2024 Awards and Recognition
Faculty | Staff | Graduate Students | Undergraduate Students
View Past Years: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016| 2015| 2014
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| New faculty member | Pin-Chu Lai | Pin-Chu Lai accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Integrated Pest Management at the Panhandle, Research, Extension and Education Center (PHREEC) in Scottsbluff. | Dr. Pin-Chu Lai was named an assistant professor of entomology at the Panhandle, Research, Extension and Education Center (PHREEC) in Scottsbluff. Welcome Dr. Lai! |
| Promotion | Doug Golick | Doug Golick was promoted to full professor of Entomology. | Dr. Doug Golick was promoted to full professor of Entomology. |
| Promotion | Justin McMechan | Justin McMechan was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of Entomology. | Dr. Justin McMechan was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of Entomology. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayer Mentorship program | Sanket Shinde, Ph.D. student mentored by Dr. Joe Louis. | Sanket Shinde was welcomed to the 2024 Bayer Mentorship program. | Sanket Shinde was welcomed to the 2024 Bayer Mentorship program. He will participate in a 2024 internship with Bayer over the summer. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
2023 Awards and Recognition
Faculty | Staff | Graduate Students | Undergraduate Students | Alumni | Department-wide
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| New administrative appointment | Julie Peterson | Julie Peterson was named Associate Director of the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center (WCREEC) in North Platte. | Julie Peterson was named Associate Director of the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center (WCREEC) in North Platte. |
| Retirement | Lance Meinke | Lance Meinke has retired from being an active faculty member and was approved for emeriti status. | Lance Meinke has retired from being an active faculty member and was approved for emeriti status. |
| Retirement | Brett Ratcliffe | Brett Ratcliffe has retired from being an active faculty member and was approved for emeriti status. | Brett Ratcliffe has retired from being an active faculty member and was approved for emeriti status. |
| Service Awards | Brett Ratcliffe, Bob Wright, Doug Golick, and Joe Louis | Four Entomology Faculty members were recognized for their years of service this year: Brett Ratcliffe, Bob Wright, Doug Golick, and Joe Louis. | Four Entomology Faculty members were recognized for their years of service this year: Brett Ratcliffe (55 years), Bob Wright (35 years), Doug Golick (20 years), and Joe Louis (10 years). |
| Elected | Ana Velez | Ana Velez was elected vice president-elect of the Physiology, Biochemistry & Toxicology Section of the ESA. | Ana Velez was elected vice president-elect of the Physiology, Biochemistry & Toxicology Section of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). |
| Retirement | Gary Hein | Gary Hein has retired from being an active faculty member and was approved for emeriti status. | Gary Hein has retired from being an active Entomology faculty member and was approved for emeriti status. |
| Award | Joe Louis | Joe Louis was selected the 2023 UNL Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award. | Congratulations to Dr. Joe Louis for being selected as the 2023 UNL Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award. |
| Publicity | Julie Peterson | Julie Peterson was quoted in the May 15th issue of Knowable Magazine about Bt crops keeping agricultural pests at bay. | Julie Peterson, Entomology Dept., was quoted in a May 15 Knowable article titled “The ever-tenuous success of plants engineered to kill insect foes.” Peterson is among scientists who are disturbed to see the caterpillar-killing toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis so quickly squandered. “Seeing resistance now to these traits can be quite disheartening, because there’s so much promise” for reducing insecticide use, she said. |
| Promoted | Troy Anderson, Julie Peterson and Ana Velez | Troy Anderson, Julie Peterson and Ana Velez were all recommended for promotion by the IANR Vice Chancellor and UNL Chancellor. | Drs. Troy Anderson, Julie Peterson and Ana Velez were all recommended for promotion to the Board of Regents by the IANR Vice Chancellor and UNL Chancellor.
