[Convention Extra] Winners of ‘Young Scientist of the Year’ Contest Announced

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Ricky Vazquez, from the University of Florida, has been named the winner of the third Bayer Environmental Science “Young Scientist of the Year” contest.

Vazquez, whose research focuses on how the nesting and foraging behaviors of big-headed ants and Caribbean crazy ants affect the development of super colonies, will receive a $2,500 scholarship and a $10,000 grant to further support his research.

Bayer Environmental Science, along with the National Pest Management Association, also announced the two finalists of the contest. A panel of university and industry professionals determined the final awards.

Finalist Dong-Hwan Choe, from the University of California-Riverside, is researching the necrophoric behavior of the Argentine ant and its implication on the horizontal transfer of slow-acting insecticides. Choe will receive a $1,500 scholarship.

Finalist Nicola Gallagher, from Ohio State University, is conducting research to understand termite-mediated alteration to food items by the eastern subterranean termite. Gallagher will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

The general scholarship fund at the three winners’ universities also will be awarded $1,000.

“We are thrilled to present these individuals, our future colleagues and the next generation of research talent, to the professional pest management industry,” said Gordon Morrison, contest director and Maxforce Insecticides Market manager for Bayer ES. “We’re committed to dedicating resources to the academic community in support of these researchers, whose work will help shape the pest management industry’s future.”

The three finalists will present their research during PestWorld 2008 in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

The “Young Scientist of the Year” contest is a scholarship and grant program for graduate students to acknowledge and financially support exceptional research that advances the pest management industry.

Judges for this year’s contest were:

• Dr. Roger Gold, professor of entomology, Texas A&M University
• Dr. Philip G. Koehler, professor of entomology, University of Florida
• Dr. Ed Vargo, professor of entomology, North Carolina State University
• Dr. James Sargent, director of technical support and regulatory compliance, Copesan Services
• Joey Harris, vice-president of sales and service, Cook’s Pest Control
• Dave Taylor, technical director, Antimite Termite and Pest Control
• Dr. Nick Hamon, director of development and technical services, Bayer Environmental Science