News and Announcements

News and Announcements

Graduate Research Assitantship Available (Posted 6/22/2007 by Thomas P Kuhar)	Competitive funding is avaliable for MS or PhD student to work on vegetable insect pest management under the direction of Dr. Thomas Kuhar at the Eastern Shore AREC in Painter, VA. Specific research projects can be geared toward the student's interests, but should focus on an important pest of vegetables or potatoes in Virginia. Research areas may involve applied ecology, biological control, integrated pest management or insecticide resistance management. Students will be expected to spend the summer months conducting field research on the Eastern Shore (free lodging is available at the station). Academic semesters will be spent on campus in Blacksburg. Please contact Tom Kuhar if interested >tkuhar@vt.edu< phone 757-414-0724. ext. 14
Three recently released multi-state extension publications provide growers in the mid-Atlantic states with color images and control recommendations for insect pests. (Posted 7/23/2007 by Ames Herbert)	Three new publications provide growers with color images and control recommendations for insect pests of corn, soybeans and small grains. "The Mid-Atlantic Guide to the Insect Pests and Beneficials of Corn, Soybean and Small Grains" is a 36 page pocket guide with high quality images and quick keys for separating easy-to-confuse caterpillars, adult beetles and stink bugs (VCE Publ. 444-360). “Barley Yellow Dwarf in Small Grains in the Southeast” provides images of the major grain aphid pests, common symptoms of the disease they transmit, barley yellow dwarf, and best management practices to avoid infection and crop losses (VCE Publ. 444-375). “Soybean Aphid and Look-alike Species” is a pocket tri-fold with color images of the soybean aphid, a recently introduced exotic pest of soybeans, and many of the other insect species commonly found on soybean leaves. Proper identification of insect pests is critical to developing and executing effective management programs.
Ph.D. Research Assistantship Available (Posted 12/2/2008 by Kathy M Shelor)	A graduate research assistantship for work toward the Ph.D. degree is available at Virginia Tech’s Alson H. Smith, Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC), Winchester, VA. The project involves research on the grape root borer (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) in commercial vineyards in Virginia, with emphasis on applied ecology of larval borers and the factors underlying their establishment, abundance and distribution within and among vineyards. Graduate courses would be taken in the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, while summer field work would occur at the Winchester AREC and it would be anticipated that the student would reside in Winchester upon completion of their courses. Applicants may consider working on the project as a summer wage employee during the 2009 field season and then begin in their official graduate school enrollment in the fall semester. For further information please contact: Dr. Chris Bergh at 540-869-2560 ext. 32 or cbergh@vt.edu. For information about the AHS-AREC, see: http://arecs.vaes.vt.edu/arec.cfm?webname=winchester
Hill Travel Scholarship Available for Graduate Students (Posted 12/2/2008 by Richard D Fell)	Hill Travel Scholarship The Gladys and Clarence Hill Scholarship Fund will offer travel scholarships for Entomology graduate students attending international, national or regional meetings. The scholarships are intended to help offset the costs of travel to meetings where graduate students will present research conducted at Virginia Tech. PhD students will be eligible for travel scholarships of up to $600; M.S. students will be eligible for scholarships of up to $300. We anticipate the award of at least one scholarship at each level per year, but additional scholarships may be awarded if funds are available. Applications for the scholarships will be accepted at the beginning of each semester and must be submitted no later than two weeks after the first day of classes. Applications require the completion of a one-page application form and a letter of support from the student’s major advisor. Application forms can be downloaded here: http://web.ento.vt.edu/ento/images/ApplicationHillScholarship.doc Completed applications should be submitted to Scholarship Committee Chair.