ESO AGM 2011 Program with abstracts – final

Dr. Miriam Richards – Brock University

“Insect Societies – Why It’s Good to Bee Queen”

Dr. Jay Evans – United States Department of Agriculture

Jay Evans became fascinated by ants as an undergraduate at Princeton and then studied ant genetics and behavior during graduate school at the University of Utah and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Georgia, where he was first exposed to beehives. After a brief project on queen production at the University of Arizona, he has worked as a Research Entomologist with the USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD for twelve years. He is especially interested in insect immunity and in the abilities of social insects to evade their many parasites and pathogens. His projects have focused on a range of bee pests including the American foulbrood bacterium, small hive beetles, nosema, viral pests and varroa mites. Dr. Evans was an early proponent of the Honey Bee Genome Project and helped recruit and organize scientists interested in applied genomics for bees.  He has improved and applied genetic screens for possible causes of CCD and is now heading a consortium to sequence the genome of the varroa mite in order to develop novel control methods for this key pest. More information on Jay can be found here.

“Bee genomics and healthier bees”

Dr. Michael Brownbridge – Vineland Research and Innovation Centre

Brief life history
World traveller and professional gypsy. Have bugs, will travel.

Educated in the UK before taking to the world stage to ply my trade in insect biocontrol in 1984. Worked on every continent bar Antarctica (still got time to visit), working with a diverse range of crop and human pests and their management with microbial control agents.

Academic qualifications
Bachelor of Science and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Faculty of Agriculture.

Professional history
1984-87. Post-Doctoral Fellow, Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Be’er Sheva, Israel: Mosquito biocontrol with bacterial pathogens.

1987-1990. Research Scientist, International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, Kenya: Microbial control of lepidopteran pests in staple food crops.

1990-2005. Research Associate Professor, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont: Development of IPM tools (primarily fungal biocontrols) and systems for pests of greenhouse ornamentals (thrips, whiteflies, aphids) and forests; no-target impact assessment of microbial control agents and GM maize.

2005-2009. Senior Scientist, AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand: Pastoral and plantation forest pest management with microbial biocontrol agents, and bio-delivery systems.

Arrived in Canada July 22, 2009, began working at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre as Research Director in Horticultural Production Systems July 23. Current projects and interests in pest management and IPM systems for greenhouse and nursery ornamentals and turf, crop diversification for Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers, and new
wines!

“Biological Control of Insect Pests”

The Entomological Society of Ontario has travel awards available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Each year the ESO provides travel grants to assist students with their travel expenses to the annual meeting. The ESO awards both a graduate and an undergraduate travel grant worth $250 each!

Student members of the ESO (registration is free—visit http://www.entsocont.ca/) who are presenting a poster or a paper at the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario being held October 21—23 2011 are eligible to apply.

Interested students should forward:

(1) a title and short abstract for their project;

(2) a statement outlining why/how the funds will be used to support their participation in the meeting;

(3) a curriculum vitae or similar document highlighting past academic achievements, publications and  awards/scholarships, and any activities that promote entomology in Ontario; and

(4) a letter or email from their supervisor indicating their student status.

Only active student members of the ESO who are enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate program will be considered for travel awards. Students may receive only one travel award per degree.

Please don’t forget to include contact information (phone number, mailing and email address). Deadline for application is September 17, 2011. Recipients will be notified at least two weeks before the annual meeting. Please send applications electronically to:

NOTE: There will also be President’s Prizes awarded at the meeting for exceptional paper and poster presentations.

While the meeting promises to be a full weekend of entomological presentations and information, the Niagara region holds many other experiences awaiting discovery.

Situated on the southern reaches of the Niagara Escarpment (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve), Brock University is surrounded by natural habitats, agricultural areas, and many popular attractions to visit. Short Hills Provincial Park is a 15 minute drive to the south of Brock campus, some of Canada’s most successful wineries are within touring distance, and the majestic Niagara Falls are only 20 minutes to the east.

View ESO 2011 AGM in a larger map

At this year’s AGM, there will be a special poster session held during the Friday Night Mixer, allowing participants more time to take in posters and talk to authors about their work. Judging schedules will be set around anticipated arrivals of both authors and judges.

Posters should be 36″ wide by 48″ high max (smaller dimensions are allowed). Authors are encouraged to send in a high resolution jpeg a week prior to the AGM so that posters can be included on the meeting website.

President’s Prize poster judging sheet

President’s Prize Oral Competition*

Oral presentations for the President’s Prize Oral Competition will be allotted 15 minutes; 12 minutes for presenting and 3 minutes for questions afterwards.

President’s Prize oral judging sheet

Regular Paper Presentations

Regular member oral presentations will be allotted 15 minutes; 12 minutes for presenting and 3 minutes for questions afterwards.

Download and submit the Call for Papers form here.

Derek Knight – Brock University

Derek Knight has been on faculty in the Department of Visual Arts at Brock University since 1985. Educated at Croydon College of Art, London, England, Carleton University and State University of New York at Buffalo, he teaches courses in 20th century European and North American art history, contemporary art and theory, and contributes to the MA program in Studies in Comparative Literatures and Arts.

In addition to his own production of photo-based, conceptual and site-specific art, Knight has developed a profile as an independent curator. For his exhibition and catalogue titled N.E. Thing Co: the Ubiquitous Concept at Oakville Galleries the Ontario Association of Art Galleries awarded him the INCO Curatorial Writing Award.

He is the Director of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University and holds the University’s first endowed chair in Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation.

“Insects in Art”

The Friday Night Mixer will be held in the Newman Room & Atrium of the Four Points Sheridan, and will run from 6 to 10 pm. Appetizers will be available and there will be a cash bar.

Student Poster  judging for the President’s Prize will occur between 7 & 9pm. Poster participants and judges will be contacted a week prior to the meeting to finalize schedules.

This year, registration fees can be paid either online via PayPal or credit card or by cheque (payable to ESO AGM 2011).

Download the ESO 2011 Registration Form here.

Accommodation is available at the Four Points by Sheraton (not included in conference registration fee).

Registration Type

Regular Member $200.00 Students/Post-Docs $140.00 Banquet Only $50.00

Membership Type	Before Sept. 16	After Sept. 16
Student/Post-Doc	$125	$140
Regular Member	$190	$200
Banquet Only	$45	$50