Congratulations!

Dr. Justin Talley received the “Distinguished Alum Award” from the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University on March 13 where he presented a talk during their Entomology Seminar Series. This annual award was established in 1998 to honor alumni.  Previous awardees connected to our department include Dr. James Wesbter in 2000 and Dr. Rizana Mahroof in 2018.

Nina Vázquez and her husband Ema are the proud parents of a baby boy.  Eliangel Agustín Vázquez was born on March 1, weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces, and was 21 inches in length.

Four students received awards at the OSU FAPC Research Symposium held on March 24:

• Gourav Beniwal - Third Place Graduate Oral Presentation
• Sulav Paul – Second Place Graduate Oral Presentation
• Maria Salud – First Place Undergraduate Oral Presentation
• Sandra Sweet – First Place Undergraduate Poster Presentation

Several students received recognition during the Ferguson College of Agriculture Awards Banquet on March 26:

• Brody Houser – Miles Karner Memorial Endowed Scholarship
• Angelique Robinson – Senior of Distinction
• Keeta Snell – Clyde R. Evans Annual Scholarship in the Ferguson College of Agriculture
• Kylie Spradling – Coon Family Study Abroad Endowed Scholarship and Joseph Fleming Memorial Continuing Scholarship
• Laura Whaley – Bobby and Claranne Hayes Family Endowed Scholarship
• Ashle Zelada – Herman and LaDonna Meinders Endowed Legacy Scholarship in Agriculture

On the Move

Bethany Mitchell, who has worked at Insect Adventure for nearly eight years, ended her position there on April 1.  She will begin her new position as Invertebrate Keeper at the Audubon Insectarium and Aquarium in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 12. Bethany received her B.S. degree in Entomology from OSU in May 2024.

Southern Branch of the Entomological Society of America

The Southwestern Branch Meeting of the ESA was held on March 29 – April 1 in Amarillo, Texas.  Congratulations to the many people who won awards!

• Kylie Spradling – 3^rd Place Undergraduate Oral Presentation
• Gourav Beniwal – 3^rd Place M.S. Oral Presentation
• Dakota Serra – 1^st Place M.S. Poster
• Rodrigo Soares – 2nd Place Ph.D. Oral Presentation
• Faith England, Dakota Serra, Rodrigo Soares, and Chad Zerr, with Racheal Seay, alternate – 2^nd Place Entomology Games – Coached by Dr. Melissa Reed
• Edmond Bonjour – Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension
• Dr. Ashleigh Faris – Traditional Macrophotography winner in the Photo Salon
• Kylie Spradling – Undergraduate Student Achievement in Entomology Award

Departmental Seminars

Necrology

Kenneth Eldon Jackson, 82, was called to his eternal home with his Lord and Savior on February 26 in Stillwater, surrounded by his beloved family. He was born on January 22, 1944, in Norton, Kansas, to Marvin and Doris Fae Jackson.  He grew up on the family farm near Norcatur, Kansas and fostered a lifelong commitment to service, education, and community.

After graduating high school, Ken attended McPherson College for two years before embarking on a two-year mission though the Church of the Brethren in Europe, where he contributed efforts in Austria, Slovenia, Germany, and Turkey. Upon returning, he received his B.S. degree in Agriculture from Fort Hays State University in Fort Hays, Kansas in 1969, and his M.S. degree in Plant Pathology from the University of Arkansas in 1972.

On August 1, 1972, Ken began his career as the Plant Disease Diagnostician at OSU.  He then became an Assistant Extension Specialist dedicating himself to field research testing fungicides, nematicides, biological control agents, various cultural practices, and varieties for disease reaction on peanuts, wheat, soybeans, peaches, and turf.  In 2002, he was described by the American Peanut Research and Education Society as “the best peanut extension educator in the nation.” He retired in January 2004. His passion for agriculture continued as he worked part-time with the USDA on its peanut improvement program, traveling extensively throughout Oklahoma.

Ken married Sue Hooker on August 18, 1979, in Stillwater. He was an active member of the community, deeply involved in the Bible Baptist Church, where he served on the Missions Committee, ushered, and participated in the Halftime Class. He was known for his hospitality, welcoming numerous BBC summer interns, missionaries during Missions Revivals, and hosting annual College Class Christmas parties and boys from Heartland singing groups. His kindness and generosity have left a lasting impact on many.

He is survived by his wife Jan; sister Karen Cozad; brother Robert "Bob"; and three stepsons: Terry and his wife Carolyn Eskew, Gary and his wife Tina Eskew, and Kent and his wife Jenny Eskew; and daughter-in-law Sharla Eskew.  Ken's legacy continues through his grandchildren Christie and her husband Tony Lund, Timothy Eskew, Ryan Eskew and his wife, Tara and her husband Brian Scott, Colton Eskew and his wife Cydney, Kelly and her husband Nolan Walker, Wesley Eskew and his wife Brynn, Casey and her husband Cody Cross, Duke Eskew, Jordan, and Jose Castillion, as well as numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his stepson Rodney Eskew.  Funeral service was held on March 6, 2026 at Bible Baptist Church in Stillwater.  He was interred at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Stillwater.

Alumni News

Dr. Italo Aquino (M.S. 1990, Ph.D. 1997) retired as a Full Professor from the Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil (UFPB) in November 2025.  In August 1992, Dr. Aquino was selected, through a competitive public examination, for a professorship at UFPB.  Over the course of his career, he taught in both undergraduate and graduate programs, and produced an extensive body of scholarly work, including numerous scientific publications and five books (one on native bees and four on scientific methodology), in addition to a co-authored volume on Africanized honeybees.  Throughout his academic trajectory, he filed three patents in the field of entomology and founded the Africanized Honeybee Laboratory at UFPB, as well as its associated stingless bee apiary.  He held the position of Full Professor at UFPB for over 33 years.  Italo received his B.S. degree in Agronomy from UFPB in 1984, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Entomology from OSU in 1990 and 1997, respectively, under the direction of Dr. Jerry Young and Dr. Raymond Eikenbary, respectively.

Elizabeth Carlson (B.S. 2024) won 3^rd place in the M.S. Poster competition at the Southwestern Branch Meeting of the ESA was held on March 29 – April 1 in Amarillo, Texas.  She is pursuing her M.S. degree in Museum Sciences focusing on education at Texas Tech University.  She received her B.S. degree in Entomology from OSU in May 2024.

Dr. Jessica Lindenmayer (M.S. 2015, Ph.D. 2019) received the Feguson College of Agriculture Early Career Achievement Award during the Ferguson College of Agriculture Awards Banquet on March 26.  Jessica is the Global Field Research and Demonstration Coordinator for Stored Products/PCO at Trécé Inc. in Adair, Oklahoma. Jessica received her B.S. degree from Colorado State University in Fort Collins in Soil and Crop Sciences, and Horticulture in 2013, her M.S. degree in Plant Pathology from OSU in December 2015 under the direction of Dr. Carla Garzon, and her Ph.D. in Entomology and Plant Pathology from OSU in May 2019 under the direction of Dr. Tom Royer.