Zach DeVries

Since taking on the position — which he describes as “a dream job” — in 2019, DeVries has unified industry and academia by organizing and chairing the University of Kentucky Pest Control Short Course, a three-day conference that provides industry with education on the basic and applied aspects of pest management, as well as developing the University of Kentucky Technical Directors’ Retreat, which unites pest control technical directors with academia to discuss how to best move the industry forward.

Along the way, he’s found a passion for mentoring students in the lab and striving to make a difference in others’ lives through the application of the knowledge he’s acquired over the years on how pests function, behave and impact human health.

“The industry is super fortunate to have a bright, young, visionary scientist who wants to work hand in hand to help them and help the public,” said Michael Potter, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the University of Kentucky and DeVries’ predecessor at the university.

EARLY YEARS. DeVries was born in Columbus, Ohio, and lived there for the first year of his life before his family moved to Auburn, Ala., where he spent the rest of his childhood and early adulthood. His parents, Dennis and Tammy, both work at Auburn University in the field of fisheries. “So, different field, but still biologically related,” said DeVries.

Though DeVries started his academic career at Auburn as a math major, he quickly learned he had a stronger passion for biology.

“I made a switch early on and said, ‘OK, I want to work in something to do with biology,’” said DeVries. “I didn’t really know what at that point. I went through classes, did well in school and got to the end. I was starting to look for career choices and trying to figure out what to do, and I hit a dead end. I found lots of opportunities, but nothing that really excited me, nothing I really felt passionate about.”

During his senior year, he took an entomology course as an elective, and something clicked.

“I realized entomology would let me use all my biology skills and knowledge, but I could use it in an applied way,” said DeVries. “I could use it to help manage pests.”

DeVries discovered the lab of Dr. Art Appel, Ph.D., an urban entomologist who at the time was chair of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University.

“He had a position open, so I joined his lab and got immersed in the field of urban entomology and pest control and just got really excited from that point on,” said DeVries. “It was really neat figuring out that I could use my knowledge of biology to improve pest control, and, ultimately people’s lives in the process, and that whole concept is still what keeps me excited today.”

ACADEMIA, MEET INDUSTRY. After earning his bachelor’s degree in zoology from Auburn in 2011, DeVries went on to earn his master’s in entomology from the university in 2013. He then worked toward his Ph.D. in entomology at North Carolina State University under the mentorship of Coby Schal, Ph.D., professor of urban entomology, insect behavior, chemical ecology and insect physiology. There, DeVries directed his attention toward topics such as cockroach baiting, bed bug behavior and pest control in low-income or disadvantaged housing. He also investigated commonly used pest control strategies that don’t work, like total release foggers, also known as bug bombs.

“Zach joined my lab as a Ph.D. student in September 2013 and hit the ground running with more cylinders than I knew incoming graduate students had,” said Schal. “His productivity since then has been astonishing.”

Working and studying at North Carolina State also presented DeVries with his first foray into interacting with industry on a large scale. In 2016, he spoke at the National Pest Management Association’s Global Bed Bug Summit, which DeVries looks back on as one of the defining moments in his career.

“At that point, I’d never really given any talks in front of large national audiences,” he said. “I’d done some regional things and some smaller stuff, but never a large event. I was incredibly nervous. I’m sure when I spoke, my talk was probably not that great. I look back and see how I’ve evolved and grown over the years. But the opportunity, I think, was really eye-opening.”

On stage, DeVries realized the impact he could have by sharing information from the lab and helping train industry members so they could in turn be better at their jobs.

“It gave me some confidence that this is something if I worked hard and practiced at, I could do well at,” he said. “That was one of the big, early moments that really got me excited about bridging the gap between academia and the pest management industry.”

DREAM JOB. One of the most pivotal moments in DeVries’ career was receiving the offer for the position at the University of Kentucky, he said, an institution known for its legacy of research and education in pest management and urban entomology.

“When this opened up, it was a dream job,” said DeVries. “It was everything I could have hoped for in an urban entomology position. It was incredibly nerve- wracking, because when you get that excited about something, you don’t want to miss out. I couldn’t envision a better position than the one I currently have.”

