About the Department
Our mission is to conduct outstanding research on insect science that will improve human health, quality of life, and the sustainability of our food and ecosystems.
Entomology is the study of insects. It is an interdisciplinary life science that contributes much to our understanding of life, our environment, and the well-being of our society. Insects are the predominant species on Earth, representing the greatest biodiversity with more than one million known species. Not surprising, insects significantly affect human civilization, whether the impact is positive, such as pollination of our food plants, or negative, such as competition with our food supply or carriers of major human diseases.
We have developed strong entomological programs and traditions in teaching, outreach, and research. Prospective graduate students will find information on our educational programs, curriculum, and research opportunities. If you need information on the management of insect pests, numerous fact sheets are available that address your specific needs.
Research in the Department of Entomology addresses diverse questions and uses a wide variety of experimental approaches and methodologies. Nevertheless, what bonds us is an interest in understanding fundamental and applied biological questions from the level of the molecule to the level of the population and the community. Knowledge of entomology is expanding at a rapid pace, creating great possibilities for innovative research at the interface of life sciences research. Penn State offers exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary research through interaction with intercollege programs in Ecology, Plant Physiology, Genetics, and other life sciences.
If you want to discover more about entomology at Penn State, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
Latest News
May 14, 2024
Penn State pollinator experts author a new book that explores the lives of bees
Two renowned pollinator scientists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences have co-authored a book that sheds light on one of the Earth’s most invaluable resources: bees. Christina Grozinger, the Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and director of the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State, and Harland Patch, assistant research professor in the Department of Entomology and director of pollinator programming at the Arboretum at Penn State, wrote, “The Lives of Bees: A Natural History of Our Planet’s Bee Life.” The book is the latest in the series, “The Lives of the Natural World.”
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May 14, 2024
Solving the puzzle of how tomatoes defend themselves against caterpillars
This is the fourteenth short news article written by students, during the professional development class of Spring 2024, about each other's research.
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May 9, 2024
Timing is Important: To Spray or not to Spray
This is the thirteenth short news article written by students, during the professional development class of Spring 2024, about each other's research.
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May 9, 2024
Q&A: Should you skip #NoMowMay and #PlantMayFlowers instead?
Two pollinator experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences discuss No Mow May and whether there's a better alternative to help support pollinators and biodiversity.
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Department of Entomology
Address
501 ASI BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802
- Email entomology@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-1895
- Fax 814-865-3048