Professional Awards
Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension—This award recognizes outstanding contributions in extension entomology. This year’s winner, Dr. William (Bill) D. Hutchison, is a professor of entomology and extension entomologist at the University of Minnesota. His outreach and research focus includes the development of ecologically based IPM for vegetables and grapes, with a goal of reducing economic and environmental risk. In 1996, Dr. Hutchison and several graduate students developed the VegEdge web site to support timely access of research-based Vegetable IPM results for growers, vegetable processors, crop consultants and extension staff in the Midwest Region. VegEdge is home to factsheets, real-time monitoring data for several insect pests, and the Minnesota Fruit & Vegetable IPM News, a joint effort with the Minnesota Deptartment of Agriculture IPM Program. During the summer months, VegEdge receives more than 2,500 requests/day. He has also published over 85 extension publications, 97 refereed journal articles and 17 book chapters. Dr. Hutchison has been very responsive to the needs of vegetable producers in the North Central Region. He recently led a multi-state effort to better understand migratory behavior and insecticide resistance in Helicoverpa zea, an effort that combines traditional research with data from multiple cooperators, to assist growers and IPM field representatives with real-time and strategic decision making.
Distinguished Achievement Award in Horticultural Entomology—This award honors any entomologist who has contributed to the American horticulture industry. This year’s awardee, Dr. Peter A. Follett, is a research entomologist with USDA-ARS at the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, Hawaii. He received his B.S. from the University of Vermont, his M.S. from Oregon State University, and his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in 1993. Dr. Follett’s research program focuses on developing new or improved pest management methods and postharvest treatments for quarantined pests that restrict the export of tropical fruits and vegetables from Hawaii. He is nationally and internationally recognized for his research on tropical invasive pests, pest risk management, and high temperature and irradiation quarantine treatments. Dr. Follett has published 75 refereed journal papers, 40 proceedings papers, and a number of invited book chapters. He is currently an associate editor for Journal of Economic Entomology and Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata.
Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching—This award is presented to the ESA member deemed to be the Society’s outstanding teacher of the year. The 2007 recipient, Dr. Joe McHugh, is a professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia and is the curator of the Arthropod Collection at the Georgia Museum of Natural History. McHugh’s research program focuses on the morphology and systematics of Coleoptera. He has produced 40 refereed journal articles and book chapters. McHugh is an active member of his department, serving as the undergraduate coordinator, chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, and faculty advisor to the student entomology club. His primary teaching responsibilities include insect taxonomy, insect morphology, and principles of systematics. Since arriving at UGA, he has received six teaching awards. McHugh has served on numerous ESA committees and judging panels, was the Chairman of Section A in 2001, and is the current president of the Coleopterists Society. McHugh received his B.S. from Cornell, his M.S. from the University of Connecticut, and his Ph.D. from Cornell.
Distinguished Service Award to the Certification Program—The purpose of this award is to encourage and reward outstanding contributions to the ESA Certification Program and the professionalism of entomology. This year’s recipient, Dr. Robert Davis, is a market development specialist for BASF Specialty Products. Bob received his educational degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. At UNL he received a B.S. degree in natural resources and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in entomology. His graduate degree work focused on testing and evaluating termite control techniques. He has worked in the pest control industry since 1984, providing services, technical support and research & development. Dr. Davis has provided over 24 presentations at professional meetings and averages over 70 training presentations per year to pest control professionals. He has produced five refereed publications with five in review. Bob has been a member of ESA since 1988 and ARPE/BCE since 1990. He has served on various committees within ESA and most recently served on the ESA/BCE certification board for six years. Dr. Davis enjoys sharing the excitement of entomology with the Boy Scouts and is a counselor for the Insect Studies merit badge.
Recognition Award in Entomology (Sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection)—This award recognizes entomologists who have made or are making signigicant contributions to agriculture. This year’s recipient, Dr. Mark Hoddle, is an extension specialist in biological control in the Entomology Department at the University of California, Riverside, and he is the director of the Center for Invasive Species Research. Dr. Hoddle completed his B.S. and M.S. at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and was awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1996. Upon taking a faculty position in 1997, his research has focused on invasive arthropod pest species and their control with natural enemies. Dr. Hoddle has published over 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers and two Annual Review of Entomology articles. He is co-author on a new book on biological control, which will be published in the summer of 2008, and is one of the principle organizers of the bi-annual California Conference on Biological Control and the International Symposium on the Biological Control of Arthropods.
Recognition Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry, & Toxicology (Sponsored by Bayer CropScience)—
More information on the 2007 ESA student awards is available at:
http://www.entsoc.org/
