Purdue @ Newsletter Spring 2013 100 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE Entomology What’s Inside The Great and Powerful “OZ” In October 2012, Dr. John Osmun passed away at age 94. From the Head Bug: John Osmun 1918 - 2012 Department News Development Update Outreach Update Entomology Students Alumni News Calendar (Continued on page 2) Some people are born with a driving passion that helps them change the world and influence generations. Dr. John V. Osmun was such a person. His passion? Bugs. “When I visited West Lafayette in 1971 to interview for my faculty position, John came to meet me at the airport,” says Purdue Ento- mology Professor Tom Turpin. “We hopped into his little burnt orange sports car, and he quoted Robert Frost, announcing, ‘It’s a bluebutterfly day here in spring!’ His energy and enthusiasm were contagious — not just that day but every day. He was absolutely passionate about entomology, and he instilled that passion into every student and colleague who was fortunate enough to work with him.” THE EARLY YEARS. For 39 years a member of the Purdue faculty and for more than 60 years a professional of the pest man- agement industry, Osmun — “Oz” as he was known to many of his colleagues and students — played an unparalleled role as educator, researcher and regulator. He served as a chief entomologist for the U.S. Army and as a research entomologist with Merck & Co. before meeting Purdue’s J.J. Davis in 1947. Davis asked Osmun to join the faculty and develop a program in urban entomology. Several months later, in 1948, Osmun did precisely that. As assistant professor of ento- mology, he made history by developing and teaching the first four-year curriculum in urban and industrial entomology. His goal was to further the work that had been done by Davis to establish urban entomology as a highly respected, professional field. “John was a leading light in establishing national and international recognition of entomology as a profession,” says Contech Enterprises Chief Scientific Officer John Borden. “Although he was always soft-spoken and unassuming, John was a true leader, whose dedication to professionalism lives on in legions of Board Certified Entomologists.” In 1950, Osmun made history again, by forming Pi Chi Omega with six of his stu- dents — Bill Brehm, George Gilmore, Frank Harder, Harlan Shuyler, Clifford Weiss and Clayton Wright, each of whom went on to earn his own place in pest management his- tory. The professional fraternity now boasts 450 members from eight countries and sup- ports education and camaraderie throughout the pest management industry. THE GROWTH YEARS. Upon Davis’ retirement in 1956, Osmun was appointed head of Purdue’s Entomology department, a position he held until 1972. During these 16 years, he led the department to phenomenal growth in terms of both size and reputa- tion. Laboratory and field research became interactive, classes broadened in scope and diversity, and extension efforts, including the correspondence course that has become one of Purdue’s signature programs, grew. He took leave from the university in 1972 to work on termites in Australia for a year while on sabbatical, then moved to Washington, D.C., in 1973 to work with the Cooperative States Research Service and as the first director of the Operations Division of the EPA, where he helped set the earliest performance standards. Osmun returned to Purdue in 1975 as a professor of Entomology and coordinator of Purdue’s pesticide programs. He retired in 1987 as professor emeritus. “Though long retired as a professor emeritus by the time I was a doctoral grad student at Purdue in the 1990s, Oz became for me a great mentor, friend, fellow entomolo- gist and urban pest management colleague,” says Kathy Heinsohn, technical and training entomologist at American Pest, Fulton, Mary-
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1912 - 2012 Newsletter Spring 2013
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1 0 0 Y E A R S O F E X C E L L E N C E
E n t o m o l o g y
What’s Inside
The Great and Powerful “OZ”In October 2012, Dr. John Osmun passed away at age 94.
From the Head Bug: John Osmun 1918 - 2012
Department News Development Update
Outreach Update
Entomology Students
Alumni News
Calendar
(Continued on page 2)
Some people are born with a driving passion that helps them change the world and influence generations. Dr. John V. Osmun was such a person. His passion? Bugs.
“When I visited West Lafayette in 1971 to interview for my faculty position, John came to meet me at the airport,” says Purdue Ento-mology Professor Tom Turpin. “We hopped into his little burnt orange sports car, and he quoted Robert Frost, announcing, ‘It’s a bluebutterfly day here in spring!’ His energy and enthusiasm were contagious — not just that day but every day. He was absolutely passionate about entomology, and he instilled that passion into every student and colleague who was fortunate enough to work with him.”
THE EARLY YEARS. For 39 years a member of the Purdue faculty and for more than 60 years a professional of the pest man-agement industry, Osmun — “Oz” as he was known to many of his colleagues and students — played an unparalleled role as educator, researcher and regulator. He served as a chiefentomologist for the U.S. Army and as a research entomologist with Merck & Co. before meeting Purdue’s J.J. Davis in 1947. Davis asked Osmun to join the faculty and develop a program in urban entomology. Several months later, in 1948, Osmun did precisely that. As assistant professor of ento-mology, he made history by developing and teaching the first four-year curriculum in urban and industrial entomology. His goal was to further the work that had been done by Davis to establish urban entomology as a highly respected, professional field.
