- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
That was just the beginning of what would unfold into an outstanding entomological career.
So we were delighted to see that UC Davis doctoral alumnus Kelli Hoover, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, is one of the 10 recipients of the Entomological Society of America's 2021 Fellow awards.
Hoover is internationally known for her research on invasive species, including the Asian longhorned beetle, gypsy moth and spotted lanternfly, all serious pests.
Hoover, who received her doctorate in entomology from UC Davis in June, 1997, studied with major professors Sean Duffey (1943-1997) and Bruce Hammock. Hoover joined the PSU faculty as an assistant professor in 1998, achieving full professor in 2010.
Hoover's areas of expertise include biology and ecology of invasive species, insect-microbial symbiosis, tritrophic interactions, insect virology, and pollination of forest trees. She is active in PSU's Center for Chemical Ecology, Center for Pollinator Research, and the Insect Biodiversity Center.
Nominator Gary Felton,professor and head of the PSU Department of Entomology, said it well in his nomination letter: “Hoover is internationally recognized for uncovering detailed mechanisms of how phytochemicals reduce mortality by baculoviruses through physiological impacts on the larva's midgut (epithelial cells and peritrophic matrix." Hoover and her co-advisors “patented baculovirus formulation additives that counteract these physiological effects, and thus increase the sensitivity of larvae to infections.”
“Kelli's interest in tritrophic interactions and her outgoing and engaging personality were just what was needed to pull the team together,” said Hammock, a 2010 Fellow. “As one would expect, Kelli's talents in science and leadership have served her well at Penn State. There her baculovirus work transitioned into a broader program in gypsy moth control and the invasion of the Asian longhorned beetle provided an opportunity to look at gut symbionts. Every project that Kelli touches seems to yield exciting results with practical implications. I am thrilled that the ESA has recognized what a star she is in our field.”
“I worked with Kelli for two, delightful years at UC Davis, and was particularly impressed by the number of undergraduate students that she managed to mentor at the bench!” Bonning said. “Since then, she has established a stellar research program that has recently focused on both the fundamental biology and management solutions for invasive pests including Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) and spotted lantern fly. Analysis of ALB semiochemicals resulted in a blend now sold by two companies and used in North America and Europe for ALB management."
“In collaboration with engineers, she has also spearheaded development of a method to prevent introduction of invasive species in the wood packing associated with international shipments,” Bonning noted. “This dielectric heating technology, used to treat and kill insects hidden in the wood packing, is at the stage of commercial equipment prototype. These examples reflect both the interdisciplinary breadth of Kelli's research program and the seamless melding of science to address fundamental questions that lead to practical solutions. This breadth of scope and ability to identify commercially useful components of the system is a relatively rare phenotype among entomologists! Further, Kelli is driven to engage the necessary parties (scientists, stakeholders, policy makers) toward implementation of strategies to prevent or manage the impact of invasive species on U.S. agriculture."
Active in ESA since 1996, Hoover has judged student competitions; organized numerous national or branch meeting symposia, and served as a subject editor for Environmental Entomology. She chaired or co-chaired organizing committees for three annual meetings of the International Society for Invertebrate Pathology and held the office of treasurer for four years.
Kelli received her bachelor of science degree in 1979 from UC Berkeley, with honors, majoring in the biology of natural resources. She obtained her master's degree in biology, with an emphasis on entomology, from San Jose State University in 1992 before joining the doctoral program at UC Davis and completing her PhD in 1997. In 1998, after a year as a President's Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley, she joined the faculty in the PSU Department of Entomology.
Fellows of ESA are individuals who have made outstanding contributions to entomology— via research, teaching, extension, administration, military service, and public engagement and science policy —and whose career accomplishments serve to inspire all entomologists, according to the ESA.
A tip of the insect net to Kelli Hoover.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Zalom will be presiding over the 2014 meeting in Portland, Ore. His theme is "Grand Challenges Beyond Our Horizons." He will become the second UC Davis entomologist to head the international organization, which is comprised of members in educational institutions, health agencies, private industry and government. The first was Donald McLean, former professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, who was elected ESA president in 1984. The department is now the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
Some 3000 researchers, professors, graduate and undergraduate students, extension service personnel, administrators, research technicians, consultants, and others from around the globe gathered for four days of science, networking and fun, according to ESA spokesman Richard Levine. "This is the most important annual conference anywhere in the world for the science of entomology," he said, prior to the conference. The 2013 theme was “Science Impacting a Connected World."
