- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
In announcing the awards, Provost Ralph Hexter noted (1) that Tatiossian’s research on the walnut twig beetle makes a significant contribution to establishing an integrated pest management plan; (2) that her manuscript, “Flight Response of the Walnut Twig Beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis, to Aggregation Pheromones Produced by Low Densities of Males”; is in preparation for submission to the Journal of Chemical Ecology; and (3) that her poster received attention at a national entomology conference for the ceramic bark beetle she sculpted.
Hexter presented awards of excellence to Brenda Marin-Rodriguez and L. Carolina Tavarez. In addition to Tatiossian, honorable mentions went to Amanda Steele, biomedical engineering; Rachel Borthwell, biological sciences and art history; and Lindsey Black, history.
A photo of Tatiossian and Black appears as the cover photo on the UC Davis Undergraduate Facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/UCDavisUndergraduateEducation. Her poster, including the ceramic bark beetle she crafted, is mounted on the third floor of Briggs Hall, next to the administration office of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
Tatiossian, who joined the Research Scholars Program in September 2011, graduated from UC Davis in three years (she achieved the top grade point average in entomology) and is currently working in the laboratory of Diane Ullman, professor of entomology and associate dean for undergraduate academic programs in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Among those nominating her or supporting her nomination were her mentor, chemical ecologist and forest entomologist Steve Seybold of the Davis-based Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, and an affiliate of the UC Davis Department of Entomology; professor Jay Rosenheim who co-founded and co-directs the Research Scholars Program in Insect Biology; and Diane Ullman.
Rosenheim noted that Tatiossian was a member of the first cohort of undergraduates recruited to the program. “I witnessed her tremendous determination to develop independent research skills” and she “succeeded in all phases of the project, from design, data collection, data analysis and manuscript preparation.”
Among the 30 students who have entered the program since 2011, “Kristina is absolutely the standout in terms of motivation and enthusiasm for research,” Rosenheim said. “She leaped at the opportunity to learn how to become an independent researcher. Kristina will generate the first-lead authored publication for any student in our program—hopefully, the first of many. In this sense, she has already been a trailblazer for our program.”
Seybold noted that Tatiossian “worked on the host-finding behavior of a major pest of walnut trees, the walnut twig beetle. This is a nationally significant pest that spreads a disease of live trees called thousand cankers disease (TCD). The condition threatens not only the English walnuts that form the basis of the California nut industry, but also the black walnuts that represent over $500 billion in growing stock value of fine wood products in the eastern U.S.
“Kristina formulated her research project in fall 2011 and spring 2012 and then carried it out in spring and summer 2012. As she developed the project, she also applied to the Department of Entomology for a McBeth Scholarship, which she was awarded in summer 2012. The award helped her offset the costs of her research supplies and funded her travel to several scientific meetings.”
“Kristina collected a live population of the walnut twig beetle from a traditional orchard habitat in the southern Central Valley, reared the insects to the adult stage, and re-introduced the adults into freshly cut black walnut branch sections. Once the male beetles had begun producing their aggregation pheromones (attractants) in the branch sections, Kristina used the branch sections as lures to attract new males and females into flight traps. Using this basic technique she was able to establish that as few as 1 to 5 male beetles would provide a threshold of flight behavioral attraction in the field. This finding has ramifications for establishing an integrated pest management program for the walnut twig beetle nationwide.”
Tatiossian developed and displayed her poster at the 60th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society (ESA), held Nov. 11-14, 2012 in Knoxville, Tenn. “Her poster reached a very interested target audience because Knoxville is in the heart of the distribution of eastern black walnut trees and in the center of the current distribution of TCD in the eastern U.S.,” Seybold said. “In a very creative touch, Kristina sculpted a replica of the female walnut twig beetle (through her participation in the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program) and attached the sculpture directly to her poster. This elicited quite a response at the national meeting and led to a news story released by UC Davis.”
The poster also drew attention at the arts exhibit at the 24th Annual UC Davis Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference, held April 26, 2013.
In addition, Tatiossian delivered an oral presentation on her research at the 97th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Branch of the ESA in South Lake Tahoe, Nev.
Her poster, now on permanent display at Briggs Hall, credits Seybold; Extension entomologist Mary Louise Flint, associate director for Urban and Community IPM, UC Statewide Integrated Pest Program; entomology graduate student Stacy Hishinuma, and postdoctoral researcher Yigen Chen of the UC Davis Department of Entomology. Robin Schmidt of UC Davis Molecular and Cellular Biology mounted the unusual poster with the ceramic beetle.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Mussen listed the job opportunity in the latest edition of his newsletter, from the uc apiaries. To be considered, applications must be received by Sept. 1, 2013. Extension entomologist Larry Godfrey (ldgodfrey@ucdavis.edu) of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology is the contact person. (See below.)
