Charles Doane Lecture Series
Overview
The Department of Entomology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison hosts a special seminar series, entitled “The Charles Chesley Doane Distinguished Lecture.” Typically held during the fall semester, the event includes a main lecture of broad interest to the entire campus community plus a smaller, more specialized lecture or discussion to a narrower audience of mostly entomologists.
A gracious endowment from the Doane family, including his wife, Dr. Winifred Doane, Professor Emeritus, School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, and their son Timothy P. Doane, supports this special event. The Department enthusiastically organizes this lecture series and greatly appreciates the opportunity to honor the legacy of Dr. Charles Doane.
About Charles “Chuck” Chesley Doane
Dr. Chuck Doane attended UW-Madison, receiving his M.S. in 1951 and Ph.D. in 1953. He studied the management of vegetable pests in the Department of Entomology under the direction of Dr. R. Keith Chapman. In a career spanning 46 years he developed innovative programs for many companies around the world.
Upcoming Doane Lecture
Information about the next Doane speaker will be posted here when available.
Previous Doane Lectures
To view more information about previous lectures, click the year to see additional details.
2024 Spring Doane Lecture: Dr. Silvia Rondon
Silvia Rondon is the Oregon IPM Center Director, and a Professor and Extension Entomology Specialist at Oregon State University affiliated to the Department of Crop & Soil Sciences.
She received her BA and MS in Entomology from the Agraria University in Lima, Perú, and Ph.D. in Crop Sciences with a major in Entomology and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She worked as a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Florida Horticulture Department.
In Sept-2005, she joined the faculty at Oregon State University. Her position included Research and Extension with expertise in IPM and an emphasis on insect ecology, distribution, population dynamics, insect-plant interactions, biological control, insect-plant pathogens interactions, and chemical control. She has been involved in working with multiple commodities groups including potatoes, grass seed, wheat, and vegetables.
As director of the Oregon IPM Center since September 2022, she is working on strengthening signature programs for the center including phenology and prediction models, responses to the arrival of invasive species, and developing IPM content including biological and pesticide resistance management.
She is also an active member of ESA having served in a variety of roles, currently as vice president of the Pacific Branch and newly appointed ESA books editor in chief, a member of the Division, Equity, and Inclusion task force, and the founding co-organizer of the Latino/Hispanic Symposium now in its 12th year.
2022 Fall Doane Lecture: Dr. Anurag Agrawal
James A. Perkins Professor of Environmental Studies
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Cornell University
Convergence and divergence in the diversity of insects feeding on a toxic plant
Event Details: Dr. Anurag Agrawal will present the 2021 Charles Chesley Doane Lecture in Entomology entitled “Convergence and divergence in the diversity of insects feeding on a toxic plant” on Friday, December 9th in Russell Labs Room 150 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM.
About Dr. Agrawal: Dr. Agrawal’s research group is located in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and also in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Taken from Dr. Agrawal’s site, “Their laboratory addresses questions in the ecology and evolution of interactions between plants and animals. In particular, they focus on the generally antagonistic interactions between plants and insect herbivores and ultimately seek to understand the complexity of community-wide interactions. What ecological factors allow the coexistence of similar species? What evolutionary factors led to the diversification of species? In total, plants and insect herbivores comprise about one half of earth’s macroscopic biodiversity and herbivory accounts for major losses in agriculture. Given that herbivory is the conduit through which most of plants’ autotrophic energy is transmitted to the rest of the food web, the focus on plant-herbivore interactions is justifiably important. The laboratory is currently focused on three major projects: 1) the community and evolutionary ecology of plant-herbivore relationships, 2) factors that make non-native plants successful invaders, and 3) novel opportunities for pest management of potatoes.”
