Congratulations to the members of the Entomological Society of America's Pacific Branch Branch recently elected to volunteer positions beginning in April 2024. The electronic ballot period for members began on January 8 and was completed on February 7.
Pacific Branch President-Elect
Laura Lavine
Washington State University
Bio: Dr. Laura Lavine is Professor and Chair of the Washington State University Department of Entomology. Dr. Lavine received her Ph.D. in Entomology at the University of Kentucky and was a USDA NIFA Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Lavine has held many leadership roles while at WSU. Dr. Lavine’s research program on the evolution of adaptation understanding the mechanisms underlying an organism’s ability to rapidly adjust to its environment. Her research has been funded by the NSF and the USDA as well as commodity commissions and she has published her work in diverse journals such as Nature, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Past ESA activity or other volunteer service: Dr. Lavine has dedicated her career as a professor, scholar, and administrator to creating a climate and a culture that encourages equity and diversity of thought, competence, and connection. Her leadership style combines critical and evidence-based approaches while placing high value on relationships, vision, curiosity, and openness. She has served in many committees at ESA. Most recently, member of the DEI committee member.
Candidate statement: I have dedicated my career to create a climate and a culture that encourages equity and diversity of thought, competence, and connection in all the aspects of my professional career. My leadership style combines key approaches valuing relationships, vision, curiosity, and openness. I am looking forward to bring all these aspects into our branch activities.
Pacific Branch Member-at-Large (2 positions)
Dowen Jocson
Washington State University
Bio: Dowen Jocson, Washington State University Bio: Dowen Jocson is a pesticide safety educator at Washington State University. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology from Saint Louis University. Dowen received her Ph.D. in Entomology from Washington State University in 2023. Her broad interests are Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Animal Behavior, Science Policy, and Science Communication. Her work over the years has revolved around biotremology or the study of substrate-borne vibrations and how we could incorporate it in our IPM toolbox. In her current position, she is charged with educating pesticide applicators statewide on how to handle and use pesticides to reduce human and environmental risks. She recently received the John Henry Comstock award for the Pacific Branch and is a current ESA Science Policy Fellow.
Past ESA activity or other volunteer service: Dowen participated in her first Pacific Branch meeting in San Diego in 2019 when she started her PhD program. She organized her first symposium for the 2020 PB-ESA which was cancelled but was able to put it together again for the 2022 meeting in Santa Rosa where she took the lead in organizing the student activities and launched the first Entomolympics. She has also participated in the Entomology Games and Student Debates. Dowen has been a part of the planning committee for the PB-ESA meetings since 2022. She has been an active member of her department’s DEI committee and the Entomology Graduate Student Association in Washington State University, serving as President, VP, and Treasurer.
Candidate statement: I am always looking for a way to be involved within the society. I believe that I can contribute to both the work and the development of new ideas for our branch. I don’t have a grand vision, but I have a mission to create a more inclusive, fun, and collaborative membership. I want people to WANT to be a part of this society and be proud of the part they play in it. Although we are a scientific society and should generally be focused on sharing our science with each other, we should also be able to show that there are humans behind the science, and I hope I can help make that an integral part of our society.
Adrian T. Marshall
USDA-ARS Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research Unit
Bio: Dr. Marshall received his BS in Entomology at the University of Idaho in 2014, and Ph.D. in Entomology at Washington State University in 2020. He is currently a Research Associate at the USDA-ARS Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research Unit in Wapato, Washington. His research centers around building integrated pest management programs for the tree fruit industry primarily focusing on insect behavior, ecology, and vector – pathogen – host plant interactions. His work at the USDA-ARS is on X-disease (Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni), which has cost the Washington stone fruit industry $120 million in the past five years. He aims to provide growers holistic management strategies through biologically based treatment timings as well as biological and cultural control tactics.
Past ESA activity or other volunteer service: Introduced to ESA as an undergraduate, Dr. Marshall has been an active member attending each pacific branch and national meetings for the past 9 years. He has co-organized a symposium at the national meeting (2021), was a committee member for the P-IE Section Hot Topic: Sustainable Pest Management WIG (2020), and was the Pacific Branch Career Fair Chair (2019) and Co-Chair (2018). He has volunteered as a student competition judge at both the national (2023, 2022) and Pacific Branch (2023) meetings, and has been a symposium moderator at each as well (2023, 2022, 2019). He is a huge supporter of and has competed in student activities (2016-2020) including debates, Entomology Games, 10-minute paper and Poster presentations, and the Texting competition. He also served on his universities Entomology Graduate Student Association as Secretary (2017) and President (2018).
Candidate statement: ESA has been a huge support throughout my education and career as an entomologist. Since my first PBESA meeting in 2015 where I met my graduate research advisor, I have made countless connections and lifelong friends that have shaped my career. In my experience, the camaraderie from fellow entomologists is unmatched, and I am grateful for the support and opportunities this society has given me both as a student and an early career professional. I would like to give back to the society that has formed such a foundation for me by serving as a Member-at-Large. Through this role I will advocate for opportunities and initiatives that continue to foster growth and support for all interested in entomology. I would work to find avenues for reaching and engaging new, early career, and established members of the society.