department of entomology draft strategic plan 2014 – 2019 · strategic planning - 1. department...

Strategic Planning - 1

Department of Entomology Draft Strategic Plan 2014 – 2019

The draft 2014 – 2019 strategic plan builds on our previous plan and focuses on priorities as measured by gaps, critical issues and opportunities as we deliver on our traditional mission responsibilities in learning (teaching), engagement (extension and outreach) and discovery (research), and now our specific interest in international activities highlighted in a separate section on globalization. The original plan was developed in 2002 and revised in 2004 and 2009 to align with new College and University strategic priorities. We revised our discovery research statements http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/conserve_ash.pdf details). The fundamental focus of our engagement and learning missions remain substantially the same, however new challenges and opportunities are recognized and embedded in this draft. Growth in international activities is now captured in a new section on globalization.

Mission

To improve the quality of life in the state, nation and the world by advancing scientific knowledge through the development and application of arthropod and nematode science.

Vision

To be a leader recognized worldwide for the solutions and discoveries generated through the application of science focused on arthropod and nematode biology.

Core Values• Be a leader in entomological science

• Encourage the highest standards of ethics and citizenship

• Operate in an open, objective, and inclusive environment

• Foster a community of scholars committed to excellence and teamwork

• Promote the synergism that comes from interdisciplinary interactions

• Value our people

• Embrace and promote diversity in people, cultures, ideas

• Actively share and disseminate our knowledge widely

The following document reflects our stated goals and objectives, as well as an evaluation of strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats, plus selected gaps and critical issues we propose to address in this strategic plan. The intent here is not to present a detailed work plan, which is outlined in the signature area and individual program statements, but to provide an accounting of the most important issues we expect to face in the next five years.


Learning

Goal: Provide a high quality educational experience, resources and mentoring to allow students to discover, explore and pursue their interests in Entomology and develop intellectually, socially and professionally to their fullest potential.

Expected Outcomes:

1. Students receive a superior and well-rounded education

2. Curricula that meet the evolving needs of our students and gives them a competitiveadvantage

3. Significant contribution to University core outcomes by providing high quality and engaginginstruction in the areas of Science, Technology and Society

4. A multidisciplinary Forensic Science program that also appeals to non-science majors

5. Refinement of instructor techniques and integration of more active learning into classes

6. Growth in interest in entomology as a career and number of new majors

SWOT Analysis

Strengths • High quality undergraduate teaching program as measured by the performance and

placement of our graduates, and by the awards and honors received by our teaching faculty • Entomology majors enriched with many extracurricular opportunities• Highly successful forensic science minor initiative• A robust undergraduate program that complements our graduate programs across all

mission areas• Service courses and instruction accepted as part of the University Core Curriculum and as

other department electives provided to a large number of science and non-science majorsfrom across the university

• A graduate program with the rigor to make our students competitive anywhere in thediscipline and the flexibility to meet specialized student needs

• Good relationships with employers who rate our students highly and provide internship andemployment opportunities

• Significant scholarship support for qualifying students

Weaknesses • Little molecular biology and biotechnology incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum• Courses offered in alternate years make scheduling to complete the major in a timely

manner challenging• Classes that combine undergraduates and graduates struggle to achieve balance• More support (TAs and graders) needed for courses with high student numbers• Low enrollments sometimes cause specialty courses to be cancelled• Low numbers of minority students in major• Entomology is not well understood as a major or a career


Opportunities• Revise curriculum to improve student outcomes and faculty contributions

• Changes in the university curriculum should shortened time to graduation and increasedthe opportunity to educate more students

• Increase student numbers by increasing offerings where demand is high, e.g., forensicscience

• Expand current forensic science program into a multidisciplinary program with anaccredited major

• Promote undergraduate research beyond the Capstone experience• Identify and offer experiential and service learning opportunities• Transition large lecture courses into active learning courses using IMPACT resources• Encourage graduate students to gain teaching, outreach, and service learning experiences

through appropriate credit classes and internships• Position entomology courses as part of interdisciplinary curricula• New gateway courses to persuade undecided students to explore entomology• Recruit more undergraduate majors using a variety of strategies• Nearby off campus facilities (e.g., EFOB) could create unique opportunities for some student

projects and teaching needs if facilities were adequately renovated

Threats • Low undergraduate enrollment• Demand for classroom laboratory space is increasing and presents some difficulties in

scheduling• Administrative burdens imposed on faculty and staff managing students

Critical Issues• University outcomes assessment requires faculty to contribute to the institutional and

departmental curriculum outcomes development and provide modern courses that also reflect their areas of expertise

Faculty Position for Future Discussion• Insect Science Teaching/Informal Education (joint appointment) – a topic for faculty

discussion


2014 – 2019 Entomology Learning Priorities

1. Goal: Evaluate and improve the Entomology curriculum

Issue Strategies/Action Plan(short & long term)

Metrics Responsible person(s)

How well does our curriculum meet learning objectives and student needs?

