UC Riverside’s entomologists are swarming the winner’s circle! Three faculty members and one graduate student have received top honors this year from the Pacific Branch of the Entomological Society of America.

For more than a century, the society has been the world’s largest organization for entomologists and related professionals, with nearly 7,000 members across academia, industry, government, and health agencies. To serve its membership across geographic regions, the society is divided into branches. 

The Pacific Branch covers the entire western U.S. as well as Canada and parts of Mexico, where members study insects in diverse environments ranging from deserts to forests. Of the many entomologists eligible for awards in this branch, only 15 total were honored. From UCR, the winners include: 

Dong-Hwan Choe, professor of entomology and cooperative extension specialist. Choe won the Entomology Team Work Award for leading a team focused on managing urban ant pests. Their project targets the Argentine ant, one of the most common nuisance pest ant species in California. 

Their approach, known as integrated pest management, or IPM, utilizes a variety of control techniques with the overarching goal of minimizing the use of toxic pesticides and having a lower impact on the environment. In this case, the team collaboratively developed a pheromone-based spray as an initial attack, and then the use of baits for subsequent management. 

“Winning this award is a high honor,” Choe said. “I think it is also an indication that the entomological community continues to be interested in developing and implementing the pest management tools that help reduce unwanted non-target and environmental impacts while still successfully addressing pest issues.”

Hannah Chu, entomology doctoral student. Chu is the recipient of this year’s John Henry Comstock award, a competitive annual award that marks her as the best graduate student in the division. 

Chu studies blow flies, some of the first insects to arrive on the scene when animals die and start to decompose. They play an important role in breaking down the bodies and recycling nutrients into the environment. They can also serve as potential evidence in death investigations.

In particular, Chu’s research examines how different species of blow flies form communities across different environments in Southern California, and how they respond to changes in climate and the environment. 

On receiving the award, Chu expressed her gratitude not only to the society, but to the mentors and colleagues who have shaped her journey. Following the completion of her degree this year, she will return to her alma mater, the City University of New York, as a lecturer in the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

“At a time when science is under attack, this recognition reinforces my commitment to making science accessible, fostering inclusivity in STEM, and advocating for diverse perspectives in science,” Chu said. “Thank you to the ESA for this honor and for supporting students like me who haven’t always seen themselves in this field, but have found a place through passion, resilience, and a supportive community.”

Amy Murillo, assistant professor of entomology. This year’s recipient of the Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology Award, Murillo studies the impact mites and lice have on egg-laying hens. 

Some of her projects include developing and testing novel control methods for use in egg production and tools for managing pests in commercial and backyard poultry operations. UCR news has featured her work using on-animal sensors, playfully dubbed “fitbits for chickens,” that measure behavioral changes in chickens caused by mite and louse infestations. 

“It means so much to me to be recognized by my colleagues and peers, and I really appreciate it,” Murillo said. 

In the next year, her lab hopes to better understand the impact that emerging poultry pests have on cage-free egg production.

Houston Wilson, associate cooperative extension specialist. Recipient of the Distinguished Achievement in Extension Award, Wilson’s research focuses on integrated pest management practices for orchards and vineyards.

He is the founding director of the newly created UC Organic Agriculture Institute, where he facilitates the development of research and extension programs designed to increase agricultural productivity. 

Part of his work involves extensive outreach to growers of fruits and nuts in California’s Central Valley. Consequently, though his home campus is UCR, his lab is based near Fresno at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center. 

“Extension and outreach are fundamental to my work as a cooperative extension specialist, and I’m extremely honored to have received this award,” Wilson said.