|
| Research Award | Joe Louis | Joe Louis was selected as the 2023 recipient of the Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award. | Dr. Joe Louis was selected as the 2023 recipient of the Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award. |
| Publicity | Louise Lynch-O'Brien | Dr. Louise Lynch-O'Brien was featured in the March 13th Faculty Spotlight. | Dr. Louise Lynch-O'Brien was featured in the March 13th Faculty Spotlight from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). |
| 2023 Professional Awards | Lance Meinke and Robert "Bob" Wright | Drs. Meinke and Wright were recognized for significant career achievements. | The North Central Branch (NCB) of the Entomology Society of America (ESA) presented two faculty members with professional awards:
|
| Travel Grant | Pritha Kundu | Post-doctoral researcher Pritha Kundu awarded a competitive travel grant. | Dr. Pritha Kundu was awarded a travel grant to attend the 19th Congress of the International Society of Molecular Plan-Microbe Interactions to be held in Rhode Island in July. Congratulations Pritha! |
| Award | Gary Hein | Service to Agriculture Award | Gary Hein received a Service to Agriculture Award from the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC) for his contributions to establishing and directing the university's Doctor of Plant Health professional program. Congratulations! |
| Awarded Grants | Erin Bauer, Lise Pingault, and Leslie Rault-Bucklin | Awarded competitive grants from the Center for Transformative Teaching. | Erin Bauer, Lise Pingault and Leslie Rault-Bucklin were all awarded competitive grants from the Center for Transformative Teaching. Lise was awarded a Student-Faculty Collaboration Grant, while Erin and Leslie each received Pedagogic Intervention grants. Congratulations! |
| Welcome | Shaonpius Mondal | New Entomologist working on arthropod vectors of plant pathogens. | Shaonpius Mondal joined the department in mid-February and will be the new entomologist working on arthropod vectors of plant pathogens. Welcome! |
| Faculty Spotlight | Troy Anderson | Anderson was featured in the February 20 Faculty Spotlight. | Troy Anderson was featured in the Feb. 20, 2023, Faculty Spotlight for the Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources (IANR). |
| Award | Justin McMechan | Jr. Faculty for Excellence in Research winner | Justin McMechan was selected as a 2023 recipient of the Agricultural Research Division's (ARD) Junior Faculty for Excellence in Research Award. McMechan works in Crop Protection and Cropping Systems. Congratulations! |
| Reappointment | John Ruberson | Ruberson reappointed as Entomology Department Head | John Ruberson has been reappointed as head of the Entomology Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His reappointment is effective Jan. 1, 2023. Congratulations! |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fellowship Award | Hannah Stowe | Hannah Stowe, Ph.D. student mentored by Julie Peterson & John Ruberson, was the recipient of the Milton Mohr Fellowship. | Hannah Stowe, Ph.D. student mentored by Julie Peterson & John Ruberson, was the recipient of the Milton Mohr Fellowship. |
| Travel Award | Heena Puri | Heena Puri, mentored by Joe Louis, was the 2023 receipient of a travel award. | Heena Puri was the 2023 receipient of the Lillian and Alex Feir Graduate Student Travel Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry or Molecular Biology by the ESA (Entomological Society of America). |
| Research Elevator Speech Contest winners | Pragya Gupta, Sanket Shinde, and Natasha Umezu | The UNL AHGSA, the Bruner Entomology Club, and UNL Plant Pathology Graduate Student Club held the fifth annual Agricultural Research Elevator Speech Contest on Nov. 14 at the Nebraska East Union. | Entomology winners were: Pragya Gupta - 1st place "Hilling as Cultural Approach for the Management of Soybean Gall Midge;" Sanket Shinde - 3rd place and Audience Choice Award "Guardians of the Grain: Sorghum's Battle Against Fall Armyworm;" and Natasha Umezu - 4th place "The Role of Hail Damage on Soybean Gall Midge Abundance." |
| Travel Awards | Larrick Student Travel Awards | Four Entomology graduate students were awarded the Larrick Student Travel Awards. | Four Entomology graduate students were awarded the Larrick Student Travel Awards:
|
| Fellowship | Nikhitha "Nikki" Gangavarapu | Nikhitha "Nikki" Gangavarapu is a recipient of the Cooper Sharpless Fellowship. | Nikhitha "Nikki" Gangavarapu, mentored by Shaonpius Mondal, is a recipient of the Cooper Sharpless Fellowship. |
| Fellowship | Heather Hernandez | Heather Hernandez is a recipient of a Milton Mohr Fellowship. | Heather Hernandez, mentored by Troy Anderson, was named a recipient of a Milton Mohr Fellowship. |
| Poster Contest | Xi Xian Ng | Xi Xian Ng, mentored by Troy Anderson, was awarded 2nd Place in a Graduate Student Poster Competition. | Xi Xian Ng, mentored by Troy Anderson, was awarded 2nd Place in the Graduate Student Poster Competition at the American Chemical Society Div. of Agrochemicals National Meeting. |
| Fellowship | Pragya Gupta | Pragya Gupta was awarded the Earl and Bertha Ramsey Memorial Fellowship. | Pragya Gupta was awarded the Earl and Bertha Ramsey Memorial Fellowship. |
| Fellowship | Andrea Rilakovic | Andrea Rilakovic was awarded the Fred Clute Memorial Fellowship. | Andrea Rilakovic was awarded the Fred Clute Memorial Fellowship. |
