College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Entomology

There’s a feeling of freshness to the start of 2021. Plans are underway to loosen some of the restrictions that hindered field work last summer and we remain hopeful for more in-person opportunities this fall.

Despite the many challenges of operating in a pandemic world, your Spartan entomologists have not been resting on their laurels. We are happy to share with you in the Spring 2021 issue of Bugged:

• Larry Gut was awarded MSU’s Beal Outstanding Faculty Award for his distinguished tree fruit IPM research and extension.
• Our graduate students are taking action to improve and enhance access to the opportunities at MSU for lower-income and first-generation college students. In the past year, they have initiated student fellowships, book discussions and an event designed to address inequities.
• John Wallace is the recipient of the Department’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. Read how he has leveraged his studies at MSU to help exonerate innocent men, further understandings into the workings of the disease Buruli ulcer and mentored his students at Millersville University.
• Undergraduate student Andrew Jones describes how collecting insects has inspired friends and family as well as himself.
• Jenna Walters talks about her love of wild bees and her research into how extreme heat from climate change could impact pollination.

And there’s more! There’s visible progress being made at the site of the new MSU Pollinator Performance Center on College Road. Read all our news in the Spring 2021 issue of Bugged.

When you need a break from reading, don’t miss our Bug Talk podcast and our professionally produced video series “Small Organisms, Epic Possibilities.” Joy Landis spearheaded the production of several new 1-minute spots that you can view on our MSU Department of Entomology YouTube account. The videography is outstanding and our entomologists have inspiring stories to tell.

Remember to share your stories with us! Send them to entnews@msu.edu.