Mussen, who has been with the department since 1976, writes the bimonthly newsletter and Bee Briefs.
ANNOUNCEMENT
ASSISTANT SPECIALIST in COOPERATIVE SPECIALIST POSITION for
APICULTURE
Entomology and Nematology
University of California, Davis
Title: Assistant Specialist in Cooperative Extension in Apiculture is located in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, and Davis.
The position of Specialist in Cooperative Extension (Specialist) is one of statewide leadership towards University colleagues, agricultural industries, consumers, youth, policy makers, environmental agencies, and other public agencies. The Specialist is generally expected to keep campus and county based UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) colleagues and clientele apprised of emerging issues and research findings and directions, work with them to conduct applied research and develop applications of research knowledge to specific problems, and provide educational leadership and technical information support for county based CE advisors and clientele. A Specialist in Cooperative Extension is a primary liaison with University research units. The Specialist is expected to provide leadership, facilitate teamwork, develop collaborative relationships with colleagues, and ensure appropriate external input into the planning of research and educational programs by the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) and Cooperative Extension. The Specialist will be expected to provide leadership and participation in ANR Program Teams, workgroups and Strategic Initiative Programs, work closely with CE Advisors toward the resolution of issues of regional and statewide importance, and coordinate statewide programming with UCCE and AES colleagues throughout California. The Specialist also identifies and considers the needs of all relevant major clientele groups in the planning, development and execution of applied research and education programs. The Specialist is evaluated for merit and promotion using four basic criteria. Because the Specialist’s role is unique, in comparison to faculty and Experiment Station academic appointees, activity within some of the components of the four criteria used in assessing a CE Specialist’s performance, therefore, should be based on the specific responsibilities for the position listed below.
Responsibilities: The research focus of this position will center on investigations pertaining to honey bees (Apis mellifera) and their role in pollinating California’s $6.0 billion honey bee-dependent crops. The successful candidate is expected to conduct applied research and outreach of honey bees and to develop an innovative program to:
EXTENSION TEACHING: Provides leadership as liaison between campus-based research and other groups such as commercial beekeepers, and serves as a resource person for UCCE county based academics. Conducts adaptive and demonstration research in commercial settings in collaboration with UCCE academics. Presents information on management of honey bees and alternative pollinators at various clientele meetings, short courses, field demonstrations and other education programs normally organized by UCCE Advisors and Specialists
APPLIED RESEARCH: Provides leadership for planning and coordination of applied research activities related to beekeeping and pollination with departmental and other research and UCCE academics and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration with other research and UCCE Advisors and Specialists. Investigates or plans, conducts, and publishes results of applied research or other creative activities designed to resolve problems or issues of importance to the beekeeping industry.
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND ACTIVITY: Participates in activities of local, state, and national beekeepers’ organizations; professional societies affiliated with apiculture, and professional societies dealing with Entomology and Nematology/Nematology. Reviews research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to bees, beekeeping, and crop pollination.
UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE: Participates in activities of committees within the department, college, or ANR. Works with state and federal agencies (regulatory, advisory, emergency services, etc.), counties, municipalities, and others on issues related to honey bees (especially “Africanized” bees). Responds to media inquiries on a wide range of topics dealing with stinging insects. Interacts with Extension Specialists and other scientists of other states and countries.
Qualifications: The applicant should have a Ph.D. degree in Entomology and Nematology/Nematology, animal biology, or a closely related field, with experience and interest, or training and coursework, related to management of honey bees for pollination of agricultural crops and other flowering plants.
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Appointment date: Applications will be reviewed with the expectation that the appointee will be available for service on or about January 1st, 2014.
Applications: Applications should be submitted on-line at (https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/). Additional information is available at (aes.ucdavis.edu/research/outext/anr). Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Larry Godfrey, Search Committee Chair, Department of Entomology and Nematology/Nematology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, telephone (530) 752-0473, e-mail: ldgodfrey@ucdavis.edu
Applicants should submit: a curriculum vitae including publication list, a statement of research interests and a separate statement describing extension interests and background; and names, addresses including e-mail, and telephone numbers of at least four references. The position will be open until filled. To ensure consideration, applications should be received by September 1, 2013.