| Scholarship | Hannah Stowe | Hannah Stowe was awarded the Charles Glenn Murphy Memorial Fellowship. | Hannah Stowe was awarded the Charles Glenn Murphy Memorial Fellowship. |
| Publicity | Shianne Lindsay | Shianne Lindsay was featured in a March Student Spotlight. | Shianne Lindsay, an M.S. student with Dr. Autumn Smart, was featured in the March 20, 2023 student spotlight from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). |
| Publicity | Sanket Shinde | Sanket Shinde was featured in a March Student Spotlight. | Sanket Shinde, a Ph.D. student with Dr. Joe Louis, was featured in the March 13, 2023 student spotlight from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). |
| Selected as a Mentee | Andrea Rilakovic | Andrea Rilakovic was selected as a member of the inaugural cohoart of mentees in the Bayer Mentoring Program. | Congratulations to Andrea Rilakovic who was selected as a member of the inaugural cohoart of mentees in the Bayer Mentoring Program. This was a competitive application process open to the entire UNL graduate student community. Rilakovic is mentored by Julie Peterson and Ana Velez. |
| Publicity | Mikaelison da Silva Lima | Mikaelison da Silva Lima was featured in a February Student Spotlight. | Mikaelison "Mika" da Silva Lima, an M.S. candidate with Dr. Justin McMechan, was featured in the Feb. 27, 2023, student spotlight from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). |
| Publicity | Heena Puri | Heena Puri was featured in an January Student Spotlight. | Heena Puri, a Ph.D. candidate with Dr. Joe Louis, was featured in a January Student Spotlight from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dean's List | Carolyn Almonte, Samuel Babcock, Victoria DeAngelis, Haley Fleetwood, Linnea Ghazi, Nia Kaufmann, Chance Matlock-Carter, Madeline Morrison, Sam Spencer, Ozzy Youngblood. | Named to the Fall 2023 Dean's list. | These Insect Science students were named to the CASNR Dean's List for the Fall 2023 semester. |
| Dean's List | Nia Kaufmann, Haley Fleetwood, Victoria DeAngelis & Sam Spencer. | Named to the May 2023 Dean's list. | Nia Kaufmann, Haley Fleetwood, Victoria DeAngelis & Sam Spencer were named to the CASNR Dean's List for spring 2023. |
| U-Care Funds | Emma Knezevic and Sam Spencer | Emma Kenezevic and Sam Spencer, Insect Science majors, were awarded U-Care funds. | Emma Knezevic and Sam Spencer, Insect Science majors mentored by Louise Lynch-O'Brien, were each awarded $2,400 in U-Care (Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience Program) funds for the 2023-24 academic year. The goal of these projects are for students to engage in intensive research or creative activity for 10 hours per week. Knezevic is a junior from Lone tree, CO, who will study "Examining Current and Generational Bumble Bee Foraging and Reproductive Success Across Difference Habitats with High (Agricultural), Medium (Urban) and Low (Prairie) Pesticide Exposure Risk." Spencer is a sophomore from Bedford, NH, who will study "Using eDNA Techniques to Identify Salt Creek Tiger Beetles in Sensitive Environments II." More details are at https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/221-husker-undergrads-receive-stipends-for-research-projects/. |
| Scholarship | Claire Klein | Claire Klein was awarded the Insect Science Scholarship. | Claire Klein was awarded the Insect Science Scholarship. |
| Scholarship | Claire Klein | Claire Klein was awarded the Warren and Una Emerson Memorial Scholarship. | Claire Klein was awarded the Warren and Una Emerson Memorial Scholarship. |
| Scholarship | Nia Kaufmann | Nia Kaufmann was awarded the Ephriam and Veallon Hixson Memorial Scholarship. | Nia Kaufmann was awarded the Ephriam and Veallon Hixson Memorial Scholarship. |
| Scholarship | Nia Kaufmann | Nia Kaufmann was awarded the Charles Glenn Murphy Memorial Scholarship. | Nia Kaufmann was awarded the Charles Glenn Murphy Memorial Scholarship. |
| Research Slam Finalist | Emma Knezevic | Emma Knezevic, Insect Science major, was selected as one of five finalist for UNL's 2023 Student Research Days Slam. | Emma Knezevic, Insect Science major, was selected as one of five finalist for UNL's 2023 Student Research Days Slam. She presented her program on March 31st at the wick Alumni Center. Knezevic is mentored by Dr. Louise Lynch-O'Brien. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selected to represent ESA section | Dr. Sajjan Grover | Dr. Sajjan Grover was selected to present his doctoral/post-doctoral work at the Early Career Professional Recognition Symposiums for Entomology 2023. | Dr. Sajjan Grover was selected to present his doctoral/post-doctoral work at the Early Career Professional Recognition Symposiums for Entomology 2023. Four presenters were selected nationally, one representing each ESA section, to give a 30-minute feature presentation describing their research contributions. |
| 2023 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year | Dr. Neil Spomer | Dr. Neil Spomer was selected as the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. He is a Crop Protection Field Sciences Innovation & Modernization Leader with Corteva Agriscience, Indianpolis. | Announced at 2023 Alumni Banquet, May 5, 2023. Spomer's presentation was titled "My UNL Journey - from Business to Entomology and Beyond." |
