Updating Entomology Program at Fort Valley State University to Reflect Advances in Insects Chemical Ecology and Pathology

摘要：fort Valley州立大学是一所HBCU和1890年授予土地的大学，在过去的五年中平均招收了2100名学生。大约92%的在校生和毕业生是非洲裔美国人。少数民族在科学、技术、工程和数学领域的代表性不足。这种对非裔美国人代表性不足的现象在某些科学领域更为严重，比如昆虫学，在美国昆虫学会的5000名注册会员中，只有32名是非裔美国人。由于昆虫对农业和公众健康的影响，昆虫学对昆虫的研究非常重要。在美国，昆虫活动和人类旨在减少昆虫数量的活动估计每年花费约500亿美元。本项目旨在通过整合昆虫化学生态学和昆虫病理学的最新进展，加强昆虫学专业学生的教学和培训。我们专注于化学生态学和昆虫病理学，因为这些是昆虫学中的新兴技术，它们带来了一些重要的基本技能，如微生物学、生物技术、生物化学和化学。这是通过几个目标来引入的：(1)通过开发包括实验室经验的课程改革来丰富昆虫学学生的学术准备；(2)提高FVSU昆虫学学生的高质量研究经验，帮助他们进入研究生课程；(3)研究所综合虫害管理活动，使学生掌握在农业或虫害防治行业就业所需的技能。

ABSTRACT 0808851Fort Valley State University, a HBCU and an 1890 Land-grant institution has an average student enrollment of 2,100 over the past five years. About 92 percent of enrolled and graduating students are African American minorities. Minorities are under represented in the fields of sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics. This under representation of African Americans is more severe in certain sciences, such as Entomology, where out of 5,000 registered members of the Entomological Society of America only 32 are African Americans. Entomology, the study of insects, is very important due to the impact of insects on agriculture and public health. In the U.S. insect activities, and human activities aimed at reducing insect population is estimated at an annual cost of about $50 billion. This project works to strengthen both the teaching and training of students in Entomology by integrating advances in Chemical Ecology of Insects, and Insect Pathology in the Entomology program at FVSU. We are focusing on chemical ecology and insect pathology because these are emerging technologies within entomology that bring with them certain important and basic skills such as in microbiology, biotechnology, biochemistry and chemistry. This is introduced through several objectives: (1) Enrich the academic preparations of Entomology students by developing course reforms that include laboratory experiences (2) Enhance quality research experience for Entomology students at FVSU that help students get accepted into graduate programs (3) Institute integrated pest management activities that arms students with the skills they need to secure employment in agriculture or pest control industry.