January
2004
The Department
of Entomology at Purdue University would like to keep you updated on news
and events that occur in between newsletter printings in the spring and
fall. To do this, the Department is providing an electronic newsletter.
This electronic newsletter will not replace the printed version but will
supplement it during the summer and winter. Entomology @ Purdue will be
emailed semi-annually.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Feature
Article:
New Partnership Aims to Protect Hoosier Kids from Pests and
Pesticides
Department News
From the Head Bug
Staff Recognition
Outreach Update
Development Update
Entomology Students
Alumni News
Calendar
FEATURE
ARTICLE
New Partnership
Aims to Protect Hoosier Kids from Pests and Pesticides
Dr. Tim
Gibb recently received an EPA Environmental Education grant to promote
the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in childcare facilities throughout
Indiana. IPM emphasizes non-chemical pest control strategies, combined
with low-risk pesticides and application methods to reduce pests and the
potential for pesticide exposure. This project is an extension of the
successful IPM in Schools program, which fostered voluntary adoption of
new pest management policies by nearly 90% of Indiana school corporations,
the highest voluntary adoption rate nationwide. The grant will extend
the funding for the IPM Technical Resource Center, founded in 2000 to
provide schools and childcare facilities with resources and technical
assistance for adopting IPM.
Indiana
has over 5,000 licensed or registered childcare facilities that provide
care and education to over 100,000 children, most of them under 6 years
old. Protecting very small children from pests and pesticide exposure
is especially important. Children may be more vulnerable because their
bodies are in a developing state, and because common behaviors such as
crawling and hand-to-mouth activities can increase their risk of pesticide
exposure.
|
Al
Fournier is sharing his knowledge of insects with children |
Indiana
is one of the first states to provide pest management guidelines specifically
for childcare facilities based on the principles of Integrated Pest Management,
or IPM. The Indiana Pesticide Review Board has developed a model pest
management policy, based on IPM, which they recommend for immediate adoption
by all Indiana childcare settings (centers, ministries and homes). The
policy, passed unanimously last February, applies to all building and
grounds used by childcare facilities. The policy recommends that childcare
providers:
- Avoid
the routine use of pesticides and base pest control decisions on regular
inspections.
- Use
non-chemical methods to control pest problems when possible.
- Ensure
that only certified pesticide applicators or registered technicians
apply pesticides when they are needed.
- Ensure
that pesticides are not applied when children are present at the facility.
- Ensure
that children do not return to pesticide-treated areas within 2 hours
of application or as specified on the pesticide label, whichever time
is greater.
- Provide
at least 2 days advance notice of pesticide application to parents and
staff except in emergencies where pests pose an immediate threat to
human health.
- Designate
a contact person to answer questions from parents and staff about pesticide
use.
The purpose
of the EPA grant is to create awareness of the new guidelines and to promote
IPM adoption among Indiana childcare providers. To accomplish this we
have formed a coalition among state agencies and associations responsible
for licensing and educating child care providers. The coalition includes:
- The
IPM Technical Resource Center
- Purdue
Cooperative Extension Service, Department of Child Development and Family
Studies
- The
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
- The
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
- The
Headstart Program
- The
5-Star Program
- The
Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children
- Improving
Kids Environments, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit organization
Integrated
Pest Management will be added to the current curriculum of workshops and
trainings for childcare providers statewide. In addition, the coalition
will design an IPM brochure, with information about the new model policy,
for distribution among Indiana childcare providers. The Purdue School
IPM website is also being expanded to include a section for childcare
providers.
We are excited
about the new partnerships we have forged and feel confident that this
project will go a long way toward protecting Indiana’s children
from the potential hazards of pests and pesticides.
To learn
more about IPM or Indiana’s child care pest management policy, visit
Purdue University’s IPM
Technical Resource Center and click on “Child Care IPM.”
- Al
Fournier -
DEPARTMENT NEWS Certificates of Appreciation – Jim Pheasant, Project
Manager of National Agriculture Pest Information System (NAPIS) Database
with CERIS was awarded his 5th and 6th Certificates of Appreciation from
the United States Department of Agriculture awarded in the last 12 years.
Both awards were received on December 3, 2003 at an awards dinner/ceremony
held at the national CAPS meeting in Las Vegas, NV. The 28 State Eastern
Region (USDA/APHIS/PPQ) was a Certification of Appreciation for years
of dedicated service and excellence to NAPIS and the CAPS program. Plant
Protection and Quarantine/APHIS/USDA (PPQ’s) management awarded
to the members of the National CAPS (Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey)
committee a plaque in “recognition and appreciation for your dedication
and leadership as a member of the national CAPS Committee.”