| Developed Online Keys | E.A. "Short" Heinrichs, emeriti and alumnus | E.A. "Short" Heinrichs has completed two important online resources. | Dr. E.A. "Short" Heinrichs has completed two important online keys for identifying insect pests of rice and their natural enemies. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge Match during "Glow Big Red" Fundraiser | Insect Science Scholarship Fund | Joe and Chris Stone challenged the department's friends, alumni, and colleagues to get 20 donors to unlock a $750 donation. | The department added more than $2,100 to the Insect Science Scholarship Fund, moving the fund closer to making it an endowed scholarship. |
| Both the Agroecology Lab and Bee Lab represented the department at the 2023 Nebraska Aviation Trades Association convention. | Agroecology Lab (led by Julie Peterson) and UNL Bee Lab (led by Judy Wu-Smart). | Both the Agroecology Lab and Bee Lab represented the department at the 2023 Nebraska Aviation Trades Association convention. | The Entomology Department was well represented at the 2023 Nebraska Aviation Trades Association convention Feb 20-23, in Kearney, NE. |
2022 Awards and Recognition
Faculty | Postdoc | Staff | Graduate Students | Undergraduate Students | Alumni | Department-wide
View Past Years: 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016| 2015| 2014
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Dr. Julie Peterson | Conservation Research Award | Dr. Julie Peterson was recognized with a Conservation Research Award by the Nebraska chapter of the International Soil and Water Conservation Society. |
| Named to committee | Dr. Leslie Rault | Named the Physiology, Biochemistry & Toxicology (PBT) section representative to the Awards & Honors Committee for the ESA. | Named the Physiology, Biochemistry & Toxicology (PBT) section representative to the Awards & Honors Committee for the Entomological Society of America (ESA). She joined the committee in November 2022. |
| ESA Award | Dr. Joe Louis | P-IE Recognition award in Entomology from Entomological Society of America (ESA). | Dr. Joe Louis was awarded the ESA's 2022 P-IE Recognition Award in Entomology and will be recognized at this year's international ESA conference in Vancouver, Canada. |
| Award | Dr. Leslie Rault | Layman Seed Program Award from UNL. | Dr. Leslie Rault was awarded a 2022 Layman Seed Program award for her project, "Molecular marker development for mosquito species census in pollinator gardens." More details are on the UNL News website. |
| Award | Dr. Doug Golick | Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching. | Dr. Doug Golick received the Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching from the Entomological Society of America (ESA) North Central Branch. |
| CTT recognition | Erin Bauer | Named Teaching Ambassador by the Center for Transformative Teaching (CTT). | Erin Bauer was recognized for becoming a teaching ambassador for the Center for Transformative Teaching. She and five other UNL instructors completed a Reflective Practitioner program to earn this recognition. |
| Award | Dr. Justin McMechan | Junior Faculty Award from UNL. | Dr. Justin McMechan was named the 2022 recipient of the UNL Harold and Esther Edgerton Junior Faculty Award. |
| Award | Dr. Joe Louis | Dr. Louis was appointed as the Eberhard Professor of Agricultural Entomology on Jan. 1, 2022. | Dr. Joe Louis was named to the Eberhard Professor of Agricultural Entomology. The professorship is named after the late Harold and Alice Eberhard and their family. |
| Publication | Erin Bauer | Erin Bauer, Entomology, and Larry Barksdale, Forensic Science, published a Forensic Science manual for Nebraskans. | The manual is called "Death Scene Insect Succession in Nebraska: A Guidebook," and is designed for both students studying forensics and law enforcement personnel investigating crimes. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Lise Pingault | Dr. Lise Pingault was named the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2021 Outstanding Postdoc Award winner by the UNL Office of Graduate Studies. | Dr. Pingault was named the UNL 2021 Outstanding Postdoc Award winner by the UNL Office of Graduate Studies. Pingault is part of the Plant-Insect Interactions Lab, lead by Dr. Joe Louis, in the Entomology Department. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Marissa Kemp | Marissa Kemp was named the 2022 was selected one of IANR's Outstanding Employees. | Congratulations to Marissa Kemp, IANR Business Centers, for receiving an Outstanding Employee Award from the Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources (IANR)! She was one of 10 employees and one team who were recognized at an awards celebration on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at the Nebraska East Union. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Araceli Gomez Villegas | National Military Fish & Wildlife Association Scholarship and travel scholarship. | Araceli Gomez received the National Military Fish & Wildlife Association Scholarship and travel scholarship to attend the "Protecting Pollinators in Urban Spaces" conference Oct. 10-12, 2022, in Athens, Georgia. |
| Travel Award | Molly Darlington | Lillian & Alex Feir Graduate Student Travel award from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). | Lillian & Alex Feir Graduate Student Travel award from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). |