Zalom has been heavily involved in research and leadership in integrated pest management (IPM) activities at the state, national and international levels. He directed the UC Statewide IPM Program for 16 years (1988-2001) and is currently experiment station co-chair of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) National IPM Committee.
The IPM strategies and tactics Zalom has developed include monitoring procedures, thresholds, pest development and population models, biological controls and use of less toxic pesticides, which have become standard in practice and part of the UC IPM Guidelines for these crops.
In his three decades with the UC Davis entomology department, Zalom has published more than 300 refereed papers and book chapters, and more than 360 technical and extension articles. The articles span a wide range of topics related to IPM, including introduction and management of newer, soft insecticides, development of economic thresholds and sampling methods, management of invasive species, biological control, insect population dynamics, pesticide runoff mitigation, and determination of host feeding and oviposition preferences of pests.
The Zalom lab has responded to six important pest invasions in the last decade, with research projects on glassy-winged sharpshooter, olive fruit fly, a new biotype of greenhouse whitefly, invasive saltcedar, light brown apple moth, and the spotted wing Drosophila.
Zalom is a fellow of ESA, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the California Academy of Sciences.
Highly honored for his work, Zalom received the Entomological Foundation’s 2010 “Award for Excellence in IPM,” an award sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection and given for “the most outstanding contributions to IPM.” In 2008 he was was part of a team receiving an International IPM “Excellence Award” at the sixth International IPM Symposium. Also in 2008, Zalom was part of the seven-member UC Almond Pest Management Alliance IPM Team that received the Entomological Foundation’s "Award for Excellence in IPM.” Zalom was awarded the C. W. Woodworth Award from the Pacific Branch of the ESA in 2011.
Michael Parrella, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, served as the Pacific Branch’s representative to the ESA governing board for the past six years and will be succeeded on the board in 2014 by Douglas Walsh, professor at Washington State University who received his doctorate in entomology from UC Davis. Walsh received the "Excellence in IPM" award at 2013 meeting.
Zalom, Parrella and McLean are among 15 UC Davis entomologists elected as ESA fellows, an honor bestowed to a maximum of 10 persons per year. Richard Bohart (1913-2007), for whom the Bohart Museum of Entomology is named, received the honor in 1947, followed by Donald McLean, 1990; Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. (1907-2003), 1991; John Edman, 1994; Robert Washino, 1996; Bruce Eldridge, 2001; William Reisen, 2003; Harry Kaya, 2007; Michael Parrella and Frank Zalom, 2008; Walter Leal, 2009, Bruce Hammock and Thomas Scott, 2010; and James Carey and Diane Ullman, 2012.
At the Austin conference, Byrony Bonning, a former doctoral research associate at UC Davis in the Bruce Hammock lab who went on to become a noted professor in Iowa State University’s Department of Entomology and director of the National Science Foundation's Center for Arthropod Management Technologies, was inducted as an ESA Fellow.
Another UC Davis affiliate honored at the ESA meeting was Cornell University professor Anurag Agrawal, who received his doctorate in population biology from UC Davis while studying with major professor Rick Karban. He is the recipient of the Entomological Society of America’s 2013 Founders’ Memorial Award.
In addition, many UC Davis entomologists and graduate attended and presented their researech. See ESA schedule.
UC Davis doctoral candidate Matan Shelomi, who studies with Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology and professor of entomology at UC Davis, received the John Henry Comstock award (Pacific Branch). (See archived news story.) Shelomi captained the UC Davis Linnaean Team, which went to the finals, and also served on the UC Davis Debate Team. The Debate Team won the national championship.
The Debate Team, captained by Mohammad-Amir Aghaee and advised by Michael Parrella, also included graduate students Matan Shelomi, Danny Klittich and Irina Shapiro. The Linnaean Team, captained by Matan Shelomi and coached by Larry Godfrey, included Rei Scampavia, Jenny Carlson and Danica Maxwell.
For his 10-minute talk, Mohammad-Amir Aghaee received a first-place award in the President's Prize competition and Rosanna Kwok, a second-place prize. See news story.
See Frank Zalom's Video on Extending Orchard IPM Knowledge in California
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