“John was a leading light in establishing national and international recognition of entomology as a profession,” says Contech Enterprises Chief Scientific Officer John Borden. “Although he was always soft-spoken and unassuming, John was a true leader,
whose dedication to professionalism lives on in legions of Board Certified Entomologists.”
In 1950, Osmun made history again, by forming Pi Chi Omega with six of his stu-dents — Bill Brehm, George Gilmore, Frank Harder, Harlan Shuyler, Clifford Weiss and Clayton Wright, each of whom went on to earn his own place in pest management his-tory. The professional fraternity now boasts 450 members from eight countries and sup-ports education and camaraderie throughout the pest management industry.
THE GROWTH YEARS. Upon Davis’ retirement in 1956, Osmun was appointed head of Purdue’s Entomology department, a position he held until 1972. During these 16 years, he led the department to phenomenal growth in terms of both size and reputa-tion. Laboratory and field research became interactive, classes broadened in scope and diversity, and extension efforts, including the correspondence course that has become one of Purdue’s signature programs, grew.
He took leave from the university in 1972 to work on termites in Australia for a year while on sabbatical, then moved to Washington, D.C., in 1973 to work with the Cooperative States Research Service and as the first director of the Operations Division of the EPA, where he helped set the earliest performance standards.
Osmun returned to Purdue in 1975 as a professor of Entomology and coordinator of Purdue’s pesticide programs. He retired in 1987 as professor emeritus.
“Though long retired as a professor emeritus by the time I was a doctoral grad student at Purdue in the 1990s, Oz became for me a great mentor, friend, fellow entomolo-gist and urban pest management colleague,” says Kathy Heinsohn, technical and training entomologist at American Pest, Fulton, Mary-
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From the Head Bug
Steve Yaninek
John Osmun 1918 - 2012
land. “He got to know us students because, even into his late 80s, he still came into the office every day.”
HONORING AN ICON. Upon his re-tirement, an award fund, The John V. OsmunAlumni Professional Achievement Award in Entomology, was established in honor of Osmun’s numerous and enduring contribu-tions to Purdue and the industry. Recogniz-ing and promoting high achievement and professionalism in entomology and related fields, it is bestowed upon a degree-holding alumnus of the Purdue Department of Entomology. The 2012 award went to Rob Wiedenmann, professor and head of the Department of Entomology at the University of Arkansas, a world renowned expert on in-vasive species and biological control, and the current president-elect of the EntomologicalSociety of America.
More recently, Osmun’s legacy was celebrated through the establishment of the John V. Osmun Endowed Professorship.Pest control companies, distributors and others involved in the pest management industry contributed $1 million in funding. Once the endowment reaches its target goal of $1.5 million, it becomes an endowed chair, which will be used to recruit and retain a professor who will be charged with conducting timely research that is imme-diately applicable to the pest management industry. Like many of Osmun’s efforts, it will facilitate the advancement of the pest management industry.
On Oct. 13, 2012, during Purdue En-tomology’s centennial celebration, Osmun, one of the most universally respected educa-tors in the pest management industry, passed away at the age of 94. Once again, he was honored with a special tribute: the Dr. JohnOsmun Memorial Scholarship, established by Pi Chi Omega to recognize each year’s strongest scholarship applicant.
Gary Bennett, coordinator of the Center for Urban and Industrial Pest Management, worked closely with Osmun for many years. “Anyone who knew John, whether related to Purdue or not, would call him a mentor and friend,” Bennett said. “He knew all of our students and pest management people all over the world, and if he knew you, he helped you. He was a good guy. We will miss him.”
We in the Department of Entomology celebrated our centennial the week John passed away – remember that he was asso-ciated with the department and Purdue for nearly two thirds of a century. He was the last living faculty member with direct con-nections to the 1940s and 1950s. I would like to think John knew there would be alumni coming to town for the centennial celebration that week, and gave those who dropped by a chance to say goodbye before he passed away.
John was destined to be an entomolo-gist. His first memory of insects was reach-ing out from his perambulator for a cater-pillar from his older brother. He became a passionate insect collector, and at the age of 13 learned an important lesson about the dangers of pesticides. While hiking in the Massachusetts woods, his buddies found him passed out on the trail. John didn’t realize that the killing jar charged with potassium cyanide in his pocket had cracked when he slipped and fell earlier that day. He was taken to a local doctor who found nothing to treat and released him. John continued to have persistent headaches until days later when another doctor figured out what hap-pened, and eventually treated the acid burns on his leg – scars John carried proudly his entire life.
His professional life has been well chronicled. He studied entomology as an undergraduate and as an MS student in Mas-sachusetts, and served as an entomologist in the army during WWII. He then joined Merck to develop insecticides and was lured to Purdue in 1948 to create a new program on urban pest management. While on the
faculty at Purdue, John completed his PhD from the University of Illinois, and became our department head, overseeing the major expansion in faculty during the 1950s and 60s that still defines us today. He took a leave of absence to join the USDA Coop-erative State Research Service in 1973, then he worked for the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs until 1975 to establish the national pesticide applicator’s training program be-fore returning to Purdue where he finished his career in 1987.