| Travel Award | Araceli Gomez, Rogan Tokach & Andrea Rilakovic | Named recipients of the IANR Larrick Memorial Travel Fund awards from the Ag. Research Division at UNL. | MS students Araceli Gomez (co-mentored by Julie Peterson and Autumn Smart) and Rogan Tokach (co-mentored by Judy Wu-Smart and Autumn Smart), and Ph.D. student Andrea Rilakovic (co-mentored by Julie Peterson and Ana Vélez) were named recipients of IANR ARD Larrick Memorial Travel Fund awards. Congratulations, Araceli, Rogan, and Andrea! |
| Award | Heena Puri | ESA P-IE Kenneth & Barbara Starks Plant Resistance to Insects Graduate Student Award from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). | Heena Puri, mentored by Dr. Joe Louis, was named the ESA 2022 P-IE Kenneth & Barbara Starks Plant Resistance to Insects Graduate Student Award. ESA is the Entomological Society of America. Congrats Heena! |
| Award | Edith Ikuze | Cooper-Sharpless Fellowship | Edith Ikuze, master's student mentored by Dr. Joe Louis, received the Cooper-Sharpless Fellowship. |
| Award | Natasha Umezu | Earl & Bertha Ramsey Memorial Fellowship | Natasha Umezu, M.S. student mentored by Dr. Justin McMechan, received the Earl & Bertha Ramsey Memorial Fellowship. Congratulations! |
| Award | Shianne Lindsay | Charles Murphy Memorial Fellowship and Dr. Ron Johnson & Dr. Mark Beck Graduate Student Fellowship for Nature Conservation. | Master's student Shianne Lindsay received both the Charles Murphy Memorial Fellowship and Dr. Ron Johnson & Dr. Mark Beck Graduate Student Fellowship for Nature Conservation. Shianne is mentored by Dr. Autumn Smart. Congratulations! |
| Award | April LeBaron | Chancellor's Fellowship | April LeBaron received the UNL Chancellor's Fellowship. She is mentored by Dr. Tom Weissling. |
| Award | Heena Puri | Fred Clute Scholarship & Widaman Distinguished Graduate Fellowship. | Heena Puri, mentored by Dr. Joe Louis, received the both the Fred Clute Scholarship & the Widaman Distinguished Graduate Fellowship. |
| Award | Rogan Tokach | Pam-Costco Ph.D. Scholar | M.S. student, Rogan Tokach, was selected as a Pam-Costco Ph.D. Scholar. He is mentored by Dr. Judy Wu-Smart and Dr. Autumn Smart. |
| Award | Gabriela Carmona | Outstanding Graduate Student Award winner | The Gamma Sigma Delta society named Ph.D. candidate Gabriela Carmona (mentored by Justin McMechan) as the 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student Award winner at its award reception on March 27, 2022. |
| Recognition | Araceli Gomez Villegas | Featured in an article from the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship program. | Araceli Gomez Villegas was featured in an article from the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship program. She is advised by Dr. Julie Peterson and Dr. Autumn Smart, from the Entomology Department, and Dr. Andrew Little from the School of Natural Resources (SNR). |
| Award | Heena Puri | Graduate Student Scholarship | This $500 graduate student scholarship was presented by the Entomological Society of America (ESA) North Central Branch at the branch's meeting in Minneapolis, MN, March 20-23, 2022. |
| Award | Andrea Rilakovic | 1st place poster winner at 10th International IPM symposium. | Andrea Rilakovic (mentored by Dr. Julie Peterson) received 1st Place for her poster at the 10th International IPM symposium held Feb. 28-March 3, 2022, in Denver, CO. Her winning poster is online at https://ipmsymposium.org/2022/Documents/Posters/P91.pdf. |
| Recognition | Luis Ochoa Cadena | Recognized in the IANR Global Engagement Student Spotlight | Luis Ochoa Cadena was recognized in the IANR Global Engagement Student Spotlight. He is workin gon a sunflower pest management project under the supervision of Drs. Gary Brewer, Jeff Bradshaw, and Autumn Smart. |
| Award | Heena Puri | Ph.D. student with Dr. Joe Louis was awarded a Life Sciences Graduate Fellowship Award for the Spring 2022 semester. | This $2,500 fellowship is for graduate students enrolled in a Life Science program in the Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources Ag. Research Division (IANR/ARD) at UNL. The fellowship is made possible through an endowment to the University of Nebraska Foundation. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognition | Ace Cuevas | Congratulations to Ace Cuevas who has been hired by the Lancaster County Health Department to create a series of three sculptures related to litter and polution in some way. She chose the Salt Creek Tiger Beetle, a Monarch butterfly, and a few eastern Nebraska native plants. | Ace chose to represent the litter and polution of Nebraska by depicting Nebraska's endangered insects and plants, with the goal of creating a dialogue about the potential future in which their habitats are filled with trash and empty of insect life. |
| Award | Nia Kaufmann | QuickTrip Scholarship | Nia Kaufman was awarded a QuickTrip Scholarship. |
| Award | Claire Klein | Hixson Memorial Scholarship, Insect Science Scholarship & Charles Murphy Memorial Scholarship | Claire Klein was awarded the Hixson Memorial Scholarship, Insect Science Scholarship & the Charles Murphy Memorial Scholarship. |
| Award | Edith Ikuze | (ESA) P-IE Undergraduate Student Achievement Award in Entomology. | Ikuze was awarded the Entomological Society of America's (ESA) 2022 P-IE Undergraduate Student Achievement Award in Entomology. Now an M.S. student in Entomology, she is mentored by Dr. Joe Louis. |
