- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The Academic Senate, acknowledging that the University of California “has a long tradition of service to the state and the people of California” and that “faculty members use their expertise in teaching, research, and professional competence to make unpaid contributions to local, statewide, national, or international public arenas,” annually singles out an exceptional faculty member who “continues the tradition and demonstrate the commitment of UC Davis to public service.”
“Distinguished Professor Walter Leal helped to address the critical need for accurate and accessible COVID-19 information,” according to the Academic Senate notice. “He conceptualized, organized, and moderated four COVID-19 symposia for the public. Through meticulous research, he brought together physicians, former patients, and public health experts to provide the most up-to-date information early in the pandemic, including highlighting equity gaps in treatment.”
“Professor Leal dedicated much of his sabbatical time to developing valuable public resources, thus providing high-quality information during a time of rampant misinformation,” the Academic Senate related. “He also champions global learning, putting long-term efforts into global collaborations to enhance education.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom's issued a stay-at-home order on March 19, 2020, and the following day, UC Davis Chancellor Gary May told the campus community: “Most of our employees should already be at home where the governor wants you to be, and where we want you to be, for the sake of your own health and to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.”
“On March 22 came the first reported death from COVID in Yolo County,” wrote Hammock, who holds a joint appointment with the Department of Entomology and Nematology and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. “On April 23, Distinguished Professor Walter Leal, as a timely service to the UC Davis community and the general public, organized and moderated the first of his COVID-19 symposiums. What Dr. Leal did, and did so well in the throes of the raging pandemic, was to help the UC Davis community and the general public understand a disease that would go on to claim the lives of nearly 800,000 Americans. Two weeks prior to each symposium, he worked daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., reading the scientific literature, interviewing experts, lining up the speakers; gathering relevant questions from the public, and generally, taking care of all the logistics."
You Are My Heroes. The webinars drew scores of comments. “You are my heroes,” wrote one viewer. “This [the symposium] gave me a sense of hope and calmed my anxiety like nothing else. Part of what has been so hard is all the disinformation and complete lies and contradictions that are happening daily. To hear people, real doctors and scientists who are knowledgeable talk about what is going on and why is so appreciated! I learned so much; wish you were the ones leading [our] government through this! Having a family zoom tonight to relay the info! I (offer) much gratitude to UC Davis! My husband says ditto.”
Professor Leal's plans for a single webinar quickly grew to three more to meet the growing demand of information and translation.
“Few are aware that Dr. Leal interrupted his sabbatical leave to complete his mission,” Hammock pointed out. “Personally, this was not unusual. Having known Dr. Leal for more than two decades, I am fully aware of how altruistic and dedicated he is. He firmly believes that a primary mission of a land-grant university is to serve the public.”
A native of Brazil and fluent in three languages, Leal was educated in Brazil, Japan and the United States, pursuing the scientific fields of chemical engineering, agricultural chemistry, applied biochemistry, entomology and chemical ecology. After serving in a leadership capacity in Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries for five years, he joined the Department of Entomology faculty in 2000. Leal chaired the department from 2002 to 2013 before accepting an appointment as a professor of biochemistry with the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Widely known for his research, teaching and mentorships, Leal is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, American Association for the Advancement of Science, California Academy of Sciences, Royal Entomological Society and the Entomological Society of America (ESA). The UC Davis Academic Senate named him the recipient of its 2020 Distinguished Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching, and the Pacific Branch of ESA presented him with its 2020 Award of Excellent in Teaching.
A Treasured Note. Leal treasures a handwritten note from a 12-year-old boy, who (according to his mother) was struggling with autism. “Dear Scientist, I hope you can make the vaccine for the coronavirus and to make us live forever,” the boy wrote. “And you can do it. We believe in you. Love XX.”
His mother updated the UC Davis professor in the fall of 2021: “ (XX) wanted me to tell you that he feels so much safer now that he has the vaccine! He is so thankful for all the scientists working so hard to find a solution to make the world safer and continue researching to prevent additional variant outbreaks. He is back in school full time now and is enjoying being able to be with his teachers and classmates.”
![UC Davis Distinguished Professor Walter Leal working on a COVID-19 webinar. UC Davis Distinguished Professor Walter Leal working on a COVID-19 webinar.](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/entomology/blogfiles/89158.jpg)
![In this screen shot, UC Davis Distinguished Professor Walter Leal (left) talks with Michael Oldstone of Scripps Research. Oldstone pioneered the field of viral immunology and has been a leader in viral pathogenesis and immunity for the past four decades. In this screen shot, UC Davis Distinguished Professor Walter Leal (left) talks with Michael Oldstone of Scripps Research. Oldstone pioneered the field of viral immunology and has been a leader in viral pathogenesis and immunity for the past four decades.](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/entomology/blogfiles/89162.jpg)
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
"The award is given in recognition of significant contributions to the world, nation, state and/or local community through distinguished public service," according to awards committee chair Hollis Skaife, professor, Graduate School of Management. "The Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award is based on our recognition of university's tradition of excellence in public service and demonstrates the commitment of the Davis campus to continuing this tradition."