Outstanding Service Award Recipient for 2003 was Bill
Kielhorn. The purpose of the Outstanding Service Award is to perpetuate
the standards of excellence exemplified by Purdue's Entomology Department.
The Award is designed to honor performance, contributions, accomplishments
and recognize continued outstanding service. A luncheon was held on November
17. [View photos]
Tippecanoe County Board of Health Appreciation Award
– John MacDonald was presented an Appreciation Award on behalf of
the Tippecanoe County Board of Health for his outstanding volunteer services
in the development of an integrated mosquito control program, thereby
helping reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease to the citizens of Tippecanoe
County on November 10, 2003. His early involvement focused on education
of the staff regarding mosquito biology, meeting with county leaders (mayors
and county commissioners), and training R. J. Beck and two of our Entomology
students hired as summer interns, Emily Johnson and Lauren Street. [View
full story]
Purdue Entomology Mixer held at Cincinnati, OH –
The Department of Entomology held a Purdue Mixer at the National Entomological
Society of America (ESA) meeting on Oct. 26-29, 2003. To [View
photos]
Dr. James Dill was selected for the 2003 John V. Osmun
Alumni Professional Achievement Award in Entomology at Purdue University.
James received his B.S. ’72 and M.S. ’74 degree in Biology
from the University of Maine and his Ph.D. ‘79 in Entomology from
Purdue University. James is currently an Associate Program Extension Professor
and Cooperating Professor of Entomology at the University of Maine. If
you have someone that you would like to nominate for this award please
go to our website and fill out a nomination
form.
Nomination forms are due to the department by May 15,
2004.
|
2003 John V. Osmun award
winner
(l-r) John V. Osmun and James F. Dill |
Dr. Tim Gibb and Al Fournier were recognized recently
by the Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 "For outstanding
efforts to promote school Integrated Pest Management both within Indiana
and nationally." In June 2003, they received a plaque for Outstanding
State and National Achievements in Integrated Pest Management in Schools.
Scientists unraveling lice genome to halt blood-sucking
pest – In the November issue of the Journal Insect Biochemistry
& Molecular Biology, Purdue and Harvard university researchers report
finding lice genes that control the breakdown of their human blood meal
into energy and waste. They also identified the first gene in lice that
may impact the insects’ ability to fight off bacterial infections.
The study is currently on the journal’s web site. [View
full story]
Genes for jobs – Multiple genes are expressed at
different levels in worker and soldier termites – In September 26
Genome biology – published by BioMed Central, a sister company of
The Scientist – Michael E. Scharf and colleagues at Purdue University
show differential expression of 25 genes involved in regulatory, structural,
and enzymatic processes involved in determining termite castes and their
developmental precursor stages. [View
full story]
NEW EMPLOYEES IN THE DEPARTMENT
Qi Zhang started as a full time employee for Virginia
Ferris working in the laboratory.
Ting-Ting Lu started as a full time employee on October 6 and is working
for Rich Shukle in the laboratory.
Chris Pierce joins the Department on January 12, 2004 as the new CAPS
(Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey) State Survey Coordinator.
FROM THE HEAD BUG
Staff Recognition
In December at our annual Christmas party, I had an opportunity
to acknowledge all of the students, staff, and faculty who received awards
and special recognition during the year. Entomology received more than
70 different awards and/or recognitions in 2003.
New congratulations are in order for Jim Pheasant, coordinator
of NAPIS (National Agricultural Pest Information System), who was recognized
by USDA for his contributions to the National CAPS (Cooperative Agricultural
Pest Survey) Committee in one award, and for his years of dedicated service
and excellence to NAPIS and the CAPS program in a second award. John MacDonald,
emeritus professor, received a plaque of appreciation from the Tippecanoe
County Board of Health for his outstanding volunteer services in the development
of an integrated mosquito control program. Peg Hague (formerly Peg Carter),
secretary, was recognized for 20 years of service to Purdue. Purdue Cooperative
Extension Service recognized C. Richard Edwards, emeritus professor, for
his outstanding career in Extension.
Entomology students received 50 different awards and
recognitions during the year, staff 6 awards and recognitions, and faculty
14 awards and recognitions. These included scholarships for undergraduate
and graduate students, travel grants, award winning presentations, and
various forms of appreciations. In 2003, we had a Fulbright Research Scholar
(Rich Edwards), a staff promotion (Vicki Cassens moved up to the next
professional grade), a faculty promotion (Jeff Stuart became a full professor),
and a national award for teaching (Chris Oseto) among many others. A list
of all awards and recognitions in Entomology in 2003 can be found
on our website.