Review learning outcomes for the Entomol-ogy Plan of Study

Determine how our current courses meet the learning objectives and note gaps

Revise or add courses to meet learning ob-jectives and address gaps

Consolidate offerings that are duplicative or have low enrollment to optimize faculty impact

November 2014: review and revise core learning outcomes for the ento-mology major

February 2015: map outcomes to extant courses and determine gaps

April 2015: propose additional offer-ings and modifications that address identified gaps

April 2015: evaluate staffing needs; propose solutions

Fall 2015: develop appropriate documentation to seek college and university (UCC) approval of course and curriculum changes

Spring 2016 - forward: teach revised courses as planned

Teaching Curriculum Comm., Faculty


Entomology courses that reflect modern pedagogical techniques

Evaluate need and determine value of adopting modern pedagogical techniques into Entomology courses

Educate faculty through discussions and seminars about new pedagogical techniques

Advise and assist individual faculty on using campus resources to overhaul courses as necessary (e.g.; IMPACT program) to meet new curriculum concept

Report findings of the evaluation study to faculty

No. faculty assisted workshops provided

No. faculty advised, no. using cam-pus resources to overhaul courses


Experiential and service learning opportunities for Entomology students

Engage department and local community to ID opportunities and create formal struc-tures for student participation

At least one new course devoted to service learning

Teaching Curriculum Comm., Graduate Comm., Faculty

Undergraduate research that prepares students for graduate school

Identify/actively recruit capable and inter-ested students in lower division courses to undergraduate research

Seek funding for undergraduate research, for supplies, and monetary incentives (awards) to students

Encourage student participation in forums and contests that recognize research (OVEA, Purdue forums such as Journal of Under-graduate Research)

No. and quality of students partici-pating

Project funding

Programs, accomplishments pub-licized; no. students showcasing research



Develop student teaching and outreach skills

Develop program to get grad students in-volved with undergraduate teaching

Involve graduate students in course devel-opment activities

Promote graduate student engagement with Purdue teaching workshops

All ENTM graduate students offered a teaching experience opportunity

No. grad students participating in teaching certification programs, workshops, classroom experience and course development or restruc-turing activities

Teaching Curriculum Comm., Faculty, Outreach Coordinator

2. Goal: Improve and expand the Forensic Sciences program



Create multidisciplinary program

Reach out to other appropriate disciplines and develop a master plan for Forensic Science

Develop multidisciplinary curriculum that capitalizes on forensic science certification process to increase appeal of those units to recruit and graduate students

Functional advisory comm. established; master plan developed

At least 2 new courses created outside of Entomology or as dual enrollment option

FS Director, FS Advisory Comm., Teaching & Curriculum Comm., Multidiscip. Faculty, Faculty

Student demand for Forensic Science courses exceeds the current capacity of Entomology

FS advisory committee to review potential forensic offerings and prioritize according to program need

ID specific needs and develop content that could be delivered by individuals and departments not currently engaged in FS program

Produce a priorities list, review and update yearly, no. courses offered, student demand

FS Coordinator, FS Advisory Comm., Teaching & Curriculum Comm., Faculty


3. Goal: Improve recruiting effectiveness



Low number of majors Implement new recruitment plan:

• ID K-12 students with interest/apti-tude in Entomology, especially thosewithin 5 years of college/careerdecision

• Reach out to students participatingin entomology contests, e.g., 4-Hand science fair projects involvinginsects

• Work with college recruiters to IDminority students interested ininsects

• Reach out to undecided (DiscoveryStudies) and other students whocould be interested in Entomology

• Develop novel gateway and otherlower division courses to recruitcurrent Purdue students into Ento-mology

Efforts assessed yearly to determine which methods give adequate yield for the effort

Develop recruitment prospects list that yields 10 new applicants/yr

Gateway courses that attract at least 20 students per semester and yield one or more new majors per year

No. recruits invited to department sponsored events as participants, e.g., Bug Bowl and Butterfly Encoun-ter

No. students and teachers recog-nized for their efforts using insects in science projects with certificates and other rewards

Special sessions with department personnel designed to promote the Entomology major

Recruitment messages promoting Entomology as a career and major

Teaching & Curriculum Comm., Recruitment Team, Forensic Science Director, Faculty


4. Goal: Improve teaching facilities



Maintain quality up to date laboratory equipment

ID needs and submit R&R proposals for funding

Needs assessed yearly; proposals submitted each time they are requested

Teaching & Curriculum Comm.

Strategic off campus facility with teaching potential (EFOB) lacks appropriate infrastructure

Form a group of interested faculty to develop a vision for EFOB; include needs and how upgraded facilities would improve learning outcomes

Report for admin by summer 2015 Ad Hoc EFOB Vision Comm., Teaching & Curriculum Comm.


Engagement - Extension

Goal: Effectively address the Extension and outreach needs of society both in the U.S. and abroad through education, partnerships, and leadership in knowledge and technology transfer.

