional, he served or chaired on multiple NCB committees over multiple years, leading to his election as NCB’s ESA Governing Board Representative for two terms. Hutchins was elected as ESA President in 2007, where his focus was to lead the Society to conceive, design, and ultimately implement a “renewal” and restructuring, including a comprehensive rewrite of its bylaws. Supported by membership, the result has been greater impact, relevancy, and financial security, leading to significant growth and diversity in membership. He has continued to serve ESA by working with Section leadership on their strategic planning and impact. Hutchins also has been an active contributor to the ESA Certification Board and the Entomological Foundation and was elected as an ESA Fellow in 2009.

Sonny Ramaswamy, Ph.D.Sonny Ramaswamy, Ph.D., is president of Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which accredits institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and British Columbia. Previously, President Barack Obama appointed Sonny to direct the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. He has also served as dean of Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, director of Purdue University’s Agricultural Research Programs, university distinguished professor and head of entomology at Kansas State University, and professor of entomology at Mississippi State University. Sonny’s B.S. (agriculture) and M.S. (entomology) are from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore; his Ph.D. (entomology) is from Rutgers.

He has been active in ESA since 1976 and has attended almost every annual and branch meeting, presented papers, organized symposia, judged and coached Linnaean Games and student presentations, served on journal editorial boards and the Publications Council, reviewed ESA journal papers, served as chair and member of numerous committees, and helped develop ESA’s website policy. He helped establish ESA’s electronic publications policy, and the first ESA paper published online, including reprints, was Sonny’s.

As a member of the Council of Entomology Department Administrators, Sonny worked to help ESA rethink its priorities and culture to become more member-supportive and helped develop white papers to address societal challenges. He helped ESA develop effective engagement with the Executive and Legislative branches of the federal government, agencies, National Academy of Sciences, and various NGOs in Washington, DC, resulting in the formation of ESA’s Science Policy Committee and Science Policy Fellows program.