Dr. Bob Wright (Emeritus)

About

Dr. Bob Wright retired from the UNL Department of Entomology in December 2023.  He is still conducting some research on  field crop insect management at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory (SCAL) near Clay Center, NE and other locations.  During his 35 year career, he also taught ENTO 825 Management of Agronomic Crop Insects online and was a co-teacher for the ENTO 888 online Master's Degree project (ENTO 888). 

Education

• B.A. in Zoology, University of California at Santa Barbara, 1975
• M.S. in Entomology, University of Arizona, 1977
• Ph.D. in Entomology, North Carolina State University, 1981

Professional Responsibilities and Activities

• Conduct research and Extension programs on insect pest management of field crops. Currently working primarily on corn and soybean insects.
• Coordinator of Nebraska Extension IPM programs
• Nebraska representative to NCERA 222, USDA Multistate Committee on IPM
• Member of S1080, USDA Multistate Committee on Soybean Insect Management
• Member of NC 246, USDA Multistate Committee on Corn Insect Management
• ESA committees:
  - North Central Branch representative to ESA Science Policy Capacity committee, 2018-2020
• Member of Alfalfa IPM Working Group, funded by North Central IPM Center
• North Central IPM Center
  -Advisory committee, member, 2019-present
  -Steering committee, member, 2019-present
  
  

Publications

Over 70 refereed journal articles, six book chapters, two research bulletins and numerous scientific abstracts dealing with biology and integrated pest management of insect pests of corn, sorghum, wheat, cotton, potatoes, turf and ornamental crops. See http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/entomologyfacpub/ for publications available online.

Awards and Honors

• Outstanding Young Scientist, University of Nebraska Chapter, Sigma Xi, 1990.
• Selected for National Extension Leadership Development program in North-Central Region, 1996-97 Class.
• North Central Branch Nominee for Entomological Society of America Award of Excellence in Integrated Pest Management, 1997.
• 2000 Specialists Section, Distinguished Service Award, Nebraska Cooperative Extension Association.
• 2007 Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Award, Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society.
• 2009 Educational Project Award, The Grasshoppers of Nebraska, Board Certified Entomologists of Mid-America, ESA
• 2011 IPM Team Award, European corn borer Team, Entomological Foundation.
• 2015 North Central Branch ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension
• 2015 Educational Project Award, Corn Rootworm Management in the Transgenic Era, Board Certified Entomologists of Mid-America, ESA
• 2016 Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension, ESA
• 2017 Extension Award of Merit, Nebraska Chapter, Gamma Sigma Delta
• 2018 International IPM Award of Excellence, North Central Soybean Entomology Research and Extension Team, International IPM Symposium
• 2019 Nebraska Extension Outstanding Team Award, Soybean Management Field Days

• 2020 C. V. Riley Award, North Central Branch, Entomological Society of America