Five entomology-related entries from UC Davis won awards. They involved an administrative tour of the Bohart Museum of Entomology; the publication of the first-ever Bohart Museum calendar; "Bee Man" Norm Gary, UC Davis emeritus professor of entomology; the UC Davis Picnic Day performance of "The Entomology Band" comprised of UC Davis graduate students; and an image of a honey bee covered with mustard pollen.
The piece on the Bohart tour chronicled the visit of UC Davis Chancellor Gary May and Dean Helene Dillard of the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Director Lynn Kimsey, UC Davis professor of entomology, discussed the teaching, education and public service underway at the museum, home of nearly eight million insect specimens, plus a gift shop and live "petting zoo."
Chancellor May and Dean Dillard expressed a strong interest in the science: the specimens, scientists and research. But the live petting zoo containing Madagascar hissing cockroaches, walking sticks (stick insects) and tarantulas? Not so much.
The news coverage, however, scored a gold award (first place) in the ACE competition. Judges lauded the coverage by yours truly (Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology), as "great work, nice coverage" but commented that the chancellor and dean weren't too "keen on interacting with the insects." (No, they did not ask to cuddle a cockroach!)
Communications coordinator Steve Elliott of the Western Integrated Pest Management Center won four awards, including two golds:
- A gold award for writing for the web for his "Preparing for the Invasion: Emerald Ash Borer in Colorado" (See entry: https://bit.ly/2YBaRTT)
- A gold award for writing within a specialized publications for “Learning to Manage – and Live with – Coyotes in Southern California.” (See entry: https://bit.ly/2LLFjZY)
- A silver award (second place) for the center's electronic newsletter, highlighting integrated pest management research, issues, funding opportunities, jobs and meetings each month. Issues available at (See entry: https://bit.ly/2M5mL6s)
- A bronze award (third place), with Will Suckow, for the Western IPM Center website (www.westernipm.org)
Science writer Gregory Watry of the College of Biological Sciences won a silver award in the promotional writing category for his story, ‘Feeding the Future: Growing Stronger Crops.” (Entry: https://bit.ly/2vZYZyz)
Kathy Keatley Garvey also won several other entomology-related awards:
- A silver award for a feature photo of a honey bee covered with mustard pollen. (Entry: https://bit.ly/2I82fi2)
- A bronze award (third place) for "The Bee Man" newspaper story on Norm Gary, emeritus professor of entomology, book author, and retired bee wrangler (Entry: https://bit.ly/2w3yW9m)
- A bronze award for writing within a specialized publication. "Bugs and Beats," published in Entomology Today, a publication of the Entomological Society of America, featured "The Entomology Band" of UC Davis graduate students (Entry: https://bit.ly/2JHIfEa)
- A bronze award for the Bug Squad blog, "When Queen Bees Get Permanents," showcasing the art of Karissa Merritt, UC Davis entomology student, in a Bohart Museum calendar and the humorous writings of students in Lynn Kimsey classes (Entry: https://bit.ly/2BWV7Ch)
ACE, headquartered in Morton Grove, Ill., and founded in 1913, is a non-profit international association of communications, educators and information technologists.
Attached Images:
Bohart associate and entomology student Wade Spencer (left) shows Chancellor Gary May and Dean Helene Dillard a stick insect from the Bohart Museum of Entomology's petting zoo. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This image of a honey bee covered with mustard pollen won a silver award in the ACE competition. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)