December 2025

In the News

• From the Lab to the Legislature and Living Room: Science Needs Storytellers

• 43,000-square-foot, 2-story addition in the works for this Penn State laboratory

• One Health Microbiome Center announces 2026 symposium, keynote speaker lineup
• New microorganism survival commission aims to fill critical conservation gap

Awards and Accolades

Kenneth and Barbara Starks Plant Resistance to Insects Graduate Student Award

Congratulations to Sahil Pawar for winning The Kenneth and Barbara Starks Graduate Student Award. The Kenneth and Barbara Starks Graduate Student Award is administered and presented by P-IE Section, recognizes innovative research by a doctoral student working on plant-insect interactions. The award consists of a plaque, an award of $1,000, and a waiver of registration from P-IE for attending the ESA Annual Meeting in the year the award is granted. 

MUVE Student Recognition Awards

Congratulations to Valeria Lee for winning the Veterinary Entomology Award, and Mia Esoldo for winning the Travel Award for New Attendees and the Veterinary Entomology Award! The MUVE section will recognize outstanding M.S. and Ph.D students who demonstrated successful academic performance, and applied themselves through research, teaching, and service. This award recognizes MUVE student members who have demonstrated excellence in Medical, Urban, and/or Veterinary Entomology. Awardees will receive a plaque and $250 presented at the ESA Annual Meeting during the MUVE networking business meeting. 

EGSA Graduate Presentations

• Nina Devine, 1st Place, P-IE, Pollinators
• Mia Esoldo, 1st Place, MUVE, Behavior
• Paige Alexander, 1st Place, MUVE, Vector Biology
• Marie Muñiz, 1st Place, P-IE, Behavior

• James Abendroth, 1st Place, Graduate Poster, PBT, Behavior, Molecular, and Cellular
• Faith Mihalick, 2nd Place, P-IE, Genetics
• Orion Pizzini, 2nd Place, P-IE, Conservation
• Peiyun “Elsa” Chen, 2nd Place, P-IE Chemical Ecology