Nan-Yao Su, ESA Fellow (2007)

Dr. Nan-Yao Su is recognized internationally as an authority on termites and is known for his innovative approach for their population management. He authored and coauthored over 160 peer-reviewed articles on termite biology and control.

His research results on the population ecology of subterranean termites and slow-acting toxicants led to the development of a monitoring-baiting system for population control of these cryptic pests. Commercialized as the Sentricon System, it has been marketed in 18 countries since 1995 to protect over two million homes, and has reduced pesticide use by > 6,000 metric tons. The system has also been used widely in historic monuments such as the Statue of Liberty National Monument, San Cristobal and El Morro, Puerto Rico, and Ft. Christiansvaern, U.S. Virgin Islands.

He has served as a consultant for the Hong Kong government to draft guidelines for termite control, as an advisory member for the Termite Forum of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand, and is currently the chief technical advisor for the Chinese EPA in their efforts to eliminate persistent organic pollutants (POPs) for termite control in China.

Dr. Su received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan, and his Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Hawaii. He joined the University of Florida in 1984, and has been a professor of entomology since 1994.

(updated October, 2007)