More information:
2022 Spring Doane Lecture: Dr. Diana Six
We are excited to host Dr. Diana Six, Professor of Forest Entomology/Pathology in the College of Forestry & Conservation at the University of Montana, Missoula, for two lectures:
- Thursday, March 31, 12-1 pm in 584 Russell Labs: From little to big: Bark beetle-fungus symbiosis effects at the landscape level
- Friday, April 1, 12-1 pm in 150 Russell Labs: Forests, bark beetles and a changing climate: Finding trees that have what it takes to persist in the face of severe outbreaks
Dr. Six’s primary research focuses on the evolution and maintenance of symbioses, particularly those occurring among bark beetles, ambrosia beetles, and fungi. Work in her lab highlights the influence microfungi have on greater ecosystem processes via differential effects on their host insects. Her lab also conducts research on various aspects of bark beetle ecology and management, including investigations into how bark beetles may affect the ability of forests to adapt to climate change. In addition to her position at the University of Montana, she is an Extraordinary Professor of Ecology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a proud member and fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. She is also the recipient of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Pioneer Award for pioneering research in bark beetle ecology and climate adaptation of forests.
Learn more about Dr. Six on her faculty profile page here or visit her lab website here.
2019 Doane Lecturer: Dr. Bryony Bonning
Eminent Scholar and Professor – University of Florida
“Orange Juice, Psyllids and Bt Toxins”
About Dr. Bonning:
Dr. Bryony C. Bonning is an eminent scholar and professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida, and Director of the Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech), a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center. Dr. Bonning conducts fundamental and applied research on insect physiology and insect pathology with the goal of developing novel, environmentally benign alternatives to chemical insecticides for insect pest management. Her current research emphasis is on citrus, with a focus on management of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Research has included the study of insect hormones and enzymes, insecticidal toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis, the genetic optimization of insect viruses for pest management, insect virus discovery and the use of viral proteins for development of insect resistant transgenic plants.
Dr. Bonning held postdoctoral appointments at the Natural Environment Research Council Institute of Virology in Oxford, UK and at the University of California, Davis, USA. She then joined the faculty at Iowa State University, and moved to University of Florida in 2017. Dr. Bonning oversees cutting edge research on insect physiology and insect pathology as Director of CAMTech, where she oversees an interdisciplinary research team which provides a diverse and talented base for center operations, with an emphasis on expertise in genomics, physiology, insect resistance, integrated pest management, and on the development of new methods and tools.
Distinguished McKnight University Professor Apiculture & Social Insects – University of Minnesota
Honey Bee Colonies Have Socialized Medicine
About Dr. Spivak
Marla Spivak is a MacArthur Fellow and McKnight Distinguished Professor in Entomology at the University of Minnesota. Recent awards include the 2015 Minnesota AgriGrowth Distinguished Service Award, the 2016 Siehl Prize laureate for excellence in agriculture, and the 2016 Wings WorldQuest Women of Discovery Earth Award. She and Gary Reuter bred a line of honey bees, the Minnesota Hygienic line, to defend themselves against diseases and parasitic mites. Current research includes studies of the benefits of plant resins (propolis) to honey bees and the effects of agricultural landscapes and pesticides on bee health. In 2013, Dr. Spivak delivered a TED talk describing the declines of bees.
Marla’s interest in bees began when she worked for a commercial beekeeper in New Mexico in 1975. She obtained her PhD from the University of Kansas in 1989 on the identification and ecology of Africanized and European honey bees in Costa Rica. She was a post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Insect Science at the University of Arizona before coming to the University of Minnesota in 1993.
Dr. Spivak’s website
UMN Bee Lab Website
Dr. Spivak’s TED Talk
Dr. Marla Spivak receiving a framed poster celebrating the 2017 Doane Distinguished Lecture
Standing room only at the 2017 Doane Distinguished Lecture.
The Multi-Organismal Animal: Insights from gut microbes of Drosophila fruit flies
Dr. Angela Douglas, Daljit S. and Elaine Sarkaria Professor of Insect Physiology and Toxicology – Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, will present the 2016 Charles Chesley Doane Lecture in Entomology on Friday, October 21st entitled, ” The Multi-Organismal Animal: Insights from gut microbes of Drosophila fruit flies”.