UC Davis is an affirmative action/equal employment opportunity employer and is dedicated to recruiting a diverse faculty community. We welcome all qualified applicants to apply, including women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
From UC Davis Dateline, June 6, 2013
By David Jones, Editor of Dateline
dljones@ucdavis.edu
Kathy Keatley Garvey, Diane Nelson and Alison Van Eenennaam are being recognized for their stories, photos and a video highlighting UC Davis’ work in agriculture and the life sciences.
The recognition is from the international Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences, or ACE, specifically its annual Critique and Awards Program.
The awards presentation is scheduled to take place at the annual ACE conference, scheduled this year from June 11 to 14 in Indianapolis.
Garvey is classified as a senior writer in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, but she is known as much for her writing as her insect photography — for which she is receiving the ACE Outstanding Professional Skill Award for the second year in a row (she won it last year with a bee sting photo).
Her 2013 skill award goes along with two gold awards (first place) in photography, one for a feature photo and the other for a picture story. The feature winner shows a praying mantis lunging at a honeybee (taken in UC Davis’ Haagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven), in a photo titled Missed! (the caption begins with the word “Danger!” in this post on Garvey’s Bug Squad blog). The picture story shows a gulf fritillary butterfly laying an egg (in Garvey’s back yard); see the picture story on Garvey’s blog.
Garvey received a silver award (second place) in writing for newspapers and an honorable mention in writing for magazines.
The silver recognizes her work in reporting on a doctoral candidate who answers questions on the online site Quora and who received an award for one of his answers, to the question: “If you injure a bug, should you kill it or let it live?”
Matan Shelomi’s answer went viral, according to Garvey’s story, and netted him recognition in the 2012 Shorty Awards, honoring the best in social media — in this case first place for the best answer on Quora.
Nelson, senior writer, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is the recipient of a gold award for promotional writing, for “Hope Dawns for UC Davis Feed Mill,” exploring UC Davis’ effort to replace its aging mill, and why that matters to the people of California, the nation and the world. Nelson won the 2010 ACE outstanding skill award for writing.
Van Eenennaam, a Cooperative Extension specialist in animal genomics and biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, is the recipient of an ACE honorable mention for a video that she wrote and directed: Were Those the Days, My Friend? It previously received the most votes in a contest sponsored by the American Society of Animal Science. Read about the video and see it here.
The competition for the 2012 calendar year also recognizes three editors with UC’s Agricultural and Natural Resources: Janet White, Hazel White and Janet Byron, for their work on “Analysis reveals potential rangeland impacts if Williamson Act eliminated,” which appeared in the October-December 2012 issue of California Agriculture.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
“I have had a lifelong love and respect for bees and I spent a lot of my childhood watching them, attracting them with sugar water, catching and playing with them and even dissecting them during a time when I imagined myself to be a junior scientist,” Jamison said. “Back in those days, there was an abundance of bees, usually observed by this kid in her family’s backyard full of clover blossoms—something you rarely see any more due to spraying of pre-emergents and other weed killers.”
So when Jamison became state regent of the California State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), she adopted the motto, “Bees are at the heart of our existence” and vowed to support research to help the beleaguered bees. Her project resulted in DAR members raising $30,000 for bee research at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, University of California, Davis.
“Every state regent has a fund-raising project; I chose honey bees,” said Jamison, whose first name, Debra, means “bee” in Hebrew. Fresno, in the heart of San Joaquin Valley, is “The Food Basket to the World,” Jamison said, and “a place where we grow a large variety of crops that require bees for pollination.”
“When the California State Society Board of Directors approved this project, we knew that it was an important one,” she told the crowd at a recent ceremony at UC Davis. “However, we did not know just how vital this project would be until we began talking to staff at UC Davis. We hope that our contribution helps provide needed funding for the extremely important research going on at this well-known and well-respected facility.”
Jamison and her state regent project chair, Karen Montgomery of Modesto, presented the $30,000 check to Edwin Lewis, professor and vice chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and bee scientist/assisant professor Brian Johnson at a ceremony in the department's Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven on Bee Biology Road. More than 125 DAR members from throughout California attended.
Lewis gratefully accepted the check on behalf of the department and noted that his mother, Betty Lewis, is an active member of the DAR Owasco Chapter in Auburn, N.Y. “My mother would definitely approve of this project,” he quipped. Lewis gifted Jamison with a mosaic ceramic figure of a bee, crafted by Davis artist Donna Billick, co-founder and co-director of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program.
The funds will be used in the Johnson lab. His graduate student, Gerard Smith, researches the effect of pesticide exposure in the field on honey bee foraging behavior, and graduate student Cameron Jasper studies the genetic basis of division of labor in honey bees.