An awards reception will take place on Tuesday, May 9 in the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, for Zalom; Nolan Zane, professor of Asian-American Studies; and Christine Kreuder Johnson, professor, Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine. The awards presentation is at 5:30 p.m., followed by a reception at 6:30, and a faculty research lecture at 7:10.
Zalom joins previous UC Davis entomology recipients Lynn Kimsey (2016), James Carey (2015) and Robert Washino (2012).
Zalom, who holds a doctorate in entomology from UC Davis, joined the UC Davis faculty in 1980 as the Extension IPM coordinator for the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) and then served as the UC IPM director for 16 years before returning to the Department of Entomology in 2002.
Zalom is a past president of the 7000-member Entomological Society of America (ESA) and the service-oriented Entomology Foundation. Highly honored by his peers, he is an elected fellow of four scientific organizations: ESA, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Royal Entomological Society (London) and the California Academy of Sciences. He is also a past president of the Pacific Branch of ESA, which encompasses 11 states, U.S. territories, plus parts of Canada and Mexico.
Zalom pioneered ESA's Grand Challenges in Entomology Initiative, aimed at encouraging entomologists to think and act more globally by identifying attainable challenges for entomology that could lead to sustainable solutions for some of the world's important insect-based problems. One outcome: he helped organize and co-chaired the “Summit on the Aedes aegypti Crisis in the Americas” that met in March 2016 in Maceio, Brazil--coincidentally at the height of the Zika virus outbreak. The initiative brought together more than 70 researchers, public health officials, entomologists, vector control experts, and representatives from NGOs and government agencies from throughout the hemisphere to identify immediate steps to create long-term and sustainable solutions.
Zalom organized and co-chaired--with presidents of four other entomological societies--the first ever International Entomology Leadership Summit, spanning two days within the 2016 International Congress of Entomology (ICE) meeting in September in Orlando, Fla. More than 150 invited leaders of entomology societies from around the world attended the summit and collaborated on how to identify and resolve major entomological issues, in order to make powerful contributions to improve the human condition.
Known nationally and globally for his IPM leadership, Zalom co-chaired the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities' National IPM Committee (NIPMCC) from 1999-2015. This committee of IPM leaders from across the country helped establish a vision for collaborations between universities and agencies including U.S. EPA and USDA to advance IPM for agricultural and urban stakeholders. The NIPMCC conceived and co-organized the first four National IPM Symposia, which later became the International IPM Symposium. These meetings, held every three years since 1989, with more than 700 participants attending from more than 25 countries, serve to advance IPM for sustainable agriculture, urbana dwellers and natural ecosyems.
“Dr. Zalom strongly supports youth science education,” wrote nominator Steve Nadler, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. Zalom served as member of the Board of Counselors of the Entomological Foundation for eight years and then as its president in 2015. The foundation is a national, not-for-profit organization that “envisions a generation of action-oriented youth who investigate the critical role of insects in the environment.” The Foundation stimulates and sustains interest in science through insects by developing and delivering educational programs for grades K-12. It also rewards excellence in insect science and education by recognizing science educators.
“He is also a strong advocate of STEM education,” Nadler said. “His actions speak as loudly as his words as he has mentored eight consecutive women PhD students in the entomology graduate group.” All went on to receive academic positions or leadership positions in private industry. For his work and dedication, he received the Outstanding Mentor Award in 2013 from the UC Davis Consortium for Women in Research.
Zalom lends his expertise for community engagement on invasive species. He was a member of the Governor's Exotic Pest Eradication Task Force from 1994 to 1999. A decade later, he advocated against the use of aerial spraying of the Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay communities to eradicate the light brown apple moth. He led a study of the regulatory actions surrounding the eradication effort that culminated in the 2013 report, “Community Perceptions of Emergency Responses to Invasive Species in California,” that was presented to top USDA administrators in Washington D.C.
In addition, Zalom was part of the European Grape Vine Moth (EGVM) Team that recommended technical approaches to contain the invasive EGVM in northern California's winegrowing regions and suggestions for a regulatory agency approach to engage affected local communities in control efforts. The team received the 2016 Distinguished Service Award from the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources for this program.
Texas A&M University is recognizing his work in IPM by presenting him with the 2017 Perry Adkisson Distinguished Speaker Award.