We’re very proud of these accomplishments and appreciate
all the hard work this represents. We’ll continue to promote excellence
in our performance and accomplishments as we take steps to better serve
our constituents and deliver on our Land Grant University mission.
OUTREACH UPDATEMike Mullis began January 5, 2004 as the new Outreach
Coordinator. He will serve as the point of contact for the Department
regarding outreach and related efforts. Mike has an undergraduate and
a M.S. in education from Purdue University. He moved to West Lafayette
from Rushville, Indiana where Mike served as the Member Services Manager
for a rural electric company. Along with handling customer service issues,
Mike supervised the rural electric company's community grant program,
managed the daily operations of the Rush County Fiber Optic Board, developed
partnerships, and sought funding necessary for the creation of the Learning
Center of Rush County, and developed and delivered electrical safety demonstrations
to students and organizations. Prior to that Mike taught middle school
for four years in the Lafayette School Corporation and earned a masters
degree in Educational Technology from Purdue. He lives in West Lafayette
with his wife Jenny, who is a critical care nurse and their Labrador Retriever
Daisy.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
The Development Council met on October 3, 2003.
|
The
Development Council members includes (from l-r): Rich Edwards, Joe
Ruhl, Dave Mueller, Austin Frishman, Steve Yaninek, Bobby Corrigan,
Mike Culy, and Bob Abrams. Missing from the photo are Marlin Bergman,
Tom Turpin and John Owens. |
The Development Council thanked Muriel Andrew for her
contributions as a member of the council who stepped down just prior to
the October meeting, and welcomed four new members at the October meeting.
This included Bob Abrams (M.S. ‘77) Director/Engine Business Operations
for Cummins Engines, Bobby Corrigan (B.S. ‘77, M.S. ‘80, Ph.D.
‘95) Head of RMC Pest Management Consulting, Mike Culy (B.S. ’79,
M.S. ‘82, Ph.D. ‘87) scientist at Dow AgroSciences, and Joe
Ruhl biology teacher at Jefferson High School. The group identified several
issues to focus on as they took stock of their previous accomplishments
and identified several priorities for future action.
ENTOMOLOGY STUDENTS
Congratulations to Kurt and Kristin Saltzmann at the
birth of baby boy Michael Jeffrey Saltzmann. Michael was born on December
5.
AWARDS
Congratulations to all the participants at the OVEA
meeting on October 10. This was held in Indianapolis at Dow Agro Sciences
Headquarters. We had an excellent showing at the meeting and all the students
did a great job on their presentations. It was a close race and the first
and last was separated by only a few points. Purdue came away with 5 of
the 9 awards! Winners were:
Ruth
Hegarty won 1st place in the undergraduate competition at the Ohio Valley
Entomological Association meeting in October. (Ruth is a Jeff High School
student)
Al
Fournier won 1st place for his Ph.D. paper presentation
Eric
Rebek won 2nd place for his Ph.D. paper presentation
Joao
Pedra won 3rd place for his oral presentation for the Ph.D. Joao was
awarded $100 for his presentation.
Kim
Rebek won the Graduate Student Award for Outstanding Teaching. Kim also
received a Travel Grant from the Graduate Student Association.
|
Ohio
Valley Entomological Association (OVEA) Purdue team (l-r back row)
Ruth Hegarty, Eric Rebek, Craig Roubos, Joao Pedra, Al Fournier;
(l-r front row) Kim Rebek, Tina Wan, Lori Sulek, and Shujuan Li. |
NEW UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
We have 4 new undergraduate students for the spring 2004
semester.Helesa Agner who is from Zionsville, IN.
Ashley Carnes who is from Greenfield, IN.
Nitsa Martinez who is from Frankfort, IN.
Tabor Wilson who is from Bristol, IN.
NEW GRADUATE STUDENTS
We have 3 new graduate students for the spring 2004 semesterAnne Radavich will be working toward her M.S. degree
with Chris Oseto.
Margaret Schwinghammer will be working toward her Ph.D. degree with Gary
Bennett.
Soledad Rodas who will be working on her M.S. degree with Bob O’Neil.
NEW POST DOCS
Lu Sun became a Post Doc effective September 19, 2003
working with Virginia Ferris.
Xuguo (Joe) Zhou is a Post Doc and joined the department
in October. He received his Ph.D. ’02 in entomology from the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is working with the Urban Center. He is to conduct
physiological and molecular research on Midwestern termites. Our goals
of this research are to develop a better understanding of Midwestern termite
population biology, physiology, and case differentiation.
DECEMBER GRADUATES
The following students were December graduates from our
department: Kristin Saltzmann, M.S.;
Lu Sun, Ph.D.; Randy Hamilton, Ph.D.; Jolene Hurt, B.S.
