Biography

I am an Assistant Extension Professor of Urban Entomology at Mississippi State University. My position focuses primarily on providing education, training, and reference material to interested stakeholders and residents of Mississippi. Urban Entomology is a very broad discipline and relates primarily to insect and other arthropod (spiders, mites, scorpions, etc.) pests in and around human structures as well as that threaten our food supply after it leaves the farm or ranch.

The U.S. Structural Pest Control Market in 2022 exceeded $11 billion in generated revenue, and conservative estimates have suggested that the annual economic impact of termites alone in Mississippi could be up to $300-500 million. I plan to use my experiences in the pest management industry to help Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) in Mississippi, throughout the Mid-South region, and across the country to provide a more effective, cost efficient, and environmentally conscience service to their customers. 

I also plan to develop an applied research component of my program that will help to elucidate distributions and behaviors of invasive pestiferous species in the state and region, as well as to investigate mitigation and control strategies that increase efficacy of pest management while reducing the risk to non-target species.

One of my long-term goals is to help build the next generation of Urban Entomologists, and ensure that they are trained in effective, integrated pest management approaches. I will prioritize the need for them to possess an applied knowledge of industry, that will help develop them into professional and academic leaders in the field.