SEB ESA meeting wraps up!

I have been attending the Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America's annual meeting this week and head back to Raleigh tomorrow morning. I presented some of our strawberry tunnel/spider mite biological control research in a symposium devoted to non-insect arthropods organized by the student affairs committee, headed by Ana Cabrera. Ana studies mite and tobacco budworm molecular biology under the direction of Mike Roe in our department.

The NCSU Linnaean Games team also competed and placed 3rd. However, they played extremely well, and I am extremely proud of them. Because we did not place in the top two, we will not be completing at the national ESA meeting this winter, but we plan to come back strong next spring at SEB. The venue for next year's meeting is San Juan, Puerto Rico, which I am certainly looking forward to!

UPDATE: Elijah Meck, NCSU graduate student working with Jim Walgenbach and George Kennedy was the big winner in the SEB Photo Salon. Congratulations!

Linnaean Games Update

The NCSU Linnaean Games team beat Oklahoma State to move onto the semi finals where they will meet either Penn State or UC Riverside. A UCR match up would be a repeat of last year's finals. Congrats for a great showing so far and more to come!

The finals begin at 5:30pm Tuesday.

UPDATE: Despite a well fought effort in the semi finals, NCSU lost to UC-Riverside. Riverside then completed against the University of Illinois. Illinois was a force to be reckoned with, and won the 2010 championship. Congratulations!

Department Linnaean Games Tournament

The NCSU Entomology Department Linnaean Games Tournament is scheduled for Thursday, December 10th at 5pm in the Steven's Room (3503 Thompson Hall). This is a chance to see our branch winning team members play with other department members and to send them off in style to the national meeting in Indianapolis! Contact Hannah (hannah_burrack@ncsu.edu) to submit teams or ask questions.

Smithsonian Magazine covered the national tournament last year, and it's a good read to get excited for this year's contest!

Linnaean games practices start Sept 8th!

The NC State Linnaean Games Team after winning the 2009 SEB ESA tournament and earning a spot in the national competition.

After a great organizational meeting last Thursday, regular practices for the NC State Linnaean Games team will begin on Tuesday Sept. 8th at 1pm in Gardner Hall. We will also meet Thursdays at 5pm, also in Garnder. All students are welcome, and encouraged to attend. The National ESA meeting is Dec. 13-16 in Indianapolis, IN, where the Southeastern Branch champs (NCSU) will compete for the national title.

The department Linnaean Games tournament will be Dec. 10th--more details to follow. Wondering what the Linnaean Games are? Check this out.