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April 6, 2018

Posted by entomology.office | April 13, 2018

Department Announcements

Calling all social butterflies! We are excited to announce we are on multiple social media platforms. Stay connected to us on our channels below:

Send in any cool photos, news stories, or upcoming events to Christina Rede at Christina.rede@wsu.edu for our social media channels.  Please submit by Thursday noon to Christina or our SmartSheet notification page at:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form?EQBCT=b7c943ec39084d74a98410f50b4db935.

The 22nd Annual Insect Cinema Cult Classic will be TONIGHT Friday, April 6th in Todd Hall Room 276, beginning at 5:30 PM.  Do your kids BUG you? Join the WSU Entomology Department for the 22nd Insect Cinema Cult Classic as we showcase insects on the big screen like you’ve never seen them before! This event is free and open to everyone.  Movies showing will be:

The Deadly Mantis” I1957) A giant prehistoric praying mantis, recently freed from the Arctic ice, voraciously preys on American military at the DEW Line and works its way south. 1 hr 19 min.

The Thaw” (2009) A research expedition to the Arctic discovers that a melting polar ice cap has released a deadly prehistoric parasite. 1 hr 30 min.

Palm Rot” (2015) A research expedition to the Arctic discovers that a melting polar ice cap has released a deadly prehistoric parasite. 8 min.

There will also be live arthropods to view and interact with, as well as popcorn, door prizes, and a raffle.

The 2018 Insect Expo is scheduled for April 7th, 10 AM-2 PM at the Ensminger Pavilion on the WSU campus. WSU’s Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA) hosts this FREE annual family-friendly event with activities for all ages. Activities include: facepainting, living arthropods displays and handling, fossil making, etc. and visitors have the chance to take home a mealworm and watch it metamorphose into an adult beetle! Come learn about how insects and other arthropods impact your life while having a fun time!

Dr. Mike Strand is the Entomology Colloquium speaker on Monday, April 9th beginning at 12:10 PM.  Dr. Strickland is a Microbial Ecologist at the University of Idaho in the Department of Soil & Water systems.  His presentation is “Ecosystem Processes in the Age of Antibiotics.” For more information about Dr. Strickland go to: https://www.stricklandlab.com/.  The AMS dial # is 772402

Mark your calendars to attend the E. Paul Catts Lecture events on April 19 & 20, 2018.  This year’s speaker is, Dr. Rufus Isaacs. He is a faculty member in the Entomology Department at Michigan State University. The public lecture will be on Thursday, April 19, 2018, 5-6:30 PM at the 1912 Center (412 E. 3rd St. in Moscow, ID).  The title of this presentation is Bees and Blooms for Bigger Blueberries.  The dinner will be at 6:30 at the Hunga Dunga Brewing Company (333 N Jackson St, Moscow, ID 83843). Tickets for the dinner may be purchased by going here: https://store.entomology.cahnrs.wsu.edu/e-paul-catts-dinner-registration. Dr. Isaacs will be giving a scientific talk on Friday, April 20, 2018, at 11:00 AM in FSHN T101. The title of this presentation is Rebuilding IPM Programs After Invasive Pests Disrupt.   To learn more about Dr. Isaack go to:  http://www.canr.msu.edu/people/rufus_isaacs. We hope to see you there.

The Entomology, Food Science and Animal Science Spring Potluck BBQ will be on Friday April 20 beginning at 12:00 noon following Dr. Isaacs presentation in FSHN T-101.  We will be outside of T101 between Clark Hall and the FSHN Building.

Ben Lee’s PhD Preliminary Exam is scheduled for Monday, April 16, 2018 in FSHN 354 at 8:00 AM.  The AMS dial # is 774336.

Abigail Cohen’s PhD Preliminary Exam is scheduled for April 18, 2018 in FSHN 164 at 12:00 PM.

Congratulations to Adekunle Adesanya for taking first place for the 2018 GPSA Research Expo in Agriculture & Natural Sciences.

The next Entomology Faculty Meeting will be on April 27, 2018 at 10:00 AM in FSHN 164.  The AMS dial # is 774330.

