- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The seminar, hosted by UC Davis doctoral student Crystal Homicz, begins at 4:10 p.m. in 122 Briggs Hall. The Zoom link: https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/
"Only in the last few years have we begun to uncover how bristlecone pines do this," he related. "We use field work, chemical ecology and laboratory assays to understand interactions between long-lived bristlecone pine species (Great Basic Bristlecone pine and foxtail pine), co-occurring limber pine, and the mountain pine beetle (MPB). I will talk about recent and going research examining (1) the plant volatile cues used by host-searching MPBs, (2) the terpene-based phloem defenses used against MPB larvae, and (3) tradeoffs between constitutive and induced defenses across these pine species. Understanding these interactions provides insight into the longevity of bristlecone pines, the implications for these species under climate change, and development of management tool to protect trees from bark beetles."
Runyon, based on the Montana State University (MSU) campus in Bozeman, received his bachelor's degree in biology and mathematics in 1998 from the University of Virginia's College at Wise, Va.; his master's degree in entomology from MSU in 2001; and his doctorate in entomology in 2008 from Pennsylvania State University Park, Pa.
In 2014, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., he received the Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.
Runyon is also involved in assessing native plants desired by native bees. (See research and news story)
Homicz, advised by research entomologist Chris Fettig of the USDA's Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, began her studies with forest entomologist and chemical ecologist Steve Seybold (1959-2019). Her dissertation research focuses on western pine beetle and red turpentine beetle interactions with forest disturbances, such as drought, wildfire and prescribed fire.
The UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's regularly scheduled Wednesday seminars are at 4:10 p.m. on every Wednesday through March 15. They are coordinated by urban landscape entomologist Emily Meineke, assistant professor. (See schedule.) She may be reached at ekmeineke@ucdavis.edu.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The students, along with the three winners in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences category, received their awards at a recent ceremony in the UC Davis Shields Library Courtyard.
A paper written by Maram Saada, a student in a longevity class taught by UC Davis distinguished professor James R. Carey, won first place in the SEM category and a $1000 prize. Saada's research paper, “Huntington's Disease: Etiology, Research Models and Treatment,” is now online. It will be published in eScholarship, an open-access scholarly publishing service affiliated with the University of California.
Second place in the SEM category went to Jocelyn Chu, a student in a medical entomology class taught by assistant professor Geoffrey Attardo, for her paper, “Vector-borne Disease Control Plan for West Nile Virus in California.” She received $750.
Two of Carey's students, Jessica Hevener and David Vo, tied for third place in the SEM category. Hevener, of Carey's longevity class, submitted her paper on “The Impact of Maternal Obesity on Maternal and Offspring Health,” while Vo, enrolled in a special study class for advanced undergraduates, entered his paper on “Surviving the Cold: How Circumpolar Peoples Have Adapted to the Extreme Conditions of the Arctic Entomology." They shared the third-prize award of $500.
The Lang Prize competition recognizes students who make exceptional use of library resources and services — such as primary source materials and special collections, online databases and journal articles; inter-library loan services, or consulting with a librarian, according to Alesia McManus, chair of the Lang Prize for Undergraduate Information Research and head of student services, UC Davis Shields Library.
In a earlier news release, McManus announced that “It was a strong pool of applications, with 17 out of the 21 applications meeting the average 39.99 score threshold for being considered for an award." The Lang Prize honors the legacy of professor emeritus and plant biologist Norma Lang, 1931-2015, a member of the faculty from 1963 to 1991.
UC Davis Distinguished Professor James R. Carey. Carey, a member of the UC Davis entomology faculty since 1980, instructs undergraduates in his classes--which usually exceed 200 students--how to research topics, use style sheets, and structure their papers. He has produced 13 videos on how to research and write a research paper, along with a new video on the use of style sheets.
Highly honored by his peers for his teaching expertise, Carey received the Entomological Society of America's 2015 Distinguished Teaching Award; a 2018 Robert Foster Cherry Award from Baylor University, which presents international teaching awards; and the UC Davis Academic Senate's 2014 Distinguished Teaching Award, an honor given to internationally recognized professors who excel at teaching.
Carey is considered the preeminent global authority on arthropod demography. He directed the multidisciplinary, 11-institution, 20-scientist program, “Biodemographic Determinants of Lifespan,” which garnered more than $10 million in funding from the National Institute on Aging from 2003 to 2013.
Assistant Professor Geoffrey Attardo. UC Davis medical entomologist-geneticist Geoffrey Attardo, who joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology in 2017 from the Yale School of Public Health's Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, is a global expert on vectorborne diseases, and renowned for his groundbreaking work on tsetse flies. The Attardo lab monitors the dynamics of vector insects at the levels of physiology, population genetics and environmental interactions.
Attardo, who won the 2022 Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology (MUVE) Award from the Pacific Branch, Entomological Society of America, “excels not only as a researcher, but as a teacher, mentor, scientific illustrator, macro photographer,videographer and science communicator,” said UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock in his letter of nomination for the MUVE Award. Attardo drew praise for his "highly effective teaching style in helping students build critical thinking skills and confidence."
The 2022 winners of the Lang Prizes in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences category are Joyce Do, Annie Miyadi, and Sarah Grimes. (See more on Shields Library website.)