In his time at the University of Kentucky, DeVries said he’s discovered a new source of fulfillment in his day-to-day responsibilities: watching students from his lab learn, grow and succeed.

“I didn’t realize that would be the thing that really excites me — mentoring students,” he said. “Seeing them come in at one level, then grow into the field and excel, has been really exciting. I treat those in my lab like my academic children, and their achievements, whether it’s publishing papers, giving talks or getting awards, make me really proud.”

MAIN EVENTS. The other two primary responsibilities that keep DeVries busy are the university’s Pest Control Short Course and Technical Directors’ Retreat.

The Short Course, now in its 53rd year, started as a half-day event but is not so short anymore, said DeVries. The now three-day regional meeting, hosted by the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology in partnership with the Kentucky Pest Management Association and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, brings in speakers from across the country, with about 20 sessions and more than 400 attendees dropping in from Kentucky and surrounding states.

“It’s been around long before I got here, long before even Mike Potter, my predecessor, was here,” said DeVries. “My hope is that being here, I can help to improve it and hopefully keep it here long after I’m gone.”

The conference’s mission is to provide the pest control industry with education in both the basic and applied aspects of pest management, with a healthy dose of cutting-edge information on how pests function and behave, as well as practical information on how this can be translated into improved pest management.

“I’m clearly biased, but I think hour for hour, when you look at the program, this meeting stacks up with anything in the country,” said DeVries. “We pride ourselves on getting the best speakers, whether that’s people working in pest control, government roles or academia. We find a diverse group from across the country so that our attendees can get a diverse perspective on things.”

DeVries spends much of his time throughout the year at other meetings, training the industry on a variety of topics, but also listening, learning and identifying speakers who can help train those in his region.

“It’s really exciting to find new stuff, share that with people and then see how people in Kentucky take some of that new information and utilize it in their programs to improve pest control in the state,” he said.

One of DeVries’ own initiatives and a newer meeting out of the University of Kentucky is the Technical Directors’ Retreat, now in its fourth year. He developed the event in collaboration with Dr. Angela Sierras, a former research scientist at the University of Kentucky who now works at Syngenta.

“The pest management industry and academia are at a crossroads where they’re being pulled apart,” said DeVries. “And what I mean by that is the people who work in pest management need one thing, but those needs aren’t always reaching or being addressed by the academic community. The academics are pushing out some amazing stuff, but it’s not always tailored to fit the needs of the pest control industry.”

The retreat aims to bring the two groups together to discuss how to move the pest management industry forward, said DeVries. More than 20 technical directors from across the country attend the event.

During the retreat, the group meets for a day and a half to dig into current issues facing the industry, including topics like pyrethroid repellency, technician training and rodenticides. From these discussions, DeVries’ lab is able to develop tangible projects to work on, which will ultimately help to improve the pest management industry.

In addition to developing projects, the retreat helps to foster relationships.

“We’re trying to establish a close relationship between academia and industry,” said DeVries. “Not everything we do is focused on project development. I really want students coming out of my lab to know folks in the industry, so they know who to seek out for advice and guidance for all things related to pest management.”

Despite all the hard work that goes into putting the retreat together, there’s fun involved too, said DeVries.

“It’s something that takes a lot of effort and work for us to put together, but I don’t think too much about that, because it’s such a rewarding event,” he said. “I love getting to connect with those in the industry that I look up to, and their willingness to be a part of this and help us better serve the industry really means a lot to me. We’re going into year four of the retreat, and we plan to continue hosting it as long as people are willing to come back.”

MENTORSHIP MATTERS. DeVries gives credit to three mentors, whom he described as “father figures,” for setting him up for success in his professional career: Appel, Schal and Potter.

“From Art and Coby, as I was a student, I learned a lot about what it means to be a good entomologist and what it takes to succeed in an academic career, and I owe a lot of my success now and my success in the past to their training and mentorship,” said DeVries. “I came out of my graduate training very well prepared to take on the roles and responsibilities of my current faculty position.

