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Four UNL Entomologists Win Awards

Press Release From the Entomological Society of America

October 13, 2011 – Four entomologists – one professor, and three students – from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have recently won awards from the Entomological Society of America (ESA) and from the Entomological Foundation (EF).

Dr. Shripat Kamble, a UNL Professor, has won the Recognition Award in Urban Entomology from ESA, and Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid, a Ph.D candidate in the Urban and Molecular Entomology Laboratory, won ESA’s Student Certification Award.

In addition, Timothy J. Husen, a Ph.D. candidate in entomology, won the Jeffery P. LaFage Graduate Student Research Award from the Entomological Foundation, and Ginny Morgal is an undergraduate student majoring in insect science won the EF’s BioQuip Undergraduate Scholarship.

Dr. Kamble has worked at the University of Nebraska for 33 years as an assistant, associate, and full professor. He is a graduate faculty fellow and has supervised eight M.S. and 11 Ph.D. students, as well as three postdoctoral researchers. He has served on various departmental committees, a pesticide advisory committee, and in the University Academic Senate. He has been a state liaison for the Pest Management Center, the Pesticide Impact Assessment Program, and the IR-4 program for more than 15 years. He has hosted 13 visiting scholars, has published 135 papers, and has acquired $3.42 million in grants.

Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid focuses on the molecular ecology and population genetics of subterranean termites in Nebraska. Hafiz received his B.S in biology and vector/parasite management in 2005 and his M.S. in urban and industrial entomology in 2008 from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia. Hafiz is a fellow at the School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, under the Academic Scheme Training Staff Program. He has participated in a wide variety of research projects on urban pests such as termite baiting, termite foraging behavior and ecology, liquid termiticide application, insecticide degradation, cockroach management and control in sewer systems, and evaluating liquid and gel bait insecticides for nuisance ants and cockroaches. He has been an ESA member since 2008 and a BCE-Intern since 2009.

Timothy J. Husen’s research project, titled “Effects of Chitinase Inhibitor Treated Diet on the Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar),” examines the palatability, chitinase activity, and concentration dependent mortality of the eastern subterranean termite in response to a chitinase inhibitor treated diet. The goal of this project is to evaluate the potential use of chitinase inhibitors within a termite control program. He has four refereed and 10 non-refereed scientific publications to his name.

Ginny Morgal is currently conducting her senior thesis research, which is funded through the Undergraduate Creative Activity and Research Experience Program, on the effects of formic acid, which is commonly used to treat for the honey bee pest Varroa destructor, on brood development and on queen mandibular pheromone. Brood areas were measured in colonies treated and untreated with formic acid, and queens were then collected and their mandibular glands dissected out. Gas chromatography will be used to determine the levels of 9-ODA in both the treated and untreated queens. Ginny serves as president of the Insect Science Club, and is actively involved in K-12 entomology-based outreach programs, and is also a teaching assistant for the introductory Insect Identification course. After graduating with a degree in insect science, Ginny plans on attending graduate school to obtain her Ph.D. in entomology.

For more information, see:

http://entsoc.org/press-releases/esa-names-2011-insect-science-award-winners

and

http://entsoc.org/press-releases/entomological-foundation-announces-2011-award-winners

The Entomological Society of America (ESA) is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 6,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are students, researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, and hobbyists. For more information, please visit http://www.entsoc.org.