Entomologist brings 35 years of research experience to open-access publication
Louis S. Hesler, Ph.D.
Annapolis, MD; August 23, 2023—Louis S. Hesler, Ph.D., lead scientist and research entomologist at the Integrated Cropping Systems Unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), has been selected as the new editor-in-chief of the Entomological Society of America's Journal of Insect Science.
The ESA Governing Board approved Hesler's selection in August after an open search. He will succeed Phyllis Weintraub, Ph.D., who will step down at the end of 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief since 2015.
"Dr. Louis Hesler has a diverse set of experiences in entomology that is well-suited to the breadth of content and global reach of the Journal of Insect Science," says ESA President Marianne Alleyne, Ph.D. "My colleagues and I on the ESA Governing Board are pleased to welcome Dr. Hesler to this role, and we are deeply grateful to Dr. Phyllis Weintraub for her distinguished leadership of the journal over the past eight years."
The Journal of Insect Science is an international, open-access, peer-reviewed journal that publishes papers on all aspects of the biology of insects and other arthropods—from the molecular to the ecological—as well as their agricultural and medical impacts. Known for its speedy peer review process, the Journal of Insect Science is the only ESA journal with a double-anonymous peer review structure, and in 2022 it achieved its highest-ever impact factor at 2.2.
Jennifer Henke, ESA vice president and chair of the search committee, noted Hesler's extensive experience in scientific publishing. "The committee was impressed with Dr. Hesler's engagement with journals across entomology and related fields throughout his career, from serving as a peer reviewer to sitting on editorial boards and everything in between," she says. "As editor-in-chief, he will guide the Journal of Insect Science toward continued growth as a leading open-access publication in entomology."
Hesler will begin training for the editor-in-chief role this fall, with a term ending December 31, 2027.
"I am honored to serve as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Insect Science, as it was the first broad-based open-access entomology journal, and it is one of the best-known journals internationally," Hesler says. "I have been impressed with the upward trajectory of the journal with regard to several benchmarks, such as impact factor, editorial diversity, and steps to counter implicit bias in reviews. Kudos to outgoing editor-in-chief Phyllis Weintraub. I'm pleased to have the opportunity to work with committed individuals who serve on the editorial board and as subject editors to ensure continued high quality of the journal."
Hesler brings more than 35 years of entomology experience to the journal, including four years as a medical entomologist with the U.S. Army and 30 years as a researcher with the USDA-ARS, where he is currently the acting research leader for the Sunflower & Plant Biology Research Unit in addition to his role with the Integrated Cropping Systems Unit.
He has served in a variety of roles with scientific journals and organizations, including as a subject editor for the Journal of Insect Science since 2017 and the Journal of Economic Entomology since 2019. He also served on the editorial board for the Annals of the Entomological Society of America from 2015 to 2019. From 2007 to 2009, Hesler served on ESA's Committee on the Common Names of Insects, and he has served on several award and presentation judging panels with ESA, its Branches, and other scientific societies. Hesler earned a B.S. in environmental sciences at Texas Christian University, an M.S. in entomology at Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in entomology at the University of California-Davis.
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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.
The Journal of Insect Science publishes research on all aspects of the biology of insects and other arthropods from the molecular to the ecological, and their agricultural and medical impact. For more information, visit https://academic.oup.com/jinsectscience, or visit www.insectscience.org to view the full portfolio of ESA journals and publications.