The 29th Annual Forum of the Ohio Valley Entomological Association (OVEA) meeting was held on Friday, October 4th, 2016 at the Beck Agricultural Center. PhD student Kabita Kharel, 2016 OVEA President, hosted this years’ OVEA Meeting. The local organization committee included Tammy Luck, Julius Eason, Hannah Quellhorst, Bradley Smith, Scott Williams, and Mahsa Fardisi.  Many faculty and students came to support their peers. Dr. Stephen Cameron, Department Head, welcomed everyone and  recognized the contributions of sponsors, judges, and volunteers in putting the event together. Dr. Linda Mason, long-time executive member of OVEA, highlighted the history and mission of OVEA and encouraged students to continue hosting such worthwhile events. 

The 2016 Sponsors of OVEA were the Beck Agricultural Center, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont Pioneer, Indiana Pest Management, Insects Limited, J. T. Eaton and Co, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, SpensaTech, and Syngenta.  A total of 25 students presented their research in BS, MS and Ph.D. divisions, representing Purdue University, University of Kentucky, The Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, and Earlham College. All of the Purdue students who attended did very well. The following Purdue students were top finishers in their sections.

Masters
2nd place- Hannah E. Quellhorst (Dieudonne Baributsa) 

• Cumulative oxygen consumption during development of two postharvest pests (Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius and Plodia interpunctella Huebner)

3rd place – Crystal Klem (Jennifer Zaspel)

• A preliminary phylogeny of Eudocima based on morphological data (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Calpinae)

PhD
1st place - Matthew Ethington (Matthew D. Ginzel)

• Chemically-mediated host selection and colonization behavior of the peach bark beetle, Phloeotribus liminaris (Coleoptera: Scolytinae)

Kudos to everyone who presented, and congratulations to all the award winners!