John will be remembered for many things, particularly his ties to the pest man-agement industry, and his dedication to our students. Soon after he started at Purdue, a couple of his students, William Brehm and George Gilmore started B&G Equipment Company in 1949. Today B&G is a success-ful multi-million dollar operation that dis-tributes novel spray technology worldwide thanks to innovation, design, and quality of construction – attributes William and George learned from John while at Purdue.
The early graduates in urban pest management started a fraternity for pest control professionals called Pi Chi Omega in 1950 under the guidance and mentorship of John. Today the fraternity is comprised of nearly 450 members from 38 states and 4 foreign countries and includes some of the most distinguished, dedicated, and talented professionals in the industry – something John was especially proud of.
John’s fondness for alumni spawned the establishment of the department annual alumni recognition award known as the “John V. Osmun Professional Achievement Award in Entomology.” Started in 1987, it honors his long career, professionalism, and the great respect he had for Purdue entomol-ogy alumni. We honored Rob Wiedenmann as the 22nd recipient of this award the week John passed away. His distinguished career also led alumni and friends to establish the J.V. Osmun endowed professorship in the Department of Entomology.
John was a friend with lots of stories, an incredible knowledge and memory about Purdue and the department, and a sincere interest in the future of entomology. He was an icon in our discipline and a unique figure in the history of our department. John will be missed, but never forgotten.
~Steve Yaninek~
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Trevor Stamper joined the department in December 2012 as the Director of the Forensic Sciences Program. He earned his
PhD in Biology at the University of Cincinnati and his interests include improving accuracy in post-mortem in-terval estimations for vertebrate car-rion. Before coming to Purdue, he was
Assistant Professor of Forensic Science at the University of Findlay. Trevor and his wife, Christina, have two daughters, Caitlin (14) and Stephanie (4). Trevor is originally from Great Falls, Montana and enjoys carpentry and woodworking.
Ameya Gondhalekar started his new career in January 2013 as Research Assistant Professor and Manager of the Urban Center Sponsored Research Program. He came to
the department in 2011 as a Post Doctor-al Research Associate, working with Mike Scharf (BS ’91, MS ’93, PhD ’97). Ameya’s goal in his new posi-tion is to develop a research program that focuses on basic biol-ogy and management
of indoor urban pests like cockroaches and bed bugs. Ameya earned his MS degree in Ento-mology from MPKV Agricultural University in Pune, India, and a PhD at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Ameya and his wife, Mithila Shukla, who works in the Purdue Research Park, welcomed a new baby boy, Aadi, to their family in March.
Clare Scott began in January 2013 as a new Post Doctoral Research Associate work-ing with Jennifer Zaspel on the systematics of the lichen moth tribe Lithosiini (Lepidop-tera: Erebidae: Arctiinae). She is originally from Clemson, South Carolina, received BS degrees in Genetics and Entomology at the University of Georgia, and a PhD from the University of Florida in Dr. Marc Branham’s insect systematics lab. In her free
Departing Staff
Births and Marriages
Jason Meyer (MS ’02) and his wife, Jenn, welcomed Dawson Orion to the family on October 8, 2012. Big sister, Vivian, loves her new baby brother. Jason, now with Mon-santo, was a Lab Research Associate working with Cate Hill.
Jason Meyer (MS ’02) moved to Ches-terfield, Missouri in January to start a new career with Monsanto. Jason worked in Cate Hill’s lab since 2007, first as a Post Doctoral Research Associate and then as a Lab Re-search Associate.
Amit Sethi accepted a position starting in January 2013 as Research Scientist with DuPont Pioneer in Johnston, Iowa. After receiving a PhD at the University of Florida, Amit came to Purdue to work with Mike Scharf as a Post Doctoral Research Associate .
Christie Williams transferred to the Department of Agronomy in January for a better alignment of her research interests. Christie is an Associate Professor with the USDA and has been associated with the Department of Entomology since 1995.
Cheryl Bluett accepted a position as Business Manager in the Mechanical Engi-neering Department effective January 2013. Cheryl has been with the department for almost 9 of her 10 years at Purdue. She came to Entomology in 2004 as Assistant Business Manager and in 2007, was promoted to Busi-ness Manager.
time, Clare likes to train for distance sports like triathlons and half/full marathons. Her sister, Chloë, studies plant science and her parents both work in the biological sciences.
Cara Warkentien, originally from Downers Grove, Illinois, came to the de-partment in September 2012 as a clerical assistant with a split assignment between the business office and student services. She is also employed at The Tippecanoe County Public Library in Lafayette and previously worked at the Urbana Free Library in Ur-bana, Illinois.