| Award | Fiona Callahan | Callahan was selected as a finalist in this year's Student Research Days SLAM! | Callahan will give a presentation April 13 communicating her work in short, dynamic, engaging presentations, with a winner to be decided by the audience. The Slam competition will run from noon-1 p.m. |
| Recognition | Bennett Grappone | Grappone, a dual microbiology and insect science major, was recognized for earning an Undergraduate Experiential Learning grant through the Center for Transformative Teaching. He is using his grant to classify insects (specifically all species of caddisflies in the order Trichoptera). | He earned an experiential-learning grant from the Center for Transformative Teaching. |
| Recognition | Claire Klein | Klein was featured in the CASNR Change Maker Spotlight at https://ianrnews.unl.edu/casnr-change-maker-spotlight-claire-klein. | Klein is a Change Maker Scholarship recipient from Los Angeles, CA. She is working to reduce plastic water bottle use and promote the use of filtered water bottles. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Dr. Thomas Perring | Congratulations to departmental alumnus, Dr. Thomas Perring, who was named the recipient of the 2022 Department of Entomology Alumni Recognition Award. | Dr. Thomas Perring was selected by the Bruner Club Education Committee to be the 2022 Distinugished Alumni Award Winner. He was nominated by Dr. Shripat Kamble, emeritus professor. Dr. Perring graduated with a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1983. |
| Recognition | Jennifer Weisbrod | IANR Faculty Spotlight | Jennifer Weisbrod was featured in the Faculty Spotlight by IANR Media. Weisbrod graduated with her Masters of Science degree in Entomology from UNL in 2020. She was mentored by Dr. Judy Wu-Smart. |
2021 Awards and Recognition
Faculty | Graduate Students | Undergraduate Students | Alumni | Department-wide
View Past Years: 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016| 2015| 2014
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognition | Dr. Tiffany Heng-Moss | Dr. Tiffany Heng-Moss was recognized for her accomplishments by the Food Systems Leadership Institute during the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) annual meeting in December, 2021. | Dr. Tiffany Heng-Moss, dean of the UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and professor of Entomology, was named a Leadership Fellow for her accomplishments by the Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI) during the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) annual meeting in December, 2021. The FSLI is a 2-year program designed for experienced leaders in academia, government, and industry. |
| Recognition | Judy Wu-Smart | Entomologist Dr. Judy Wu-Smart was selected to serve as an Entomological Society of America Science Policy Fellow. | Dr. Judy Wu-Smart, an Extension & Research Entomologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was selected to serve as an ESA Science Policy Fellow. She was selected because she pursues research questions and extension programs focused on better understanding pollinator health stressors in managed and wild bee communities. |
| Recognition | Jody Green | Green is featured in a Nebraska Today article about her unusual career as an urban entomologist. | Jody Green, an extension educator covering Douglas and Sarpy counties and an adjunct professor, is a go-to expert on insect- and arachnid-related questions for more than 750,000 Nebraskans. See the Nebraska Today article at: https://entomology.unl.edu/green-stays-busy-summer-insects. |
| Award | Julie Peterson | Award of Excellence in Integrated Pest Management | Associate Professor Julie Peterson won the Award of Excellence in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at the North Central Branch meeting of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Congratulations Julie! |
| Grant | Dr. Doug Golick | Received a $19,259 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust | Dr. Doug Golick, associate professor of Entomology, received a $19,259 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) in April. He received one of 23 grants that were awarded to faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Golick will study Milkweed as a teaching tool in the classroom. |
| Recognition | Dr. Autumn Smart | Runner-up in the 2019-20 Readers' Choice Award for the Journal of Economic Entomology | “The Economics of Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Mgt. & Overwintering Strategies of Colonies Used to Pollinate Almonds,” co-authored by Dr. Autumn Smart, was chosen as a runner-up in the 2019-20 Readers' Choice Award for the Journal of Economic Entomology. Congratulations Autumn! |
| Recognition | Joe Louis and Jody Green | Promotions | Congratulations to Dr. Joe Louis on being promoted to full Professor and to Dr. Jody Green on being promoted to Associate Extension Educator! They were among 109 faculty members at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who were promoted this year. |
| Award | John Ruberson and Thomas Weissling | Family and Friends Recognition Award | The award recognizes faculty and staff who have made a significant difference in students’ lives. Tom has now been recognized twice with this award! Congratulations! |
