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
April 14, 2021
USDA grant to support expansion of online tool for pollinator conservation
A Penn State-led research team has received a nearly $950,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to create the next generation of an online decision-support tool designed to help conserve pollinator populations across the United States.
Read MoreApril 8, 2021
All you need to know about the Brood X Periodical Cicada in new Penn State Extension factsheet
IBC Fellow and Entomology graduate student Codey Mathis interviews Dr. Michael Skvarla on new publication about periodical cicadas
Read MoreApril 8, 2021
As Locusts Swarmed East Africa, This Tech Helped Squash Them
A hastily formed crowdsourcing operation to contain the insects in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia could help manage climate-related disasters everywhere.
Read MoreApril 7, 2021
Entomologist to examine how plant domestication influences pollinator evolution
A grant of nearly $1.4 million from the National Science Foundation will support Margarita López-Uribe, an entomologist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, in a study examining the influence of plant domestication on the ecology and evolution of wild pollinator species in agricultural landscapes.
Read MoreDepartment of Entomology
Address
501 ASI BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802
- Email entomology@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-1895
- Fax 814-865-3048