Research and extension entomologist at University of Florida to helm open-access publication focused on insect and arthropod IPM
Hugh A. Smith, Ph.D.
Annapolis, MD; November 20, 2024—Hugh A. Smith, Ph.D., vegetable entomologist at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, has been selected as the next editor-in-chief of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, published by the Entomological Society of America.
The ESA Governing Board approved Smith's appointment to the position in early November after an open search conducted by a committee of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management Editorial Board. He will succeed Eric Rebek, Ph.D., who will depart from the journal's top editor position at the end of 2024.
"Dr. Hugh Smith has a unique background that combines research, extension, and international development. His perspectives and approach to IPM will be of great service to the mission of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management," says ESA President Lina Bernaola, Ph.D. "On behalf of the Governing Board, we welcome Dr. Smith to this role and express our gratitude to Dr. Erik Rebek for his skillful leadership of the journal since 2019."
As an open-access publication, the Journal of Integrated Pest Management serves a critical role in providing growers, pest management professionals, and the public with current, accessible knowledge on insect and arthropod pests and their management practices. It also features research and case studies on best practices for extension agents and other integrated pest management pros.
Melissa Willrich Siebert, Ph.D., ESA vice president and chair of the search committee, cited Smith's skill and experience in team-building as a key asset for the editor-in-chief role.
"Our panel was impressed with Dr. Smith's vision for the journal, including a collaborative, communal environment for editors and an author-first approach that maintains the journal's high standards while also helping authors see the true value of their research," she says. "We are excited to see him lead the Journal of Integrated Pest Management into the future."
Smith's four-year term as editor-in-chief will begin January 1, 2025.
"The Journal of Integrated Pest Management supports the crucial mission of making IPM information useful and accessible to a non-specialist stakeholder audience," Smith says. "I am looking forward to collaborating with a great team of subject editors, maintaining the high quality demonstrated under Eric Rebek's stewardship, and exploring some new ideas for the journal."
Over an entomology career of more than 20 years, Smith has served in both research and extension positions, specializing in insecticide evaluation, monitoring for insecticide resistance, and developing alternative management methods including cultural controls, host plant resistance, biopesticides, and biological controls. He began his current role at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in 2011 after having previously served in research and extension roles in Connecticut, California, Hawaii, Guatemala, Vietnam, and the Northern Mariana Islands between 2001 and 2011.
After receiving his bachelor's degree in classics at Brown University in 1986, Smith worked in sustainable agriculture before pursuing his master's degree (1993) and Ph.D. (1999), both in entomology, at the University of Florida. With experience working in several countries, Smith has produced dozens of published article and multiple training programs for non-specialist audiences. He has been a member of ESA since 1990, has served as a peer reviewer for several ESA journals, and was a member of the ESA Science Policy Committee from 2021 to 2024.
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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 nearly 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.
The Journal of Integrated Pest Management is an open access, peer-reviewed, extension journal covering the field of integrated pest management. The journal is multi-disciplinary in scope, publishing articles in all pest management disciplines, including entomology, nematology, plant pathology, weed science, and other subject areas. For more information, visit https://academic.oup.com/jipm, or visit www.insectscience.org to view the full portfolio of ESA journals and publications.