Johnson and fellow UC Davis bee scientists Neal Williams and Robbin Thorp discusssed their work and the importance of bees as pollinators. Williams, an assistant professor, researches wild or non-managed bees. Thorp, a native pollinator specialist and emeritus professor of entomology, does research on bumble bees and other bees. Like Lewis, Thorp is closely linked with DAR: his mother, the late Elizabeth Thorp was active in the Algonquin Chapter, Benton Harbor, Mich.
The “Year of the Bee” began when Jamison and her fellow DAR members studied what she called “the amazing history of beekeeping that goes back more than 2000 years.” In doing so," we gained a new perspective on the necessary work these small insects perform” for humankind.
Jamison thanked Fresno beekeeper Brian Liggett and Cooperative Extension specialist Eric Mussen of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology for helping educate them about the bees. Among the others she acknowledged were Christi Heintz, director of Project Apis m., “who provided information on the plight of bees and helped us get in contact with UC Davis.”
The DAR congregation attending the ceremony included Honorary President General Dorla Kemper of Granite Bay, who held DAR’s highest national office; and Honorary State Regent Leonora Branca of Pebble Beach, who held DAR's highest California office. Jamison's governing board attending were vice regent Carol Jackson, Malibu; recording secretary Midge Enke, Tracy; corresponding secretary Sally Holcombe, Walnut Creek; treasurer Gayle Mooney, Elk Grove; parliamentarian Mary Brown, Westlake Village; librarian Donna Riegel, Pasadena; and chaplain Sandra Orozco, Tehachapi.
The DAR members toured the Laidlaw research facility and the half-acre Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, which is designed to provide a year-around food source for the Laidlaw bees and other pollinators; to raise public awareness about the plight of honey bees; and to encourage visitors to plant bee-friendly gardens of their own. A six-foot-long ceramic mosaic sculpture of a worker bee, crafted by Billick, anchors the garden.
The Almond Board of California provided packages of almonds for the crowd.
Not missed was the DAR/bee connection: a gift from the nation’s oldest genealogical society to support one of the world’s oldest--and the most beneficial--insect, the honey bee. European colonists brought the honey bee to the Jamestown Colony, Virginia, in 1622, some 153 years before the American Revolution. Native Americans called it “the white man’s fly.” Honey bees did not arrive in California until 1853, transported via the Isthmus of Panama.
The U. S. honey bee population has declined by about a third since 2006 due to the mysterious malady known as colony collapse disorder (CCD), said Mussen, attributing CCD to multiple factors including disease, pests, parasites, pesticides, malnutrition and stress.
Founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., DAR is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education for children, Jamison said. Its worldwide membership totals some 170,000 descendants of American Revolutionary War patriots in 3000 chapters. More than 890,000 women have joined DAR since its founding 123 years ago. The California State Society, founded in 1891 and based in Glendora, is comprised of nearly 9,900 members.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
He received the honor at the annual Excellence in Education Awards, sponsored by the Associated Students of UC Davis and coordinated by the Academic Affairs Commission.
“To prepare for this event, we ask students from each college to nominate teachers they feel are excellent,” said Rahul Sachdev, a commissioner with the Academic Affairs Commission. “After receiving hundreds of nominations from each college, we select three finalists from each college to interview. After interviewing those finalists, we then select an overall winner for each college. For the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, the overall winner was Dr. Kimsey.”
Kimsey received a plaque and a certificate signed by Desirae Costello, chair of the Academic Affairs Commission, and Dana Server, vice chair.
“From an early age, Professor Robert Kimsey was interested in the world of bugs and biology,” said Sachdev in presenting the award. “This early passion led Professor Kimsey to pursue a career in entomology. Currently, Professor Kimsey is not only a practicing entomologist but also a teacher. As a teacher, Professor Kimsey has taught numerous classes and has motivated and inspired a countless number of students.”
“A common sentiment expressed by those lucky enough to have taken Professor Kimsey was that Professor Kimsey goes above and beyond what is required of a teacher. For instance, Professor Kimsey frequently allows students to accompany him in the field where students are given the opportunity to apply the principles learned in class to a real-life situation.”
Sachdev also said that Kimsey “has not limited his role in the department of entomology to that of a teacher.” He serves as an advisor to graduate and undergraduate students and helps organize the department’s Picnic Day during the campuswide Picnic Day celebration.
“In turn, Dr. Kimsey’s contributions toward the department and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are significant to say the least,” Sachdev pointed out, adding that his “enthusiasm toward the subject matter, along with the dedication toward his students strengthens his reputation as an excellent professor.”
