Mark your calendars for Black in Entomology Week, happening virtually from Feb. 22-26. This is an event dedicated to celebrating and supporting Black entomologists, organized by Maydianne Andrade, Swanne Gordon, Vik Iyengar, Shakara Maggitt, Michelle Samuel-Foo, Jessica Ware, and Natasha Young.
The goals of #BlackInEnto week include fostering community among Black entomologists, including students and enthusiasts, for Black entomologists to inspire others and share their passion for insects (and other terrestrial arthropods), and to create funding opportunities for Black entomology students.
In addition to daily content on the @BlackInEnto twitter feed, there is a fantastic schedule of live panel discussions and social events on zoom. Some highlights include:
Tuesday Feb. 23
A panel on Black in Entomology with organizers Maydianne Andrade, Michelle Samuel-Foo, and Jessica Ware. This discussion will focus on the challenges and successes of Black entomologists, and ways everyone can get involved in efforts to diversify entomology and support Black entomologists. Hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. Watch here.
Plus, discussions about Entomology Careers, Getting into Undergraduate Research, and a community building social for non-traditional students. Full schedule here.
Wednesday Feb. 24
Panel discussion: Contributions of Black Entomologists to Insect Sciences. Hosted by Texas A&M University. Register here.
Thursday Feb. 24
Panel discussion on Colonialism in Entomology, and an Entomology Trivia Night. Full schedule here.
Full schedules and registration links, profiles of Black Entomologists, and more can be found on the Black in Ento website here.
Call for nominations: Societal Director (Second Vice-President), Director at Large
The Society will hold an online ballot to select candidates for a Societal Director and Director at Large. The selected candidates will then be presented as a slate for formal election by members at the Annual Members’ Meeting in fall 2021. Nominations for these positions must be signed by three active members of the Society and be received by the Secretary of the Entomological Society of Canada, Neil Holliday (ESCSecretary@esc-sec.ca), by 28 February 2021.
http://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.png00Cass Chowdhuryhttp://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.pngCass Chowdhury2021-02-09 01:02:092021-02-09 01:16:36Call for nominations: Societal Director (Second Vice-President), Director at Large
Recently the ESC Executive Council met with members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the meeting to discuss the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic The Council learned that, although the LOC has taken steps to limit financial penalties, in the absence of a legislated prohibition of meetings, the penalty for cancelling the contract with the meeting hotel would be about $75,000. The Council also learned that the electronic infrastructure at the hotel is not adequate for the meeting to be a “hybrid”, with on-line and in-person participants. We are optimistic in light of Canada’s plans to vaccinate the majority of the adult population for COVID-19 by September 2021. ESC encourages members to attend the JAM if possible, but the Council is aware that some members will not be able to attend an in-person meeting because their employer will not approve travel to the conference. Although a final decision will be made in May 2021, the above information leads the ESC Executive Council to conclude that the most probable scenario for JAM 2021 is:
The meeting is expected to have lower attendance than normal, but will have the full range of scientific and social events normal at a JAM. There will not be an opportunity for on-line participation in these events.
Board meetings and the Annual Meeting of Members, will not occur at the JAM. They will be conducted by video conference in October or November 2021, on dates that do not conflict with JAM.
Further information will be communicated to ESC members by Eblast and ESC News Feeds, as soon as possible, and updates will be published in the June and September issues of the ESC Bulletin.
http://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.png00Cass Chowdhuryhttp://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ESC_logo-300x352.pngCass Chowdhury2021-02-03 09:27:372021-02-03 17:42:43JAM 2021 and ESC Business Meetings
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is developing strategies for the ESC to become a more inclusive and welcoming society. The committee is currently working on:
Acknowledging the diversity within the society.
Creating an EDI package for current and future Boards of Directors.
Creating a list of resources for members to familiarize themselves with equity, diversity, and inclusion issues and concepts.
Offering workshops for – a) board of directors and b) members, during the JAM.
