Department Highlights from 2024-2025

Dr. Jen White was named the new recipient of the Bobby C. Pass Professorship in Entomology.
Dr. Nick Teets honored with UK’s 2025 Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. (https://our.uky.edu/2025-mentor-nominees)
Dr. Clare Rittschof is part of one of six teams awarded a prestigious international grant for honeybee research. (https://news.mgcafe.uky.edu/article/uk-researcher-work-understanding-honey-bees-receives-prestigious-grant)
Dr. Chuck Fox received the British Ecological Society’s BES Award, recognizing exceptional service to the society. (https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/announcing-the-2025-bes-award-winners/)
Dr. Julian Dupuis received the Master Teacher Award for excellence in teaching and student success. (https://news.mgcafe.uky.edu/article/uk-faculty-honored-master-teacher-award-commitment-student-excellence)
Dr. Jonathan Larson received the 2025 Kentucky Farm Bureau's Farm Public Relations Award (https://www.instagram.com/kyfarmbureau/p/DQt0WuEjxW2/)
Entomology Extension published 32 articles and assisted 14,255 citizens of Kentucky last year.
Department faculty published 76 papers in high-impact refereed journals such as Current Biology and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

Pi Chi Omega Scholarship Recipients:

Pest Management Foundation Scholarship Recipients:

ESA Student Competition – President’s Prize Winners:

2024: Simona Principato, Ben Grady, Becca Robertson, Savanna Ploessl, Jun Ryoo, Callista Vandegriff (https://entsoc.org/events/annual-meeting/student-competition/winners/2024)
2025: Jun Ryoo, Ben Grady, Bandana Shrestha, Simona Principato, Morgan Knutsen
(https://entsoc.org/events/annual-meeting/student-competition/winners/2025)

Ohio Valley Entomological Association Winners:

Publication & Travel Awards

Becca Robertson – Travel award to present at the American Arachnological Society meeting.
Ben Grady – Publication Acceptance Scholarship and recognition for his first dissertation paper accepted by the Journal of Economic Entomology.
Simona Principato – Publication Scholarship for the third chapter of her dissertation.
Ellie McCabe – Publication Scholarship for her manuscript, “Environmental conditions influencing seasonal population dynamics of Drosophila suzukii…” accepted by Agriculture and Forest Entomology.
Kantima Thongjued – Publication Scholarship for her thesis chapter published in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems.
Savanna Ploessl – Publication Scholarship for submission of her first manuscript, “Evolutionary transitions in social behavior…” to Genome Biology and Evolution.

Critter Crawl at Raven Run drew 165 attendees for a fun and educational day with insects! (https://www.lexingtonky.gov/calendar/2025-08-23/critter-crawl)
UK’s 54th Pest Control Short Course: 3-day program drawing 400+ pest control professionals and national speakers to Lexington for advanced training in safe, effective pest management. (https://news.mgcafe.uky.edu/article/uk-host-54th-annual-pest-control-short-course)
UK Technical Directors’ Retreat: Now in its fifth year, this national meeting brings together 20+ industry leaders and UK trainees to align research and training with the needs of the pest control industry. (https://www.pctonline.com/news/uk-technical-directors-retreat-unites-science-and-practice/)
Fall Crop Protection Webinar Series launched in partnership with the Southern Integrated Pest Management Center. (https://news.mgcafe.uky.edu/article/2025-fall-crop-protection-webinars)
Second Annual One Health Symposium hosted on Oct 20 under the direction of Dr. Reddy Palli, and funded by the Bill Gatton Foundation (https://uknow.uky.edu/uk-happenings/uk-host-second-annual-one-health-symposium-oct-20)
New One Health Initiative established as a hub for collaborative research and outreach promoting human, animal, and environmental health.

The UK Research and Education Center celebrates its 100th anniversary! (https://news.mgcafe.uky.edu/article/100-years-innovation-and-service-uk-research-and-education-center-celebrates-its-impact-and)
Construction is underway on the new Agricultural Research Building, future home of Entomology and the State Entomology Office (opening Fall 2026). (https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/construction-projects-focused-students-research-health-care)