Ameya Gondhalekar
Trevor Stamper
New Staff
Department News
Dr. Rick Brandenburg
Dr. Rick Brandenburg (BS ’77), William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State Uni-versity, is one of nine Distinguished Ag Alumni selected for 2013. Dr. Branden-burg gave a department seminar titled, “What’s Behind the Shift in the Turf In-sect Pest Complex?: Urban Lessons from Field Crops IPM.” A reception and award convocation were held at the Purdue Memorial Union where Dr. Brandenburg was honored and recognized as a 2013 Distinguished Ag Alumni.
Distinguished Ag Alumni Award 2013
PUCESA Career Award
Linda Mason (Photo courtesy of Tom Campbell, Ag Comm)
Linda Mason received the Senior Career Award for Extension at the Purdue Univer-sity Cooperative Extension Service Asso-ciation Conference in November. She was recognized for over 20 years of leadership, excellence in delivering public education programs, and research.
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Development Update
The Honor Roll recognizes new gifts to the depart-ment July-December 2012
Dr. Donald L. & Mrs. Nadyne J. ParmanMr. Juan & Mrs. M. Sue Torres
Monarch Club ($1000 up)
Firefly Club ($101-$499)
Mr. Steven & Mrs. Alison MroczkiewiczB & G Equipment CompanyDr. Robert & Mrs. Pamela CrozierMonsanto CompanyFidelity Charitable Gift FundDrs. John & Jan OwensDow AgroSciences, LLC
Honey Bee Club ($500-$999)
Purdue University Administrative/Pro-fessional staff were honored for their years of service at the annual Provost Luncheon. Those recognized from Entomology were Eileen Luke (30 years), Tim Gibb (25 years), John Obermeyer (25 years), and Amanda Pendleton (10 years).
(L-R) Eileen Luke, John Obermeyer, Amanda Pendle-ton, Tim Gibb
Provost Service Awards
Burkina Faso Gives Highest Honor for PICS
Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Burkina Faso: Larry Murdock (far right) and Jess Lowenberg-DeBoer were awarded the highest honor given by Burkina Faso for the Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) project. More information is available on the project website: https://ag.purdue.edu/ipia/pics/Pages/home.aspx
Tom Turpin w a s n a m e d a n honorary Old Mas-ter for 2012. The program activities were held in No-vember 2012. The excerpt from the program booklet reads as follows: Tom Turpin is a
Purdue University professor of entomology and Cooperative Extension Service entomologist. Turpin created “Bug Bowl” in 1990 to demon-strate insect mobility to his students; the annual event now attracts more than 20,000 people as well as worldwide media attention. A popular
Tom Turpin
Honorary Old Master
Congratulations to John Obermeyer, the 2012 recipient of the Entomology De-partment Outstanding Service Award. John received his award and was honored at the award ceremony on December 17, 2012. John is an IPM Specialist in the area of Field Crops, advising producers and agribusiness employees on IPM practices. He is also a co-author of the weekly “Pest & Crop” on-line newsletter. Colleagues Rick Foster, Tammy Luck and Christian Krupke offered numer-ous examples of John’s many contributions to the department.
Entomology Outstanding Service Award 2012
John Obermeyer
speaker, he gives presentations on a variety of agriculture-related topics to audiences of all ages and has been featured in national magazines, on network television shows, and talk and call-in radio programs. A dedicated teacher, he has received numerous teaching honors, including Purdue’s top undergraduate teaching award.
Department donations continue to be an integral factor in our ability to support our students and facilitate their progress. Undergraduate Julie Snyder was given a Study Abroad scholarship to study biology in New Zealand. PhD candidate Gladys An-dino was supported to attend a week-long bioinformatics workshop at Cold Springs Harbor, New York. Ten students went to the OVEA Annual Meeting in October, and sixteen traveled to Knoxville in November for the ESA annual meeting. Support for participation in these events is only pos-sible with the donations that you make to the Department. Thank you, and we hope we can count on your continued support!
Dr. Ralph & Mrs. Jane KilloughDr. Robert & Mrs. Nancy WaltzMr. Michael A. WeisburgerMr. Jeffrey R. BloomquistMr. Carl L. HindererDr. Robert & Mrs. LuAnn WiedenmannDr. Michael & Mrs. Judith CulyDr. Claudia K. HeinsohnThe Dow Chemical FoundationMr. John & Mrs. E. Grafton-CardwellDr. Peter & Mrs. Georgia DunnDr. Lawrence & Mrs. Harriet RichmanDr. John & Mrs. Jean Burton
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EntomologyStudents
Purdue Center for Global Food Security Grant
The Purdue Cen-ter for Global Food Security announced 23 research grants for student projects in 18 countries as part of the U.S. Borlaug Fel-lows in Global Food Security Program. Madeline Spigler was Madeline Spigler
2012 - 2013 Scholarship Award Recipients: 39 scholarships were awarded for $69,300 of scholarship funds at the 77th annual Purdue Pest Management Conference in January 2013. Front Row (L-R): Lauren Beebe, Alyssa Collins, Emily Mroczkiewicz, Huizhe (Roy) Zhou, Aaron Myers. Second Row: Susanna Sisk, Carmen Blubaugh, Jeff Trembacki, Scott Williams, Scottie Brittsan, Linda Mason. Third Row: Serena Gross, Hannah Quellhort, Carly Morris, Karen Michel, Sean Tormoehlen, Emily Justus, Mahsa Fardisi, David Cooper, Kyle Pluchar, Linda Mason. Back Row: Zachary Karl, Adam Salyer, Matt Keen, Danielle Craig, Adam Witte, Steven Smith, Elaina Grott, Stephanie Russell, Dan Martin.
