Dr. Kathy Heinsohn Accepts Osmun Alumni Award at Purdue University

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue's Department of Entomology awarded the 2024 John V. Osmun Alumni Professional Achievement Award to Dr. Kathy Heinsohn (PhD '98) during an award ceremony on Friday, Jan. 31. This award is presented annually by the department of entomology to an alumnus who has demonstrated excellence in their career as an entomologist, or in a related field.  

Heinsohn is internationally regarded for her leadership in the field of urban and industrial pest management. She received her Ph.D. from Purdue Entomology in 1998, studying German cockroach control with Dr. Gary Bennett.

Over a career spanning more than 30 years, Dr. Heinsohn has led efforts in industrial pest management to safeguard human health while reducing non-target effects. Her initiatives include developing IPM programs for major U.S. federal agencies, notably the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of State, and Library of Congress. She is a Fulbright Scholar (Germany 1984-1985), ESA awardee (2014 Distinguished Service Award), and winner of the 2024 Crown Leadership Award, National Pest Management Association.

Over her career, Dr. Heinsohn has served on diverse projects from Baltimore’s Zika virus taskforce to Washington, DC’s program to eradicate rats. She is also one of the last students who was mentored by Dr. John Osmun and has contributed in multiple areas as an alumna, from helping to plan the department’s Centennial Celebration in 2012 to acting as a recurring presenter at the annual Purdue Pest Management Conference.

John V. Osmun was Head of the Department of Entomology from 1956 - 1972. Upon retirement from the Purdue Entomology faculty in 1987, an award fund, The John V. Osmun Alumni Professional Achievement Award in Entomology, was established in his honor. The award is in recognition of John Osmun’s long career, professionalism and great respect for entomology alumni.