Program Chair: Wyatt Hoback, Oklahoma State University
Teaching and outreach are critical components of promoting entomology and advancing public understanding of the field. Entomology, the study of insects, is central to many areas of science, including agriculture, ecology, medicine, and biodiversity conservation. Teaching and outreach are essential for promoting entomology because they bridge the gap between scientific research and public knowledge. By educating people about the importance of insects, entomologists can cultivate a more informed, engaged, and environmentally conscious society. Through these efforts, we not only foster scientific curiosity and career development in entomology but also encourage sustainable practices that benefit both human populations and the natural world. This symposium will compare entomology instruction in various parts of the world while providing insights and opportunities for comparison and collaboration.
Plenary Speakers
Adeney de Freitas Bueno,
Embrapa Soybean
Adeney de Freitas Bueno has a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Manoel Carlos Gonçalves School of Agronomy - UNIPINHAL (1998), a master's degree in Agricultural Entomology from the São Paulo State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP/Jaboticabal, SP) (2001) and a PhD in Entomology from the University of São Paulo (USP/Ribeirão Preto, SP) (2004). He was a Fulbright exchange student during 2003 at the University of Nebraska, USA. He has been working as a researcher in entomology at Embrapa Soja since 2006, where he also served as Head of Research and Development of his Research Center for 2 years between 2022 and 2024. Adeney de Freitas Bueno is a CNPq 1D research productivity fellow and associate editor of the scientific journals Entomologia Generalis, CABI Agriculture and Biosciences Journal, and Neotropical Entomology. He also works as a professor-advisor for master's and doctoral programs in the postgraduate programs in Entomology at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and Agronomy at the State University of Londrina. He chaired the XVI Symposium on Biological Control (Siconbiol) in Londrina, Paraná, in 2019 with 800 participants and the IX Brazilian Congress of Soybean and Mercosoja that was held in 2022 in Foz do Iguaçu with 1800 participants.
Can commodity crops have a sustainable production? The Brazilian soybean example
Agriculture is the most important human activity to produce food for an increasing global population that is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. To protect such important source of food from outbreaks of pests, the control strategy mostly adopted by famers are still based on the application of traditional chemical insecticides. However, food production must be performed with environmental preservation. The overuse of chemicals to control pests shows several side-effects. Therefore, one of the essential strategies to accomplish this sustainable agriculture, fostering equitable, secure, sufficient, and stable flows of both food and ecosystem services is by the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM). IPM is based upon the principle that some degree of plant injury is tolerable without requiring pest control. In addition, when necessary, the most environment-friendly pest control tools should be combined in order to have a longer lasting pest solution. Those tools include biological control, transgenic plants, among others, triggering environmental, economic, and social benefits. IPM is crucial to the success of agriculture and economically and environmentally advantageous even for commodities crops such as soybean, cultivated over large areas. Thus, this lecture will describe current management strategies adopted in soybean fields in Brazil and the consequent beneficial results obtained and then, discuss benefits and perspectives of adopting soybean-IPM from ecological and financial standpoints.
Muhammad Irfan Ullah, Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha
Teaching Beyond Boundaries: Formal and Informal Mentorship in Entomology
Mentorship in Entomology requires much more than formal teaching approaches to inspire and prepare the next generation of entomologists, hence demanding an engaging mix between formal teaching and informal engagement. In this presentation, I will share my experiences as a professor and head of the Department at the University of Sargodha, Pakistan, while teaching and mentoring students within a resource-constrained but ecologically rich environment.
It will discuss the framework and delivery of formal Entomology education, emphasizing curriculum design approaches, active teaching methodologies, and assessment. I will further emphasize the role that informal mentorship—including field training, research guidance, and community engagement—plays in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. The activities, such as insect collection, research in pest management, and public outreach, have prepared these students to gain technical experiences with added benefits in leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
I will attempt to present challenges of teaching Entomology in Pakistan, such as resource constraints and diverse learner needs, and strategies needed to overcome such barriers. We have to combine formal instruction with rich mentorship that eventually would raise critical thinkers and skilled practitioners who could work at the local and global levels on issues related to Entomology.
It tries to motivate the educators by giving them an opportunity to be a part of this 'holistic' teaching methodology, whereby structured learning models along with experiences shall bring forth the next generation of entomologists.
Andrea Lucky, University of Florida
Jace Porter, Global Entomology Coalition