STEAM! Innovation Fair. Dan Martin, Melissa Shepson and Tom Turpin partici-pated in the first annual STEAM! Innovation Fair at Connor Prairie in Fishers, Indiana in September. The fair, with an estimated attendance of 1200 people, was a celebra-tion of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math and featured some of the region’s most creative innovators along with scientists, technologists, engineers, and arti-sans from Indiana’s leading businesses and academic institutions. Purdue Entomology supplemented the music, food, and various other exhibits with live insects and collection boxes from the Oh My! collection.
Frankfort High School Science Mentor Project. Joe Braasch (MS ’12), Matt Ginzel, Gabriel Hughes (MS ’11), Lindsay Kolich, Morgan Lucke, Ahmad Shah Moham-madi, Jon Neal, Donnie Peterson, Elizabeth
Firefly Club cont’d
Mayfly Club (up to $100)
Mr. Michael & Mrs. Helen CorbittMrs. Ann D. & Mr. David W. FincannonDr. Eric Lee-Chien-Hsin Pang
Dr. Ronnie & Mrs. Mary BitnerMrs. Judy & Mr. Robert DoldMr. Kenneth H. KendallMr. Gregory L. DaviesMr. Edward S. SaugstadMr. David W. McCoyMr. David & Mrs. Susan HoggMr. Bill A. ButtDr. Tianqi Wang & Mrs. Yueping XuDr. Stella S. WenDr. Michael & Mrs. Katherine McManusDr. Marlin & Mrs. Shey BergmanDr. John J. McHugh Jr.Dr. Darryl P. & Mrs. Mary SandersDr. Clarence Arthur CallahanMr. Larry & Mrs. Janet BledsoeDr. G. Allan SamuelsonMr. Mark & Mrs. Beth Ann RoseMr. Joseph A. IsbellDr. Jesusa C. LegaspiThomas O. Powers & Kirsten H. PowersMr. Richard & Mrs. Louella ShadeMr. Nathan RenieMr. Mark & Mrs. Kathleen SheltonMr. David O. WietlisbachMr. Aaron J. Williams
Rowen, Madeline Spigler, Tom Turpin, Dan Martin, Emily Mroczkiewicz, Susan Schechter, Faith Weeks, Scott Williams, and Steve Yaninek partnered with Stacy Baugh, a biology and zoology teacher at Frankfort High School, to mentor her students as they designed an insect related science project. The culminating activity was a community science fair held at the high school followed by a presentation of Insecta Class Yearbook from Tom Turpin and the Science Theater Outreach Program (STOP).
Lindsay Kolich: Congratulations to Lindsay Kolich, who won first prize in the President’s Award category for her poster on developing ash varieties that increase resis-tance to emerald ash borer and improve the efficacy of biological control agents at the ESA meeting in Knoxville in November.
ESA President’s Award
one of the grant recipients with her research project titled “Evaluation of the productivity of Beauveria bassinana-inoculated com-mon beans and the effect of endophytic B. bassiana on bean response to pests, also in Colombia. Madeline has been studying under Christian Krupke.
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I grew up in the city of Mumbai which is home to more than 20 million people. As a child, I was fascinated by nature. Science in general and biology in particular was one of my favorite subjects. My grandfa-ther was instrumental for instilling in me the love for plants, animals and birds. I had decided in high school that I want to be a plant scientist but I had never imagined that I would become an entomologist one day. In fact, I don’t remember having an interesting experience with insects as a child. However, I do recollect some not so pleasant experiences related to insects. Every year, the advent of monsoon would bring lots of blood-sucking mosquitoes inflicting painful bites and skin rashes. An occasional cockroach wandering into our house would make my aunt recoil in hor-ror. Caterpillars hidden in fresh vegetables from the markets were the most repulsive creatures for my mother. Sometimes bum-ble bees and big flies wandered into our house only to be vehemently driven away by my father. In fact, I don’t remember anyone in our family having much fascina-tion for insects. However, my parents were always supportive of the fact that I wanted to make a career in plant science.