ALUMNI NEWS
Luis Canas (Ph.D. ’01) Assistant Professor at The
Ohio State-Wooster, visited the department on November 13 and presented
a seminar on “Using Insect Biodemography to Determine Critical Elements
in the Population Ecology and Management of a Pest in a Multi-Crop System.”
His wife, Nuris Acosta (M.S. ’98) accompanied him on this trip to
visit with the department staff.
2003 PUCESA Special Award for Extension Response to
Ralstonia Solanacearus Outbreak – Congratulations to Dr. Allen Hammer,
Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Agriculture, Karen Rane and Gail Ruhl,
Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, and Dr. Robert Waltz (M.S. ’81,
Ph.D. ’86) Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Entomology and
Plant Pathology for their efforts in handling the outbreak of southern
bacterial wilt of Geranium, caused by Ralstonia solanacerum in Indiana
greenhouses. They received their award October 21 at the Purdue University
Cooperative Extension Service Banquet.
Congratulations to Corey Gerber (M.S. ’93, Ph.D.
’03) and his wife. They have a new addition to their family, a baby
boy named Caden Gerber. He was born October 14. Corey stated that his
son looks like his daughter Allison with dark hair and blonde eyebrows.
Angie (Richards) Resener (B.S. ’93) wrote us to
announce the birth of her second child. Matthew David Resener was born
on July 28. His big sister, Katherine (Katie) Marie, is four and is very
happy with her baby brother. Angie is happy to be an owner of Web Converting
of Indianapolis where she has worked as an account manager for almost
6 years.
Ray Siegel (B.S. ’87) after 14 years with the Office
of Indiana State Chemist as a Pesticide Investigator, I have left the
bosom of Purdue University. I am now the Structural Branch Manager with
the Division of Pesticide Regulation in the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
I started June 2, 2003. In August 2003, I was elected as the new Secretary
for the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials. This
organization is nationally known and works in cooperation with US EPA
and the state regulatory agencies with regard to structural pesticide
issues. I will keep in touch with Purdue Entomology as best as possible.
After all, this is where I got my start!
David and Drusha (M.S. ’85) wrote about their
family. They live in Spencerville, IN and have an email address (if anyone
would like it they can contact the department). They have seven children
and Drusha home schools six of the seven children. David works at Raytheon.
They look forward to hearing from folks this Christmas season.
Paul Cammer (M.S. ’74, Ph.D. ’85) stopped
in during the holidays and we managed to get caught up on all that is
going on with him and his family. Paul has retired from Cammer & Associates
and is actively enjoying retirement by teaching freshman Molecular Biology,
Advanced Biology and Post Advanced Biology. In 2003, he took a group of
15-17 year olds to Namibia for 10 days and reports they all had a very
educational as well as enjoyable time. Paul and his wife, Sandy, have
a daughter, Katie, 16, and a son Charlie, 14. Sandy is a lobbyist in D.C.
and in his free time Paul enjoys music, bicycling, and travel.
Thomas O. Ballard (M.S. ’75) upon graduation took
a job with American Cyanamid Company doing field research in the state
of Indiana. Tom earned a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Purdue
in 1994. After working for 25 years with American Cyanamid, it was sold
and dissolved. He now works at the University of Illinois in Champaign
as a computer programmer in the Office of Business Administration. Tom’s
wife, Elaine, works in Benton Community School Corporation as a Technology
Trainer for the four elementary schools. They
have two grown children. Andrea is married and has one son, Orion and
lives in Greensburg, IN. She has a B.S. in Anthropology from Ball State
University. Andrea is currently working as the children’s computer
librarian in Greenfield and is also working on earning a Master of Library
Science degree from IUPUI. Their son Ben is married and lives in Tampa,
FL and has one son, Alex. Ben has a B.S. in Environmental Biology from
Taylor University, and he recently took a job with King Engineering where
he does environmental research.
Harry Moore (M.S. ’55) is enjoying retirement.
My wife and I are both in good health. We stay busy with volunteer work
and some travel. In my spare time I enjoy woodworking and playing with
one or more of my thirteen grandchildren. I still remember the good old
days at Purdue. Best regards to everyone.
CALENDAR
January 5-9, 2004 – 68th Annual Pest Control Conference
www.entm.purdue.edu/entomology/ext
January 25-30, 2004 – 2004 Crop Management Workshops
www.entm.purdue.edu/entomology/ext
February 7, 2004 – Purdue Ag Fish Fry
Full information and a downloadable ticket order form are available at:
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agalumni
Feb. 18-20, 2004 - 2004 Annual HASTI (Hoosier Association
for Science Teachers Convention) in Indianapolis
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