- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Reisen was nominated by the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District for "his special and significant contributions to the field of mosquito and vector control."
"Dr. Reisen's career spans over forty years during which he has published over 260 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters in the field of medical entomology," wrote nominator Craig Downs, general manager of the Contra Costa MVCAC District.
"Throughout his career, Bill has directed projects studying the vector competence of mosquitoes for newly introduced viruses, established new surveillance testing paradigms, and initiated complex interactive networks, sharing surveillance data with mosquito control agencies and public health officials to speed mosquito control response times and to minimize disease risk to humans. Several examples of his continual scientific contributions include: the effects of climate variation on arthropod-borne pathogen transmission, modeling efforts for predicting arbovirus risk, the application of insecticides for reducing the disease burden of West Nile virus in California, the use of liquid suspension array technologies for the identification of mosquito blood meals and his keen observation of the role of stagnant swimming pools as breeding sites for Culex spp. vectors in Sacramento County.”
Internationally known for his mosquito research and publications spanning more than four decades, Reisen is now a professor emeritus with the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology (PMI), School of Veterinary Medicine. He is the former director of the Center for Vectorborne Diseases (CVEC). He serves as the editor of the Journal of Medical Entomology, and has advised many graduate students affiliated with the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, PMI or CVEC. He is currently assisting in the completion of four doctorate and one master thesis.
Read more about Reisen's career on the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology website.
Meritorious service awards may be conferred on MVCAC members or non-members "who have made special and significant contributions to the field of mosquito or vector control in the State of California," according to the award criteria.
Reisen is one of only three UC recipients of this statewide award since 1981. William C. Reeves (1916-2004), UC Berkeley emeritus professor of epidemiology, and Bruce Eldridge, former director of the statewide UC Mosquito Research Program, based at UC Davis, and now professor emeritus of entomology, earlier received the award.
Previous recipients:
- 1981 William C. Reeves, Ph.D.
- 1992 Richard F. Peters
- 1993 John C. Combs
- 1997 Bruce F. Eldridge, Ph.D.
- 1999 Gilbert L. Challet
- 2011 John Stroh
- 2014 David Brown
Dec. 8, 2010
He managed the Butte County Mosquito Abatement District, Oroville, from 1966 to 1992. He was an ardent supporter of the judicious use of public health pesticides to protect public health.
Hazeltine studied entomology in the UC Berkeley graduate program, 1950-53, and received his doctorate in entomology from Purdue University in 1962.
He managed the Lake County Mosquito Abatement District from 1961-64 and the Butte County Mosquito Abatement District from 1966-1992. He continued work on related projects until his death in 1994.
Bruce Eldridge, emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis, eulogized him at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Mosquito Control Association (April 4) as "a man who made a difference." His talk, illustrated with photos, was published in the 2006 edition of the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. (See PDF)
"He was a medical entomologist who had a varied career in the field of mosquito biology and control, but he will forever be remembered as a man who fought in the trenches of the pesticide controversy from 1960 until the end of his life, and who made the safe and efficient use of pesticides in public health a personal crusade," Eldridge said.
Eldridge noted that Hazeltine "was an advocate for the use of mosquito control to protect people from mosquitoes and the disease agents they transmit, and he believed chemical control to be a necessary part of the means to accomplish this. He also considered himself an environmentalist, and billed himself as such on his business cards and on his signature block. He had a vast knowledge of pesticides and pesticide legislation, and a strong belief in the scientific basis for public policy issues related to the safe and effective use of pesticides. Because the federal Endangered Species Act influenced mosquito control, he became an authority on this as well."
Hazeltine's message about pesticides never strayed, Eldridge sad. His positions on pesticide use and regulation included:
1. Decisions on pesticide use should be made by competent people and based on good data
2. Biological contorls are good, and must be used, but chemicals are also necessary for an effective program.
3. When you discuss pesticides, do not stipulate to something just to get acceptance.
4. There is a real need for continuing educaiotn, which is a mark of professionalism.
In closing, Eldridge said that much of AMCA's current involvement with federal legislation affecting mosquito control stems from Hazeltine's work.
Hazeltine, born Sept. 4, 1926 in San Jose, was the youngest of six children born to Karl Snyder Hazeltine and Rachel Josephine Crawford Hazeltine. Karl, a graduate of the University of California, served on the faculty of San Jose State University, where he taught agricultural and natural science. Rachel, a graduate of San Jose State, was a teacher.
William Hazeltine's son, Craig, of Scottsdale, Ariz: commented: "Three recollections: Dad grew and changed over the years. The reports may cast him as a constant iconoclast, but he learned to love and be loved. When I became a Christian in college, I felt compelled to tell my Dad 'I love you' often and to back it up with a hug. He was like a stiff board at first, but later on was almost a menace with his wonder hugs.
"Dad was not so gruff as he was 'occupied.' I figured out early on that the best way to spend time with him was to help him with his projects--and there was always something in the works. He was always reading, studying, and trying new things.
"Dad was extremely well-documented. After a debate at Chico State in the late 60s, we talked about having references at the ready to refute bad arguments. This led to a couple of very full boxes that traveled in the trunk of his car with copies of published works that backed up his positions. And that in addition to the famous stacks of re-prints in his home office."
Today the work of William Emery Hazeltine II lives on through the William Hazeltine Memorial Student Research Fellowship Awards. UC Davis students studying mosquitoes are eligible to apply for the award.
Recipients:
2016: Sandy Olkowski, Maribel “Mimi” Portilla and Stephanie Kurniawan
2015: Sandy Olkowski, Maribel “Mimi” Portilla and Stephanie Kurniawan
2014: Martha Armijos, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Glennon and Rosanna Kwok
2013: Jenny Carlson, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Glennon and Sandy Olkowski
2012: Jenny Carlson, Kelly Liebman and Sandy Olkowski
2011: Brittany Nelms Mills, Kelly Liebman and Jenny Carlson
2010: Tara Thiemann and Jenny Carlson
2009: Kelly Liebman and Wei Xu
2008: Ashley Horton and Tara Thiemann
2007: Lisa Reimer and Jacklyn Wong
2006: Christopher Barker and Tania Morgan
2005: Nicole Mans
2004: Sharon Minnick
2003: Hannah Burrack
2002: Holly Ganz and Andradi Villalobos
2001: Laura Goddard and Linda Styer
2000: Laura Goddard
1999: Linda Boose Styer
1998: Larisa Vredevoe
1997: John Gimnig
--Kathy Keatley Garvey
Communications specialist
UC Davis Department of Entomology
(530) 754-6894