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Bee Campus USA at Luther College

Entomology at Luther
Students at Luther College interested in insect biology have the opportunity to pursue a well-rounded biology major that provides an extremely strong foundation for future graduate study in entomology. Students take introductory Entomology (Bio 251) with an emphasis on insect diversity, taxonomy, and ecology, and scientific writing. Students can be involved in entomological research (either at Luther or elsewhere) obtaining important and necessary undergraduate research experiences. They can also work as a laboratory assistant in the majors Biology 251: Entomology or non-majors Biology 112: Insects, Humans & the Environment courses.

Student Awards
Two Luther students, Eric Dotseth (’96) and Katie Hopp (’06), have been awarded the prestigious BioQuip Undergraduate Scholarship sponsored by the Entomological Foundation and awarded by the Entomological Society of America (ESA) to the outstanding undergraduate student in the nation pursuing a career in entomology. Reese Worthington ('10) was awarded an Undergraduate Student Achievement in Entomology Award by the Plant-Insect Ecosystems section of the ESA in 2010. A good number of our graduates have gone on and won national and regional graduate student awards. 

Presentation Competitions: Katie Hopp (’06), Derek Broman (’07), and Clare Brandt ('16) have each won second place in the ESA President’s Prize student poster competition as undergraduates, prior to 2010 competing against Ph.D. and master’s graduate students with their presentations at national meeting of the ESA. Nikki McDermond-Spies ('13) was runner-up in the Plant-Insect Ecosystem section poster competition at the North Central Branch-ESA meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska in June 2012.  Most recently, Lena Schmitt ('20) and Maggie Anderson ('20) took 1st and 2nd place in the undergraduate poster competition at the national ESA meeting in St. Louis, MO.

Student Participation at Professional Entomology Meetings
Luther students regularly present results of their entomological undergraduate research at regional and national scientific meetings of the ESA, usually with most expenses associated with attending these meetings covered by Honors research grants.