The All Entomology Faculty Retreat is scheduled for August 16th and 17th in Pullman this year.

The Entomology Store is having a clearance sale.  All items are discounted up to 48%.  Check out the on-line store at store.entomology.cahnrs.wsu.edu.  You can also reach the Entomology Store from the new Entomology first item on front page banner.  We are now accepting credit card payments.

Applications for the ESA Science Policy Fellows Program are due by June 1, 2018.  If you are interested in a program that teaches entomologists the skills needed to successfully advocate for the discipline (and science-based decisions in general), I encourage you to look at the program description, past cohorts, and the application process, all linked from this page: https://www.entsoc.org/sci-pol/SPFs  If you have students or post-docs who might also have an interest, please share this email with them. IMHO, there is no downside to stronger linkages between scientists and policy-makers.  For more info contact Catherine Daniels cdaniels@wsu.edu  or visit the ESA webpage at https://www.entsoc.org/about/awards-honors.   The application deadline for the ESA Awards, Entomological Foundation Awards, ESA Certification Corporation Awards, Science Policy Fellows also have the June 1, 2018 deadline.  You may nominate  yourself or a colleague for any of these awards.

The 2018 Honey Bee Rearing and Bee Breeding Workshops will be on June 15th & 16th on the Pullman Campus.  Instructors will be Susan Cobey, Jennifer Han, Brandon Hopkins, Melanie Kirby, Tim Lawrence, Nick Naeger and Steve Sheppard. We will also have an outstanding guest speaker from abroad, Jeri Wright from UK to discuss bee nutrition and Gennaro Di Prisco from Italy to present his breeding project in Italy.  Ready to take beekeeping to the next level? For those of you who already have a working foundation in beekeeping, the WSU bee team is offering an event to introduce you to fundamental tools for stock improvement.  The Honey Bee Rearing workshop is designed to improve your understanding of queen rearing, bee breeding systems and selection methods though a combination of presentations and hands-on demonstrations. The Bee Breeding Workshop will also introduce you to the more advanced techniques of instrumental insemination and cryopreservation.  For more information and to register go to:  http://bees.wsu.edu/queen-rearing-and-bee-breeding-workshop/.

University Announcements

Spring is here and it’s time to think about all of those home projects needing attention. Need an extra hand? Contact Rent a rower to do the work for you!  Only one weekend remaining: April 14 & 15 Visit row.wsu.edu and click on “Rent-a-Rower.”  It’s just $15/hour per rower. All money goes to supporting the Cougar Rowing Team.  Thank you and Go Cougs!  For more info go to:  http://53398.orgsync.com/org/cougarcrew/RentARower.

Be aware that WSU Departments will no longer be doing the Van Driver Training for it’s employees.  Drivers need to get a driving record abstract from the Department of Licensing. This can be done on-line at http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/requestyourrecord.html.   Pam Merryweather is the instructor for the Coaching the Van Driver Training.  In this training program you will learn about conducting a vehicle inspection, safe driving skills and driving environments. Additional driving concerns and collision reporting procedures are also discussed. This program is highly recommended for all drivers of WSU cargo or passenger vans, and is required if you plan to rent a full-sized van from Motor Pool. Training must be repeated at least every two years. Upcoming dates for the trainings are:  April 4, May 3, June 7, July 5. August 2, 2018.   Go here to register for the training:  http://hrs.wsu.edu/ and click on the training  link https://hrs.wsu.edu/training/  and log-in to the WSU’s  Training website.  On the left-hand side under “Upcoming Events” select, “Instructor Led Training,” then “Session Schedule.” At this screen you can view the list of offerings by date, or click on “Course Title” to see the list alphabetically with the training dates.  Click on the Actions link and select Enroll in the Session.  Because we have a large number of summer employees we could see if Pam would be willing do a special training for us.  Let Dory know if you would like her to pursue this.

Registration and regalia orders for students participating in the Spring 2018 Commencement ceremony closes on Friday, April 13, 2018.  The link to register for commencement is https://commencement.wsu.edu/register-to-walk/.

APAC’s Spring Professional Development Seminars: The professional development seminars offer a range of training opportunities for WSU staff and faculty. We encourage you to attend.
Please click on the event links below to register.