| Recognition | Dr. Jeff Bradshaw | President-elect of the North Central Branch of the Entomology Society of America | Bradshaw is an associate professor of Entomology, extension specialist, and interim director of the Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff. |
| Recognition | Dr. Judy Wu-Smart | Media attention for work on environmental contaminants | Received considerable media attention for her outstanding work with the environmental contaminants associated with the AltEn ethanol facility in Mead, NE. Her careful and patient work has been pivotal in bringing about very significant change. There has been coverage of the situation as far away as the UK, but an excellent article about it is in the Lincoln Journal Star. Great work Judy! |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Sanket Shinde | Chancellor's Fellowship | Sanket Shinde, Ph.D. student in Entomology, received the Chancellor's Fellowship from UNL Graduate Studies. He is mentored by Dr. Joe Louis. |
| Award | Hannah Stowe | Othmer Fellowship | Hannah Stowe, Ph.D. Entomology student, mentered by Dr. Julie Peterson, was awarded the Othmer Fellowship from the Office of Graduate Studies. |
| Awards | Heena Puri | 1. Milton E. Mohr Fellowship 2. Hardin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship Award 3. Othmer Fellowship | Heena Puri, Ph.D. student in Entomology mentored by Joe Louis, was awarded the Milton E. Mohr Fellowship; the Hardin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship; and the Othmer Fellowship. The Mohr Fellowship is from the UNL Center for Biotechnology. The Hardin Fellowship is from the Agricultural Research Division (ARD) within the Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources (IANR). The Othmer Fellowship is from the Office of Graduate Studies. |
| Award | Gabriela Inveninato Carmona | Shear-Miles Fellowship | Gabi Carmona, Ph.D. candidate, received the Shear-Miles Fellowship for $2,000. She is advised by Dr. Justin McMechan. This award is given by the Agricultural Research Division (ARD) within the Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources (IANR). |
| Award | Vilma Montenegro | Charles Glenn Murphy Memorial Scholarship | Vilma Montenegro, M.S. student mented by Dr. Justin McMechan, received the $730 from the Charles Glenn Murphy Memorial Scholarship. This is award is from the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (CASNR) and the University of Nebraska Foundation. |
| Award | Sajjan Grover | ESA Student Activity Award for 2021 | Sajjan Grover, Ph.D., received the 2021 Student Activity Award from the Entomological Society of America (ESA)! Sajjan graduated with his Ph.D. in May 2021 and was mentored by Dr. Joe Louis. |
| Recognition | Annie Krueger | IANR Student Spotlight | Annie Krueger, Ph.D. candidate in Entomology, was featured in the IANR Student Spotlight this week. Annie is from Stevensville, MD, and plans to graduate this August. She is mentored by Dr. Troy Anderson |
| Award | Matt Greiner | Awarded 1st place in the student paper competition at the recent Ozark-Prairie SETAC meeting. | MS student Matt Greiner (mentored by Dr. Ana Vélez) was awarded 1st place in the student paper competition at the recent Ozark-Prairie SETAC meeting. The victory will provide him with funds to attend the national SETAC meeting in November. Way to go, Matthew! |
| Recognition | Dr. Kristin Lewis | Retirement from Civil Service | Congratulations to Dr. Kristin Lewis, one of our online MS in Entomology students, on her retirement from Civil Service on March 27! In this picture, she is being presented an Award for Civilian Achievement by Lt. Col. Mary C. Yelnicker (left). Lewis served as a Training Development Element Chief, 381st Training Support Squadron, 82nd Training Group, 82nd Training Wing, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, from April 24, 2014-March 27, 2021. Her nominator wrote that Lewis's "efforts ensured continuation of the Basic Instructor Course during Coronavirus pandemic restrictions, meeting Community College of the Air Force accreditation requirements for 53 instructors and zero mission impacts to training. The distinctive accomplishments of Dr. Lewis reflect credit upon herself and the United States Air Force." Kristin is advised by Tom Weissling & Erin Bauer. |
| Recognition | Jordy Reinders | IANR Student Spotlight | Ph.D. candidate Jordy Reinders was featured in the IANR Student Spotlight recently. Jordy will be graduating in May 2021 with a degree in Entomology. Reinders is advised by Dr. Lance Meinke. |
| Recognition | Samantha Daniel | KODY radio interview | Graduate student Samantha Daniel did an awesome job being interviewed by KODY radio about overwintering insects (middle of the page)! Samantha is a master's student mentored by Dr. Julie Peterson and will be graduating in May. |
| Recognition | Vilma Montenegro | featured in the "IANR is Global" spotlight series | Vilma Montenegro, Entomology master's student, was featured in the "IANR is Global" spotlight series. Montenegro presented an online seminar via Zoom on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. Her topic was "Research Challenges in Latin America: A Forensic Entomology Perspective. Montenegro is advised by Dr. Justin McMechan |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation | Earl Agpawa, B.S. in Insect Science & Biochemistry | December 2021 Graduation | Congratulations to the December graduates and thanks to everyone who attended the virtual Graduation Celebration on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. |