After finishing high school, I left Mumbai to pursue BS in Horticulture from Konkan Agricultural University (KAU), Dapoli. During my BS, I attended the in-troductory entomology course by Dr. K. V. Naik and I came to know how fascinating insects are as well as the crucial role they play in nature. KAU was an idyllic place that abounded in an astounding array of
biodiversity. This place is situated near the ‘Western Ghats’ which is one of the major biodiversity hotspots on our planet. The beauty and diversity of insects such as jewel beetles, longhorned beetles, rhinoceros beetles, butterflies, luna moths, silk moths, praying mantises, stick insects and drag-onflies left me mesmerized. By this time, I had made up my mind of becoming an entomologist.
After my BS, I appeared for the All India Entrance exam for ‘Entomology and Nematology’ conducted by the In-dian Council of Agricultural Research and secured admission for MS at Panjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University at Nagpur campus. During my MS, under the stewardship of Dr. R. W. Gawande, I studied the efficacy of biopesticides alone and along with chemicals against the gall fly Dasyneura lini Barnes which is a major pest of flaxseed. While in Nagpur, I came in contact with Dr. P. S. Burange who was then pursuing his PhD at North Dakota State University. He inspired me to pursue further studies in the United States.
After finishing my MS, I appeared for the GRE and TOEFL exams to apply for the US Universities. In Fall 2007, I came to Purdue University to pursue my PhD un-der the stewardship of Dr. Jeff Holland and Dr. Virginia Ferris. I had always wanted to learn molecular techniques and ecol-ogy was a subject very close to my heart. I consider myself very fortunate to have had such an interesting project that incor-porated both these components. My re-search project involved predicting invasive longhorned beetles using molecular tools. Using partial sequences of 12S rRNA and COI genes as molecular markers, I inferred the phylogeny or the evolutionary history of the longhorned beetles. The presence of phylogenetic signal in invasion-promoting traits was helpful in identifying potential invasive longhorned beetles. While pursu-ing my PhD, I also got many opportuni-ties to teach and was able to volunteer for many service activities. Being a student in Purdue Entomology was a very unique experience in itself. And I thank Dr. Ferris and Dr. Holland for providing me with this wonderful opportunity.
Ashley Kissick: Jeff Holland’s graduate student, Ashley Kissick, won 3rd place in the Ecological Science and Engi-neering 2012 poster competition in the Graduate category. Her poster was entitled “A Survey of Beetle Predators along a Landscape Gradient.”
Joe Braasch (MS ’12)Outstanding Masters Program
Kapil Raje (PhD ’12)Outstanding Doctoral Program
Faith WeeksOutstanding Service by a Student
Outstanding Entomology Graduate Students 2012
2012 OVEA Competition
Purdue Entomology participated in the Ohio Valley Entomological Association’s (OVEA) 25th Annual Forum for Student Competition in October. The event was held at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. Purdue had 10 participants including an under-graduate Chelsea Wood, two MS students, Jessica Kelly and Nikki VanDerLaan (1st Place-MS Paper Presentation), and 7 PhD students, Mahsa Fardisi, Gabriel Hughes, Matt Paschen, Kapil Raje, Yanlin Tian, Faith Weeks, and Scott Williams. One of our alumni, Jennifer Gordon (BS ’08) now at Kentucky, won third place in the PhD competition. Other alumni in attendance were OVEA president Jonathan Larson (BS ’09), and Goshen assistant professor Andy Ammons (PhD ’07).
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Entomology Purdue@Alumni News David W. Fincannon (BS ’82) recently
wrote to let us know he has been creating some “Moments in Purdue Entomology” videos and placing them on his YouTube channel. To view these videos (there are 22 of them!) you can access them through this link: http://www.youtube.com/BravoFincannon
Ian Smith (BS ’07) During his Purdue years, Ian had a vision and the determination to create a foundation which would en-courage inner-city students and help them focus on com-pleting their educa-tion. Now, the Ian Smith Foundation
in Indianapolis, Indiana is doing exactly that. Founded in 2005, volunteer mentors are paired with at-risk youth to provide the impetus and encouragement they need to succeed. Mentors are recruited from the community, and students from nearby IU-PUI are often the first to volunteer. With a
Ian Smith
Emily Kraus (BS ’07) went on to com-plete an MS in Entomology at Kansas State University. Her favorite work was in the Michel laboratory where she was able to work on experiments involving Plasmodium bergei. They infected mice and then allowed mosquitoes to feed on them. After dissec-tions Emily used a confocal microscope to capture images of the parasite in the mos-quito midgut and salivary glands.
“August 2010-2012 has been amazing! I joined the Peace Corps and have been in Senegal, West Africa. My primary work involves teaching sustainable agriculture techniques to people in my village of 1300, as well as nearby villages. I also collaborate with volunteers in other sectors. I have done work in bed net distribution, nutrition talks, and baby weighing.” Emily will finish her service in September and hopes to return to graduate school in the fall of 2013 in the public health field.