Said student Karina Snapp, following the awards presentation: "I would like to say that I am a rather shy student and did not see any of my professors outside of lecture until I met Dr. Kimsey. He is very welcoming and friendly. He really helped me come out of my shell and realize what I was capable of. He is exceptionally passionate about his field, and makes it easy and fun to learn from him. He will always be my favorite professor at UC Davis."
Student Andrew Magee offered: "Dr. Kimsey has been a source of inspiration and guidance for me since I began my undergraduate career. His command of his subject matter is impressive to the point that it's intimidating. He knows his stuff and he knows how to explain it. But more important than Dr. Kimsey's ability to teach science is that he knows how to teach people how to use scientific methods to produce knowledge. He teaches us that research is accessible, and for that lesson I will always be grateful. Dr. Kimsey is a professor who really cares for his students: I know I can rely on him for help, and for good, honest advice. I can't count the number of times he's offered to help students, anything from talking about assignments to helping them get research positions. He shaped my aspirations by opening my eyes to what he thought I was capable of, which is so much more than I thought of myself. My time at UC Davis would not have been the same, and would have been a much poorer experience, were it not for Professor Kimsey."
Kimsey, who received both his bachelor's degree and doctoral degree in entomology from UC Davis, coordinates and serves as the master advisor of the animal biology major at UC Davis, which includes some 400 students.
Kimsey's research interests include public health entomology; arthropods of medical importance; zoonotic disease; biology and ecology of tick-borne pathogens; tick feeding behavior and biochemistry. His research includes the nuisance flies on Alcatraz Island that plaque staff and tourists. A former guard at the penitentiary nicknamed him “The Fly Man of Alcatraz,” during the 2007 Alcatraz Reunion.
Student Danielle Wishon, who works in his lab praised Kimsey as teaching with "contagious enthusiasm."
"I first met Bob five years ago when I joined the Entomology Club," Wishon said. "His enthusiasm for all biological disciplines and his personal interest in the success of all of his students made me quickly realize him to be an ideal mentor. During the time that I’ve been a part of his laboratory, I have gained lab and field training as well as have had the rare and special opportunity to gain hands on experience as a forensic entomologist, by accompanying him to multiple coroner’s office trips."
"Bob has used his connections with the National Park Service to help myself and a number of other students get field experience," Wishon said. "Most recently, several students from the Entomology Club were able to conduct a survey of the entirety of Alcatraz Island for beetle infestation and damage. This has already led to one student, now an alumnus, being qualified as a stored product pest consultant. An additional job on Alcatraz, a rat infestation survey, led to the discovery of fluorescing millipedes in a genus previously not known to fluoresce. The undergrad student that made the discovery is now conducting additional research and is looking to publish his work in the next year. I have personally been conducting research with Bob on the cormorant fly, a fly pest on Alcatraz, for the last couple of years."
Other student comments:
From Danielle George: “Professor Kimsey wasn't just my major adviser, he was a life mentor to me. Every time I would walk into his office with one question, I would find myself talking to him for an hour about anything. He was my professor and is now my friend.”
Mayllynne Lopez: “Dr. Kimsey is not only a brilliant professor, but an extraordinary advisor as well. He has given me advice that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Edy Campos: “I would like to say that Professor Kimsey is one of the best professors I have had here on campus and I am happy that he received this award. I really believe that he takes a lot of time and effort to be a great professor which is shown through his great lectures. One thing that I believe that sets him apart from other professors is that although he is busy he makes time to get to know his students and that he really puts a lot of effort to try to help his students whether its with classes, finding a mentor or figuring out career paths when one seems to be lost at what to do. I am glad that I have had the chance to be in a lot of classes and work with him and get great advice that I will take with me even after I graduate.”
Hannah Greenspan: “Dr. Kimsey has been one of the most helpful professors I dealt with in my 4 years at UC Davis. I took animal biology classes with him and he is also my mentor for my senior practicum. It is always helpful and fun to go meet with him. I could not have been happier with Dr. Kimsey during my time at Davis. I agree that he is an outstanding educator!”
Other winners of the 2013 Excellence in Education awards:
College of Engineering: Sean Davis
College of Biological Science: Lauren Liets
College of Letters and Science, Division of Math and Physical Sci: Eli Goldwyn
College of Letters and Science, Division of Social Sciences: Cara Chiaraluce
College of Letters and Science, Division of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies: Martin Weis
Educator of the year: Sean Davis
Related Links:
Fly Man of Alcatraz