“As for Mike, he really set me up for success. He’s been such an important part of the pest management industry for so many years, and when I started at Kentucky, I really leaned on him heavily just to get my feet set. He’s somebody who was very willing to share ideas and connections, which really helped me get my program up and running.”

Some of the most important lessons these three imparted were not necessarily about the science of entomology, but how to be a good person, said DeVries.

“Things like don’t make people feel bad for not knowing things, and find ways to bring out the best in everyone,” he said. “I certainly came in as a student and was well outside of my comfort zone, but Coby and Art really helped to guide me along.”

Another major lesson they conveyed was about making time for others.

“They always made time for everybody in their lab, myself included,” said DeVries. “It was a nice lesson for me to make sure I make time for everybody to make them feel valued and important and try and give everybody the same attention that I was given when I was growing up academically.”

FAMILY AND FUN. At home, DeVries and his wife Maryann are kept busy by their three children: Fiona, 6; Andy, 4; and Alice, 2.

“My family means everything to me,” he said. “My wife, Maryann, has always been there for me, constantly encouraging me and giving me the confidence I need to succeed.”

DeVries’ lab often partners with local schools and day cares to put on outreach and educational events, giving DeVries the opportunity to visit his children’s schools.

“A lot of times, you can see people are set on a path early, and you’re driven by your environment,” he said. “A lot of people can get pushed to this fear of insects, and it becomes something that’s very difficult to overcome. We get to interact with a lot of kids early on and hopefully redirect that fear. We’re not necessarily training the next generation of urban entomologists or pest control professionals, but what we are doing is letting kids know, ‘Hey, you see that bug in your backyard? It’s not something where you have to run away and scream. It’s just an insect. It’s something that lives around us, and they can be kind of cool in some cases.’”

One of his favorite parts about the visits? Roach races.

“There’s nothing that gets a classroom of early elementary school-aged kids more excited than releasing a couple of hissing cockroaches in the middle of the floor and watching them crawl around as kids scream and cheer for them,” said DeVries. “I love getting to do that.”

A proud family moment came when daughter Fiona brought home a self-portrait featuring some special members of the family.

“We don’t have any dogs or cats yet, but we do have two hissing cockroaches that we keep, and she drew a picture of her hissing cockroach pets on her portrait of herself,” said DeVries. “That was a very proud moment for me to see a cockroach show up on her drawing.”

“To an extent, I get to live somewhat vicariously through the students who come into the lab, because they come to Kentucky and they get to do all kinds of things throughout the state and the region,” he said. “Usually, excitement for my wife and I is taking the three of our kids grocery shopping.”

When DeVries’ father is in town, the pair enjoy playing video games, especially anything in the Super Mario series. And DeVries still roots for his hometown team as an avid Auburn sports fan.

“We spend a lot of time with our family,” he said. “Things are busy professionally and personally with kids ages 6, 4 and 2, but it’s really fun to watch them grow and do new things and see them get excited about stuff, whether it’s their activities, playing in the backyard, going on walks, going on trips. It’s fun. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

BETTER THAN BEFORE. Looking forward, DeVries said he’d like to continue to create an environment where students are free to be inquisitive, learn, grow and find success through the things that make them feel fulfilled and happy.

“Hopefully, the people I train can go on to make some contributions to the pest management industry as well,” he said.

Overall, he’d like to leave the industry better than he found it.

“I sometimes can get on soapboxes about my worries and fears with the industry or the direction it needs to go, but I think that comes out of a deep passion and dedication to it, and I want to make sure that the pest control industry survives and thrives, not just while I’m here, but long past that,” said DeVries.

“Whether it’s my job at the University of Kentucky, whether it’s the industry and the role I play in it, I want to leave things better than I found them. I am working really hard at Kentucky to try and shore up and protect the future of pest management in academia, so that when I leave, somebody [who] comes in after me has a framework for success. That’s what Mike did for me, and I hope to be able to do that for someone else.”

Potter weighed in: “When we hired him, I said, ‘In five years, Zach DeVries will have the top urban entomology program in the United States.’ And he will. And the reason is because he’s going to build a balanced program, and it’ll have great relevance to the pest control industry. Keep an eye on him.”