Entomologist brings three decades of experience in pest management
Don Cook, Ph.D.
Annapolis, MD; October 4, 2023—Don Cook, Ph.D., entomologist at Mississippi State University, has been chosen to serve as the next editor-in-chief of the journal Arthropod Management Tests, published by the Entomological Society of America.
The ESA Governing Board approved Cook's selection in September after an open search. He will succeed Eric Natwick, BCE, who will depart from the role of editor-in-chief at the end of 2023 after more than nine years of service.
"Dr. Don Cook knows insect pest management inside and out, and he has seen first-hand how the field has evolved over the years. His expertise will be an invaluable asset to Arthropod Management Tests," says ESA President Marianne Alleyne, Ph.D. "The ESA Governing Board welcomes Dr. Cook to this role and thanks Eric Natwick for his dedicated leadership of the journal since 2014."
Arthropod Management Tests holds a unique position within the ESA family of journals. Part data journal and part technical reference, Arthropod Management Tests is editor-reviewed and publishes short reports of single-year screening tests and laboratory assays that evaluate the management of arthropods that may be harmful or beneficial. Originally titled Insecticide and Acaricide Tests, the journal has been in publication since 1976.
Lina Bernaola, Ph.D., ESA vice president-elect and chair of the search committee, praised Cook's breadth of experience in arthropod pest management. "My colleagues and I on the search committee value Dr. Cook's versatility, with demonstrated skill in research, extension, and scholarly publications," she says. "He is well suited to guide the future growth and success of Arthropod Management Tests."
Cook's four-year term as editor-in-chief will begin January 1, 2024.
"It is an honor to be chosen as editor-in-chief," Cook says. "My goal is for Arthropod Management Tests to be the source for insecticide performance data."
Cook has worked in agriculture and entomology for more than 30 years, in both research and extension roles. He began in his current position as research entomologist at Mississippi State University's Delta Research and Extension Center in 2009, where he leads a variety of field and laboratory research on management of insect pests in row crops. Previously, Cook has worked in several research and extension roles at MSU and Louisiana State University.
Since 2015, Cook has served as a subject editor for Arthropod Management Tests, and he joined the journal's editorial board in 2019. He earned a B.S. degree in general agriculture in 1991 at Northeast Louisiana University and an M.S. in agronomy in 1994 and Ph.D. in entomology in 2003, both from Louisiana State University.
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CONTACT: Joe Rominiecki, jrominiecki@entsoc.org, 301-731-4535 x3009
ABOUT: ESA is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 7,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, the Society stands ready as a non-partisan scientific and educational resource for all insect-related topics. For more information, visit www.entsoc.org.
Arthropod Management Tests publishes short reports on routine screening tests for management of arthropods, both harmful (e.g., pests, disease vectors) and beneficial (e.g., pollinators, natural enemies of pests). Management methods reported include chemical pesticides as well as other materials and tools such as insect growth regulators, semiochemicals, traps, biocontrol agents, and pest-resistant plants and animals. For more information, visit https://academic.oup.com/amt, or visit www.insectscience.org to view the full portfolio of ESA journals and publications.