Having a guest speaker on EDI issues at the JAM.
Please, reach out to the EDI director Sebastian Ibarra sibarra@gov.pe.ca or committee chair Christine Noronha Christine.noronha@canada.ca if you have any ideas for workshops, speakers, programs, resources, events, or other that you would like the ESC to implement.
By Amanda Roe (ESC Photo Contest Organizer) & Sean McCann (ESC Photo Contest Organizer-in-Training)
~~~~
We are pleased to announce the winners of the ESC Annual Photo Contest. This year saw 27 people participate in our annual ESC Photo Contest. They submitted a high number of entries – 99 to be precise. We wish to thank all the entrants for their fine collection of photos.
We would also like to thank the anonymous judges who took the time to review and rank all the photo entries. This is never an easy task with so many stunning pictures. The winners and honourable mentions listed below will have their photos grace the covers of The Canadian Entomologist and The Bulletin for the 2021 season.
Caption: Enallagma civile watching the foot traffic along a boardwalk at Riding Mountain National Park, MB
Third Place: Andrea Brauner
Caption: A presumed Acrididae grasshopper found hanging out in the backyard in Summerland, BC.
Entomologist In Action: Chris Ratzlaff
Caption: Collecting insects and setting up pan traps on the dry slopes of Galiano Island, British Columbia as part of the Biodiversity Galiano Project.
Honourable Mentions
Honourable Mention: Andreas Fischer
Caption: Subadult female black widow spider walking on her web. Tsawwassen, BC, Canada
Honourable Mention: Matt Muzzatti
Caption: Chiang Mai, Thailand. Two male rhinoceros beetles (Xylotrupes: Dynastinae) preparing to ‘fight.’ Prize fighters are bred and bets are placed on which male will throw the other off a cylindrical piece of wood.
Honourable Mention: Richard Yank
Chateauguay River, Sainte-Martine, Quebec
Caption: Portrait of a male American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) photographed along the Châteauguay River at Ste-Martine, Québec on August 13, 2020. A small population of this colourful damselfly was discovered at this site, well north of its usual range, several years ago.
Honourable Mention: Robyn DeYoung
Caption: Robber fly in the Subfamily Asilinae, photo taken at Trout Creek Point in Summerland, B.C.
Black in Entomology Week: February 22-26 2021
Mark your calendars for Black in Entomology Week, happening virtually from Feb. 22-26. This is an event dedicated to celebrating and supporting Black entomologists, organized by Maydianne Andrade, Swanne Gordon, Vik Iyengar, Shakara Maggitt, Michelle Samuel-Foo, Jessica Ware, and Natasha Young.
The goals of #BlackInEnto week include fostering community among Black entomologists, including students and enthusiasts, for Black entomologists to inspire others and share their passion for insects (and other terrestrial arthropods), and to create funding opportunities for Black entomology students.
In addition to daily content on the @BlackInEnto twitter feed, there is a fantastic schedule of live panel discussions and social events on zoom. Some highlights include:
Tuesday Feb. 23
A panel on Black in Entomology with organizers Maydianne Andrade, Michelle Samuel-Foo, and Jessica Ware. This discussion will focus on the challenges and successes of Black entomologists, and ways everyone can get involved in efforts to diversify entomology and support Black entomologists. Hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. Watch here.
Plus, discussions about Entomology Careers, Getting into Undergraduate Research, and a community building social for non-traditional students. Full schedule here.
Wednesday Feb. 24
Panel discussion: Contributions of Black Entomologists to Insect Sciences. Hosted by Texas A&M University. Register here.
Thursday Feb. 24
Panel discussion on Colonialism in Entomology, and an Entomology Trivia Night. Full schedule here.
Full schedules and registration links, profiles of Black Entomologists, and more can be found on the Black in Ento website here.