May 2                  3:30–5:00 PM    Proven Keys to Career Building & Recovering from Self Inflicted Wounds,  Mike Worthy, Regent, Washington State University

May 17                TBA Servant                      Leadership

Robin Blanchard, CEO of Blanchard Consulting LLC

AMS sites are scheduled.   Sponsored by the Office of the President.

Quarterly lobbying reports must be filed online by Friday, April 13, 2018, covering WSU employee activities between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2018. For your convenience, you can report your lobbying activities through our online submission form. The reports will be reviewed and forwarded to the state Public Disclosure Commission and proper federal agencies. Note that you do not need to file a “no activity” report online if you did not lobby this quarter.  Not every meeting, event, and interaction you have with elected officials is considered lobbying. Visit our lobbying page for points of clarification on what you should and should not necessarily report. In the future, to help you facilitate interaction with elected officials, it is best that WSU employees consult with Government Relations staff in advance of any lobbying activity to ensure that we send a coordinated message from our institution. Meetings of this nature can be multilayered and touch many parts of the WSU community, therefore communicating with Government Relations can provide for a more organized legislative outcome. Additionally, Heather and Michele on our Government Relations staff are available to help you determine appropriate and legal ways to communicate with public officials and external stakeholders on political issues: FEDERAL RELATIONS   Michele McCarver: 509-335-5756 ,  STATE RELATIONS   Heather Dykstra: 360-534-2330.

Employment

  1. Staff Entomologist, Braman Termite & Pest Elimination, Agawarm MA
  2. Faculty Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Aurora, OR
  3. Lecturer, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL
  4. Project Management & Research Operations Director, FMC, Newark, DE
  5. Strawberry Entomologist, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA
  6. US Site Director, Research PhD, Castle Consulting, Kansas City, MO
  7. Biologist/Entomologist/Plant Pathology/Agronomist, EPA, Arlington, VA

Cougs Rise is an initiative of the Office of the Provost funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The program offers low-income and first-generation students from five Washington high schools college preparation programming and mentorship designed to boost their chances of earning a college degree. Our program is searching for students to serve as Peer Mentors for our 2018 Summer Bridge Program.  These students will then continue serving as mentors, working an average of 15hrs/wk. during the academic year for high school juniors and seniors. If any of your students is looking for a job this summer and continuing next year, please refer them to the application link below:  https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3OQLJqnjkwHB5PL.  Contact Ray Acuna-Luna at Ray ray.acuna@wsu.edu for more info.

If you know of any undergraduates that may be looking for a summer job working with honey bees and at a Farmer’s Market, please share this information with them:  I have a small honey and beekeeping business in Seattle, and am looking for an employee for the summer.  The main job would be running our farmer’s market booth in the University District, but I’d love to find someone who would also be interested in working with the bees.  The beekeeping side would vary significantly based on the person.  If you have anyone who’s going to be in the Seattle area this summer and is looking for 8-12 hrs/week of work, I’d love to talk to them.  You can find the job description here.  I can be flexible with the start and end dates, and potentially with some vacation time as well. Peter Nolte, Beekeeper/Owner, Rainy Day Bees.

Meetings: Regional, National, International

Pacific Branch ESA meeting in Reno, NV, June 10-13, 2018 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, NV.  Meeting registrations opened in February. Register before April 16, 2018, to take advantage of the Early Bird reduced rates at https://www.entsoc.org/pacific/registration.  For information about the Student Competition go to:  https://www.entsoc.org/pacific/student-competition.  The deadline for hotel reservations is Monday, May 14, 2018.

The Annual Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting is in New Orleans, LA, August 5-10, 2018 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.  The theme of the meeting is “Extreme events, ecosystem resilience and human well-being.”

Entomological Society of America Pacific Branch Annual Meeting is in Vancouver, BC, Nov 11-15, 2018.  This year’s theme is “Crossing Borders: Entomology in a Changing World.”  Submissions for papers and posters will open in mid-April for the Lunch and Learns and Functions.  For more info go to:  https://esa.confex.com/esa/2018/cfp.cgi