Emily Kraus
Ro b e r t M i -chael Brattain (BS ’73) retired in 2009 after a 38 year ca-reer as Safety and E nv i r o n m e n t a l Manager for Tate & Lyle’s Lafayette, Indiana Sagamore Operation. A ca-
reer highlight was setting a new Corn Wet-Milling Industry safety record of 2.8 million employee hours worked without lost-time incident. “I be-came interested in insects while participating in a 4-H project during junior high school. I have maintained this interest throughout my adult life and have since studied and collected beetles throughout North America and Canada. I am currently conducting research at the Shades and Indiana Dunes State Parks identifying and documenting the beetle diversity within these two unique areas.” Mike and his wife of 44 years, Joyce, have two children and two grandchildren.
Marlin Bergman (PhD ’83) completed 25 years at DuPont-Pioneer as Senior Re-search Manager in Maize Product Devel-opment. “Purdue Memories: Life in the grad student bullpen in Entomology Hall
was a interesting experience! Unfor-tunately, I wish I could forget when I left the water run-ning in a sink but clogged the drain in Turpin’s lab on the 2nd floor that ended up w ith water on the first
floor in more than one office/lab! People I remember? Too numerous to name…it was good! Personal Life: Still married to my best friend (Sheree). One son (Ryan) in Ames, Iowa and one (Adam) in Houston, Texas. Still bass fish all that I can and am looking forward to even more - if/when retirement comes along!”
Marlin Bergman
Robert Michael Brattain
The Pi Chi Omega board created the Dr. John Osmun Memorial Scholarship at the PestWorld Convention in Boston. This new scholarship will be the top scholarship offered to the best student applicant each year. Pi Chi Omega is pleased to honor Dr. Osmun in this manner, recognizing his vast contributions to the industry, Pi Chi Omega, and Purdue Entomology.
Pi Chi Omega Creates Dr. John Osmun Memorial Scholarship
small but dedicated staff, Ian currently does the bulk of the outreach activities. In addi-tion, each summer a Teen Summit is held to help motivate students facing another school year after several weeks of summer vacation. The half-day event includes speakers, enter-tainment, food, community resources, and attendees (about 250) receive school supplies to get them “in the mood” for the coming academic session. Ian is deservedly proud of his Foundation, and of being a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship finalist last year. Unable to take advantage of the fellowship at that time, he plans to re-apply, for the opportunity to acquire additional education and to qualify to teach basic STEM subjects: science, tech-nology, engineering and math.
John V. Osmun
Entomology Purdue@
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March5 March 4 - April 21, 2013 (Exhibit open to the public) “On Six Legs: 100 Years of Insect Art & Science” Ringel Gallery, Stewart Center Purdue Campus, West Lafayette, IN
April13 Centennial Bug Bowl BBQ Purdue Campus, West Lafayette, IN 13 The Insect Play Eliza Fowler Hall, Stewart Center Purdue Campus, West Lafayette, IN
13 - 14 “Bug Bowl” Purdue Campus, West Lafayette, IN
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It is the policy of the Purdue University School of Agriculture that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to the programs and facilities without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, or dis-ability. Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access Affirmative Action employer.
From the editorWith each issue of Entomology @ Purdue we keep you up to date on what’s happening in the Department of Entomology and with Alumni. Won’t you please take a moment to help keep us up to date with you?
Paula LaydenEditor, Entomology @ PurdueDepartment of EntomologyPurdue University901 West State Street West Lafayette, IN [email protected]: 765-496-1119Fax: 765-494-0535 Please include your name, address, degree, major and year of gradua-tion. Digital photos (.jpg or .tif) are preferred. Photos received by mail will be returned upon request.To update your contact information online, go to:<www.purdueinsects.org>
Centennial Events Spring 2013
Centennial Spring Lecture SeriesFeaturing members of the department, nationally acclaimed scientists, distinguished alumni, and some special stakeholder partners. These presentations are scheduled through May 2, 2013. The complete schedule with details and videos of past seminars may be viewed on the Entomology Department Home Webpage or the Centennial Website
“On Six Legs: Celebrating 100 Years of Insect Art and Science”March 4 through April 21 - Ringel Gallery, Stewart CenterThe exhibit will showcase art by a number of gifted artists that have been associated with the department over the years. Contributions include scientific illustrations by Arwin Provonsha, Bug Bowl artwork from students PK-12, cartoon art and period posters chosen from the department’s private collection, as well as insect photography submitted by alums. Gallery Hours and More Information
Special Centennial ReceptionMarch 21, 2:30 - 3:30pm - Ringel Gallery, Stewart CenterRingel Gallery is hosting a special reception to view the “On Six Legs” art exhibit and to welcome attendees of the Spring Semi-nar Series. Light refreshements will be served. The seminar, presented by May Berenbaum, will follow at 3:45pm in Pfendler Hall.