| Award | Rachel Abbott | Insect Science Scholarship | Rachel Abbott was awarded the Insect Science Scholarship for $300 for Fall 2021. |
| Awards | Earl Agpawa | 1. Warren & Una Emerson Scholarship 2. Charles Glenn Murphy Memorial Scholarship | Earl Agpawa received $1,000 from the Emerson Scholarship and $730 from the Murphy Memorial Scholarship. Both are through the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (CASNR) and the University of Nebraska Foundation. |
| Award | Skyler Gubbels | Ephriam & Veallon Hixon Scholarship | Skyler Gubbels received $550 from the Ephriam & Veallon Hixon Scholarship through the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (CASNR) and the University of Nebraska Foundation. |
| Award | Sierra Laverty | Earl & Bertha Ramsey Scholarship | Sierra Laverty received the Earl & Bertha Ramsey Scholarship. This is through the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (CASNR) and the University of Nebraska Foundation. |
| Award | Mariah Robinson | Subject of a prize-winning photograph | Mariah Robinson from the UNL Bee Lab was the subject of this prize-winning photograph by UNL's Craig Chandler. The photograph won June's Best of Show award from the UPAA (University Photographer's Association of America). Congrats everyone! |
| Recognition | Courtney Wallner | Featured in Nebraska Today | Insect Science student Courtney Wallner was featured in a Nebraska Today article about becoming a veterinarian for bees. Wallner is graduating in May and plans to attend vet school at Tufts University, Medford, MA. Great work Courtney! |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognition | Justine LaViolette and Erin Bauer | Featured in Nebraska Today | Alumna Justine LaViolette and graduate lecturer Erin Bauer were featured in a Nebraska Today article about adding creativity in science by using puppetry, songs, and humor. |
| Recognition | Jennifer Weisbrod | New Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator | Entomology Alumna Jennifer Weisbrod was selected as the new Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. Weisbrod graduated with her master's degree in Entomology in 2020 and is taking the reins from her predecessor Clyde Ogg, emeritus extension educator. |
| Recognition | Kait Chapman | New urban entomology extension educator for Lancaster County. | 2020 Entomology Department alumna, was hired as an urban entomology extension educator for Lancaster, York, Seward, Cass and Otoe Counties in Nebraska. She will primarily focus on programs related to insects affecting plants, food, and humans. While a graduate student, Chapman assisted with teaching, and developing science literacy and informal outreach programs. |
| Recognition | Kait Chapman | Interviewed by Channel 10/11 | Kate Chapman, extension educator, was interviewed by Channel 10/11 about tick season in Nebraska. The peak season for ticks in Nebraska is May and June, according to Chapman. See Kate's video interview on the 10/11 website. |
| Award | Dr. Silvana Paula-Moraes | 2021 Department of Entomology Alumni Recognition Award | Congratulations to departmental alumna Dr. Silvana Paula-Moraes who was recently named the recipient of the 2021 Department of Entomology Alumni Recognition Award. |
| Type | Recipients | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation Celebration | December 2021 Graduates | Congratulations to the December graduates and thanks to everyone who attended the virtual Graduation Celebration on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. | Congratulations graduates!
|
| Graduation Celebration | August 2021 Graduates | Congratulations to the August graduates and thanks to everyone who attended the virtual Graduation Celebration on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. | Congratulations to our Summer 2021 graduates:
|
| Portfolio Show | Scientific Illustration Course (ENTO 828) | The Scientific Illustration Course (ENTO 828) is proud to present its 2021 Student Portfolio Show. | The Scientific Illustration Course (ENTO 828) is proud to present its 2021 Student Portfolio Show. Taught by Lana Johnson, this course blends the creativity of art and the discipline of science in developing observation and drawing skills. Using traditional art techniques, students recorded and visually communicated scientific concepts and natural history objects and organisms for publication, presentation and teaching. Artists in this class are usually students in STEM fields with little or no formal art training. |
| Graduation Celebration | May 2021 Graduates | Thanks to everyone who attended our virtual Graduation Celebration on Friday, May 14, 2021. | Congratulations graduates!
|
| Award2021 | UNL Department of Entomology | Seven Seals Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) | The UNL Department of Entomology was awarded the Seven Seals Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). This is presented in recognition of significant individual or organizational achievement, initiative, or support that promotes and supports the ESGR mission, to include the efforts of the more than 4,500 volunteers who carry out ESGR’s mission across the nation on a daily basis. The Entomology Department was nominated by Courtney Brummel and Sheldon Brummel. The department is pleased to support these two in their service to our country. Thanks for the nomination, Courtney and Sheldon! |