Call for nominations: Societal Director (Second Vice-President), Director at Large
Call for nominations: Societal Director (Second Vice-President), Director at Large
The Society will hold an online ballot to select candidates for a Societal Director and Director at Large. The selected candidates will then be presented as a slate for formal election by members at the Annual Members’ Meeting in fall 2021. Nominations for these positions must be signed by three active members of the Society and be received by the Secretary of the Entomological Society of Canada, Neil Holliday (ESCSecretary@esc-sec.ca), by 28 February 2021.
JAM 2021 and ESC Business Meetings
JAM 2021 and ESC Business Meetings
Recently the ESC Executive Council met with members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the meeting to discuss the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic The Council learned that, although the LOC has taken steps to limit financial penalties, in the absence of a legislated prohibition of meetings, the penalty for cancelling the contract with the meeting hotel would be about $75,000. The Council also learned that the electronic infrastructure at the hotel is not adequate for the meeting to be a “hybrid”, with on-line and in-person participants. We are optimistic in light of Canada’s plans to vaccinate the majority of the adult population for COVID-19 by September 2021. ESC encourages members to attend the JAM if possible, but the Council is aware that some members will not be able to attend an in-person meeting because their employer will not approve travel to the conference. Although a final decision will be made in May 2021, the above information leads the ESC Executive Council to conclude that the most probable scenario for JAM 2021 is:
Further information will be communicated to ESC members by Eblast and ESC News Feeds, as soon as possible, and updates will be published in the June and September issues of the ESC Bulletin.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee Update
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is developing strategies for the ESC to become a more inclusive and welcoming society. The committee is currently working on:
Please, reach out to the EDI director Sebastian Ibarra sibarra@gov.pe.ca or committee chair Christine Noronha Christine.noronha@canada.ca if you have any ideas for workshops, speakers, programs, resources, events, or other that you would like the ESC to implement.
ESC 2020 Photo Contest Winners
By Amanda Roe (ESC Photo Contest Organizer) & Sean McCann (ESC Photo Contest Organizer-in-Training)
~~~~
We are pleased to announce the winners of the ESC Annual Photo Contest. This year saw 27 people participate in our annual ESC Photo Contest. They submitted a high number of entries – 99 to be precise. We wish to thank all the entrants for their fine collection of photos.
We would also like to thank the anonymous judges who took the time to review and rank all the photo entries. This is never an easy task with so many stunning pictures. The winners and honourable mentions listed below will have their photos grace the covers of The Canadian Entomologist and The Bulletin for the 2021 season.
First Place: Tim Haye
Caption: Samurai wasp, Trissolcus japonicus, parasitizing egg of Halyomorpha halys (Delémont, Switzerland)
Second Place: Mel Hart
Caption: Enallagma civile watching the foot traffic along a boardwalk at Riding Mountain National Park, MB
Third Place: Andrea Brauner
Caption: A presumed Acrididae grasshopper found hanging out in the backyard in Summerland, BC.
Entomologist In Action: Chris Ratzlaff
Caption: Collecting insects and setting up pan traps on the dry slopes of Galiano Island, British Columbia as part of the Biodiversity Galiano Project.
Honourable Mentions
Honourable Mention: Andreas Fischer
Caption: Subadult female black widow spider walking on her web. Tsawwassen, BC, Canada
Honourable Mention: Matt Muzzatti
Caption: Chiang Mai, Thailand. Two male rhinoceros beetles (Xylotrupes: Dynastinae) preparing to ‘fight.’ Prize fighters are bred and bets are placed on which male will throw the other off a cylindrical piece of wood.
Honourable Mention: Richard Yank
Chateauguay River, Sainte-Martine, Quebec
Caption: Portrait of a male American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) photographed along the Châteauguay River at Ste-Martine, Québec on August 13, 2020. A small population of this colourful damselfly was discovered at this site, well north of its usual range, several years ago.
Honourable Mention: Robyn DeYoung
Caption: Robber fly in the Subfamily Asilinae, photo taken at Trout Creek Point in Summerland, B.C.
Thanks to everyone who participated this year!