The 64th Annual MEA Conference (held in conjunction with MAPPAN) was held this week from 16–17 October 2017 at the Bost Center on the Mississippi State University Campus. The meeting basically started at 9 AM for some of us with an MEA committee meeting where we gave reports on the year’s activities, discussed strategies to increase membership, and nominated new officers with Don Cook being the incoming President and Blair Sampson the incoming vice president. Officially, the conference started with registration at noon. After welcoming remarks by MEA President Katherine Parys, the afternoon got started with the Masters and PhD Student presentations competition in the main auditorium. Concurrently, posters were set up in the dining area with students also competing for prize money there.
That evening, attendees feasted on baked potatoes, salad, grilled steaks, and desserts prepared by “Mr. Charlie”. As always, the food was great. Just prior to our dinner, awards and the checks were given out to the first and second place winners in PhD and Masters categories for both paper and poster presentations! (winners listed below).
The conference was back in full sway the next morning with a riveting talk about about the use of transgenic insects by Dr. Jonas King. His talk was followed by those of other researchers. Our meeting culminated with the awards luncheon at 12 pm, which featured chicken, ribs, beans, potato salad, pies and cakes, and iced tea! Numerous awards were given out including four “Pat and Linda Harris” scholarship awards and several MEA Merit and Distinguished Service Awards (see award winners below). The meeting ended with President Kat Parys relinquishing her position to incoming President Don Cook.
Look for published abstracts of the Conference in an upcoming issue of the Midsouth Entomologist.
AWARD WINNERS
MS Paper Competition
1st-John Cameron Corbin
2nd-Read Kelly
PhD Paper Competition
1st-John North
2nd-Cori Speights
MS Poster Competition
1st-Ryan Whitehouse
PhD Poster Competition
1st-Whitney Crow
2nd-Adam Whalen
Pat and Linda Harris Scholarship Winners
Ben Thrash
Ellie Moen
Ryan Whitehouse
Whitney Crow
Dr. Jonas King (right) presenting Pat and Linda Harris Scholarship award to Ben Thrash
Dr. Jonas King (right) presenting Pat and Linda Harris Scholarship award to Ellie Moen
Dr. Jonas King (right) presenting Pat and Linda Harris Scholarship award to Ryan Whitehouse
Dr. Jonas King (right) presenting Pat and Linda Harris Scholarship award to Whitney Crow
MEA AWARDS
Katherine Parys-Outgoing President
Randy Luttrell-Distinguished Service Award
Jerome Goddard-Merit Award in the area of Medical and Veterinary Entomology
Whitney Crow-Merit Award in the area of Extension
Beverly Catchot-Merit Award in the area of Research and Support (not pictured)
Katherine Parys-Merit Award in the area of Ecology, Behavior, and Bionomics
Steve Winters-Distinguished Service Award
Jonas King-Merit Award in the area of Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology
Sherry McMullin-Merit Award in the area of Organization and Support (not pictured)
Dr. Kat Parys presenting the Merit Award in the area of Medical and Veterinary Entomology to Dr. Jerome Goddard
Dr. Kat Parys presenting Dr. Jonas King with Merit Award in the area of Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology
Dr. Kat Parys (left) received a Merit Award in the area of Ecology, Behavior, and BIonomics and the outgoing service award for serving as president (Jenny Bibb pictured on right)
Dr. Randy Luttrell received a Distinguished Service Award
Steve Winters received a Distinguished Service Award
Whitney Crow received a Merit Award in the area of extension
MEA/MAPPAN 