Centennial MemorabiliaMarch 25 - Deadline for OrdersPolo shirts, long-sleeved Ts, and etched glass tumbler sets. Order Form in this publication or the Centennial Website
Purdue Entomology Centennial EventsSpring 2013
JAN 10 - MAY 2 Centennial Lecture Series
MAR 4 - APR 21 “On Six Legs: 100 Years of Insect Art & Science”
MAR 21Special Reception for “On Six Legs” Art Exhibit
MAR 25 Centennial Memorabilia Order Deadline
APR 9 & APR 10 Previews of “The Insect Play” - Pao Hall, Carole and Gordon Mallett Theatre
APR 13 “Bug Bowl” Centennial BBQ Dinner *APR 13 “The Insect Play” - Eliza Fowler Hall, Stewart Center **APR 13, 14 A “Bug Bowl” Centennial Celebration
* “Bug Bowl” Centennial BBQApril 13, at 5:00pm, Whistler Hall, Purdue Campus, West Lafayette, IN
There is no charge for this event but reservations are required by Monday, April 8, 2013RSVP: Beth York, [email protected], 765-494-4554
** “The Insect Play” April 13, 7:30pm, Eliza Fowler Hall, Stewart Center
(Previews - April 9 & April 10, 7:30pm, Pao Hall, Carole and Gordon Mallett Theatre)
The play will be performed by a Purdue Theatre troupe. It is a 1922 play by the Czech writers Karel and Josef Capek that uses insect characters to address societal foibles in the context of post World War I. Inspired by French Entomologist John Henri Fabre, the Capeks’ insect characters seek love, worry about material possessions, and go to war.
Admission is free but you must have a ticket to attend Information: Centennial Website or contact Beth York, [email protected], 765-494-4554
Entomology Purdue@ENTOMOLOGY CENTENNIAL LECTURE SERIES
SPRING 2013 *
JANUARY 10 Milan Busching (MS ’75) Cincinnati Zoo (retired) “The use of live insects in educational displays - or - This place is a zoo!”
17 Claudia Reigal New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board Deans Auditorium Pfendler Hall “Vector pest management”
24 Grzegorz Buczkowzski Purdue University “Ant biology and pest management”
31 Mike Scharf Purdue University “My experiences with Purdue Entomology in the pre- and post-genomic eras”
FEBRUARY 7 Rick Foster Purdue University “International Entomology: changing the world, one bug at a time”
14 Tom Myers (BS ’73) All-Rite Pest Control, Lexington, KY Deans Auditorium Pfendler Hall “The entomological wildlife photographer, gearing up and getting down”
21 Christie Williams Purdue University “Resisting attack by a cereal killer”
28 Richard Schoenbohm (MS ’76) Schoenbohm Law, S.C. “The Great Divide: the rift between scientists and legislators”
MARCH 7 Greg Hunt Purdue University “Genetic and epigenetic studies of honey bee behavior” 21** May Berenbaum University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Deans Auditorium - Pfendler Hall “My life on the bee-list”
28 Wayne Townsend Purdue Board of Trustees Member (Retired) Deans Auditorium - Pfendler Hall “The GI Bill – perhaps Purdue’s greatest era”
APRIL 4 James Hagler USDA-Maricop, AZ “Leaving a mark: protein tags to study insect dispersal and feeding activity”
11 Austin Frishman (PhD ’68) AMF Pest Management, Boca Raton, FL Deans Auditorium - Pfendler Hall “The development, evolution and emergence of urban entomology in the United States: the past present, and future including challenges for entomology departments, their faculty, and students” 25 Peter Dunn Purdue University “Insect Immunity: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow”
MAY 2 Michelle Smith Dow Agrosciences “Development of baiting as a method of subterranean termite control – a retrospective”
* Unless otherwise noted, seminars are held on Thursdays at 3:45 PM in Whistler Hall, Room 116. Refreshments at 3:15 PM** Special reception prior to seminar: 2:30 - 3:30pm, Ringel Gallery in Stewart Center, “On Six Legs: Celebrating 100 Years of Insect Art & Science” (Light refreshments will be served)
Men’s S___ M___ L___ XL___ 2XL ___ Ladies S___ M___ L___ XL___ 2XL ___Note: Ladies sizes run small on the T-shirt
# of Shirts ________ x $12 = $__________
ETCHED GLASS TUMBLERS - $40 set of 4w/ Purdue Entomology Centennial Logo
# of Sets ________ x $40 = $___________
Polo Shirt Total $_____________T-Shirt Total $_____________Tumbler Set Total $_____________ORDER TOTAL $_____________
Name_______________________________________ E-mail____________________________Address_____________________________________ Phone____________________________ _____________________________________Make checks payable to: PRF-EntomologyMail to: Beth York, Dept of Entomology, 901 W. State St, West Lafayette, IN 47907Questions: Beth York [email protected] 765-494-4554
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The pick-up site is Smith Hall, West Lafayette
Order Deadline Pick-up Date EventMAR 25, 2013 APR 12-13, 2013 Bug Bowl Centennial Celebration