About Dr. Douglas
Dr. Douglas has been the Daljit S. and Elaine Sarkaria Professor of Insect Physiology and Toxicology, in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University since 2008. Prior to her current appointment, Dr. Douglas was a member of faculty at the University of York, UK (1996 -2008), and a Royal Society University Research Fellow (1986-1996). The three current research foci in her laboratory include, Drosophila-gut microbe interactions, whereby laboratory team members are investigating the composition of the gut microbiota by molecular and microbiological methods, and how the presence and composition of the microbiota interacts with the nutritional condition and immunological function of the insect. Next, they investigate metabolic coevolution in cooperative symbioses, and more specifically how the metabolic networks of the animal host and microbial symbionts are structured for nutrient exchange by genome analysis, metabolic modeling and metabolic experiments. Additionally, her laboratory focuses on the identification of novel targets for insect pest control resulting from fundamental research to identify molecular processes essential for the function of insect pests, and strategies to target these processes. Their research includes interference with the function of insect sugar processing genes and symbiosis-related genes in phloem-feeding insect pests.
Dr. Douglas’ website: http://angeladouglaslab.com/
Genetics and Society: From Vavilov to the Green Bunny
Dr. Fred Gould, William Neal Reynolds Professor, Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University – Raleigh, will present the 2015 Charles Chesley Doane Lecture in Entomology on Friday, April 17thentitled, “Genetics and Society: From Vavilov to the Green Bunny“.
About Dr. Gould
Dr. Gould’s lab group investigates the ecology and genetics of insect pests in order to better understand natural and human-induced evolution. Diverse approaches are used to achieve these goals, ranging from molecular analysis and ecological experiments to mathematical and computer modeling. Fred’s group, “works collectively as a team, respects each other’s contributions, and has fun along the way”. The lab has historically focused on pests of agricultural importance, as seen in research projects with the headings “plant-insect interactions”, “evolution of moth sexual communication systems”, and “evolution of resistance in crop pests”. In the past 5 years, The Gould Lab has expanded their research to also include pests such as mosquitoes that their direct impacts on human health. The project entitled “genetic pest management” reflects a belief that genetic engineering of insects can be used as a tool for reducing the impacts from pests of medical and agricultural importance.
Insect Resistance to Transgenic Crops: Lessons from the First Billion Acres
Ecoinformatics: Using Farmer-generated Data to Address Key Problems in Agricultural Entomology
Dr. Jay Rosenheim, Professor of Entomology at the University of California, Davis, presented the 2012 Charles Chesley DoaneLecture in Entomology on November 1, 2012 entitled, “Ecoinformatics: Using Farmer-generated Data to Address Key Problems in Agricultural Entomology”.
Rosenheim notes on his website: “I am an ecologist with broad interests, including behavioral and evolutionary ecology as well as population and community ecology. I work with insects as models, and focus primarily on predator-prey, parasitoid-host, and plant-insect interactions. My general approach is to try to ask important, fundamental questions in ecology with an eye to advancing our basic understanding and, when possible, to simultaneously make contributions to solving problems in the real world. Rosenheim was recently named Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2009. In 2011, he received a UC Davis Distinguished Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching and was described as “an extraordinary educator, a remarkable scholar and a superb teacher and mentor.”
Understanding the Relationship Between Genes and Behavior: Lessons from the Honey Bee
Dr. Robinson holds a Swanlund Chair at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he has also been the Director of the Neuroscience Program and a Professor of Entomology with affiliate appointments in the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, the Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, and the Beckman Institute of Science and Technology. Very recently, Dr. Robinson has been appointed as the Interim Director of the Institute for Genomic Biology. Robinson’s research group studies the mechanisms and evolution of social behavior, using the honey bee as the primary model. The research is integrative, involving perspectives from evolutionary biology, behavior, neuroscience, molecular biology, andgenomics. Dr. Robinson’s webpage (opens in a new webpage).
