Students represent OSU at entomology meeting

Friday, March 27, 2015

Several students in Oklahoma State University’s Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology recently showcased their knowledge and skill at the regional meeting of the Entomological Society of America meeting in Tulsa.

Aside from having the opportunity to rub elbows with industry leaders like Monsanto, Dow and Trece, the students participated against schools from surrounding states in various competitions. In total, seven presentation awards were won by OSU, the most by any department attending the meeting.

“I am very proud of our students and the way they handled themselves in front of their peers and future employers,” said Phil Mulder, EPP department head. “The results they achieved are a reflection of the hard work and intense preparation that went into their presentations.”

Nine undergraduate students attended the meeting, two of which brought home some hardware. Seniors Natalie Gahm, Woodbine, Maryland, won first place and Kylie Dugan, Gillham, Arkansas, won second place in the undergraduate poster presentation.

Seven master’s students attended the meeting and earned some top finishes, as well. Shane McMurry, Spencer, Oklahoma, and Tanner Jenkins, Oshkosh, Nebraska, took first and second places for the graduate poster presentations, respectively. Jaclyn Martin, Edmond, Oklahoma, won second place for oral presentations.

Also, three doctoral candidates were in attendance, with Kyle Risser, Stillwater, Oklahoma, winning first place in the oral presentations for Ph.D. students.

“It was really great to see our students do so well as individuals at this meeting,” said Wyatt Hoback, EPP assistant professor. “However, I am equally excited about winning the Linnaean Games and having our team represent OSU at the national meetings in Minnesota in November.”

The Linnaean Games is a college bowl style trivia competition where teams buzz in and answer questions about insects.

The team is made up of Risser, McMurry, Martin, Sunny Evans (master’s student from Stafford, Virginia) and Tracy Payton-Miller (Ph.D. student from Norman, Oklahoma).

For winning the competition, the team will receive $2,000 to offset the travel costs of attending the national meeting.