Pheromones of the Cerambycidae: a Cornucopia of New Chemistry and Biology
Dr. Millar is a professor of Entomology at the University of California Riverside. His research focuses on the study of natural chemicals that mediate interactions between organisms. He studies both insect-produced chemicals such as sex or aggregation pheromones, and chemical messengers from hosts or habitats, such as the chemicals that insects use to locate and recognize their preferred feeding and egg-laying sites.
Dialogues at the Plant-Caterpillar Interface
Dr. Felton is a Professor and Department Head of Entomology at PennState. His research program uses molecular, proteomic and physiological approaches to investigate insect-plant interactions. His main interest is investigating the counter measures herbivores use in overcoming host plant defenses, with particular interest on the role of herbivore salivary signals in suppressing the induced defenses of host plants. Dr. Felton’s webpage (opens a new window).
Learning from Insect Brains
Dr. Hildebrand is a Regents Professor and Professor of Neuroscience, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Entomology, and Molecular & Cellular Biology. His research aims to contribute to knowledge that will help to alleviate the harm done by insects that are predators of the human food supply or vectors of diseases. Areas of principal interest currently include: the physiology, functional organization, and postembryonic development of the olfactory system; sensory control of mating behavior and insect-host interactions, including feeding and oviposition behaviors; chemical ecology and behavioral aspects of moth-hostplantinteractions; olfactory learning and the roles of biogenic amines in plasticity of olfactory function; and functional organization ofneurosecretory systems.
A Risk of Herbivory: Activation of Plant Signals that Attract Natural Enemies
Dr. Tumlinson is a Ralph O. Mumma Professor of Entomology and Director of the Center for Chemical Ecology. As a chemist interested in biological and agricultural systems, Dr. Tumlinson has studied chemicals that affect insect behavior. His laboratory has identified insect pheromones and other semiochemicals, investigated the biochemical mechanisms by which chemical signals are produced and released by insects, and studied the behavioral responses, including learned responses, of insects to chemical cues. More recently, his lab has been investigating the interactions among herbivorous insects, their host plants, and their natural enemies. Dr. Tumlinson’s webpage (opens a new window).
Thrips Transmission of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus: Determinants of Spread and their Implications for Management
Dr. Kennedy is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Department Head of Entomology. His research program focuses on understanding the ecology and life systems of arthropods affecting agricultural crops and applying that understanding to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of arthropod management in vegetable crops. His lab studies fundamental interactions and processes that influence pest status, population dynamics and the insect/crop interactions that result in damage. They apply the resulting information in combination with new technologies to enhance IPM. Areas of emphasis include insect-plant interactions, resistance management, landscape scale population dynamics, and epidemiology and management of insect transmitted plant viruses. Dr. Kennedy’s webpage (opens a new window).
Gut Reactions: How Insects Eat Plants
Dr. Berenbaum is a Professor and Department Head of Entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research program focuses on the chemical interactions between herbivorous insects and their hostplants, and the implications of such interactions on the organization of natural communities and the evolution of species. Her particular research interests focus on the secondary chemistry of the Umbelliferae (=Apiaceae) and the insect associates of these herbaceous plants. Dr. Berenbaum’s webpage (opens a new window).
Chemical Communication: From Insects to Elephants
Dr. Roelofs is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor of Insect Biochemistry in the Department of Entomology at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. Roelofs also has served as chair of the department since 1991 to July 1, 2007. Roelofs and those who work in his laboratory have contributed greatly to our understanding and practical use of chemical insect communication systems over the past four decades. He and his co-workers have been key in developing our understanding of biochemical pathways for the synthesis of insect pheromones, male behavioral responses to female-produced pheromones, and the evolution of chemical communication systems.