Expected Outcomes:

1. Development of environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable best managementpractices (BMP) that meet current, emerging and future pest related challenges

2. Engagement with stakeholders, end-users, policy makers, and the general public

3. Implementation and adoption of the best management practices

4. Impacts that will be evaluated and measured

SWOT Analysis

Strengths• Diversity of areas of expertise• Meeting industry and stakeholder needs• Interdisciplinary emphasis• Financial support from industry• Engagement with stakeholders• Reputation with stakeholders• Applied research• Responsiveness• Internal communication• Providing Extension services in other states• Regional collaboration• External recognition of quality programs• Adjunct programs; e.g., USDA APHIS• International expertise• Comprehensive urban program• Outreach program• Standing within college and region• Split appointments in discovery and engagement that provide stronger connections

between research and extension

Weaknesses• Limited financial support from commodity groups (esp. long term funding)• Low visibility of web presence• Lack of public health pest management• Facilities

o Long term plan for EFOBo Greenhouse & nursery productiono Containment facility


o Postharvest field lab• Uncertain future of outreach activities• Engaging with College K-12 outreach program

Opportunities• High demand for students trained in applied (as well as basic) areas• Ability to measure and communicate impact• Changing clientele groups

o Urbanizationo Increasing corporate farmso Increasing small farmso Shifting demographics (age, gender, ethnicity)

• Relationship with Indiana State Department of Agriculture• Local foods & markets• Application of basic research to real world problems• Emerging issues: invasive species, pollinator concerns and resistance

ThreatsInternal:• Limited funding• Pending retirements, especially in outreachExternal:• Limited funding• Economy• Consolidation of industry• Uncertainty of USDA 3d IPM funding• Greater numbers of regional and specialized pest management conferences and decreasing

needs by industry for university-based training programs

Gaps• Future of stored product Extension• Livestock entomology• Vector IPM

Critical Issues• Uncertainty of IPM 3d funding

Future Faculty Position• Topic of future discussion


2014 – 2019 Entomology Engagement-Extension Priorities

1. Goal: Engage with and meet the needs of stakeholders given our diverse areas of expertise



Demonstrating program impact

Extension retreat to learn what impact is, how to integrate impact assessment as a core element of every Extension program and how to measure and report impact

Work with college specialists to improve communicate successes

Training in how to use Turning Point Audience Response System, polleverywhere.com, or similar audience response systems

Investigate incorporating evaluation using audience response systems in larger programs where not used previously

Retreats, training session focused on impact assessment

Collaborations with COA impact measurement specialist (Julie Huetteman), and interactions with AgComm and new CES communication specialist

No. surveys & programs evaluated; no. quality impact statements written; no. pubs (broadly defined), press interviews, press releases and how often they are used, etc.

Extension coordinator, extension staff, Julie Huetteman, Ag Comm, CES communication specialist

Relevant Extension responses to ongoing and emerging issues

Continually update existing Extension programs

Initiate new Extension programs to address important emerging issues, e.g., local foods/markets, bioenergy, sustainability, invasive species, pollinators decline

No. initiatives and programs addressing Extension issues

Satisfaction of affected clientele to Extension response based on evaluations and other feedback

Extension staff


Training the next generation of Extension specialists

University and industry partnerships to recruit and train students on relevant Extension topics

Targeted student recruitment effort

Students create and deliver programs

No. partnerships & industry support for students

No. students targeted and recruited

No. student presentations, pubs, etc.

Extension staff

Balancing evolving and emerging communication technologies with needs and abilities of stakeholders

Work with IT staff and student assistants with latest web skills to improve our digital media

Assess how stakeholders get information

Accumulate resources and expertise to develop delivery platforms preferred by clientele

No. customers

Customer satisfaction

App purchases/reviews

Extension coordinator, Extension staff, IT staff, Jeff Nagle

Improve facilities to enhance applied research/Extension programs

New outdoor container facility for experimental nursery production

New biological containment facility

New postharvest field lab

EFOB/Thomas Tract facilities plan

Facilities constructed

Plan developed

Ag admin, department, Extension staff


Engagement - Outreach

Goal: Strengthen public’s understanding and appreciation of the role of entomology in meeting society’s critical needs

Expected Outcomes:

1. Increased public engagement with insects, insect science and interactions with thedepartment

2. Teachers incorporating insect science into their curriculum

3. Purdue students know and appreciate Purdue Entomology

4. A staff succession plan for Entomology Outreach successfully implemented

SWOT Analysis

Strengths• History of outreach activities• Creative outreach staff• Pursuing innovative ideas that become functioning events• Current portfolio of successful programs• Inspiring others to extend outreach beyond formal education

Weaknesses• Few measures of impact

o Audience counts and contact information are not systematically collectedo Practical metrics for program evaluation and assessment

• Support from colleagues, more faculty and staff participation in creative process• Content that others can learn with minimal training

Opportunities• Partner with outreach colleagues at Purdue to pursue common outreach objectives• Retirement of key faculty and staff offer an opportunity to seek replacements who can bring

new ideas, programs and scholarship• Develop programs and lesson plans that can be delivered by educators• Engage faculty to develop outreach messages for the public that reflect department

positions and priorities• Link outreach with recruitment activities to identify and nurture students who are

considering entomology as a major

Threats• Key faculty and staff supporting outreach are retiring• Lack of external funding and documented scholarship• Absence of faculty FTE in outreach


2014-2019 Entomology Insect Science Education and Outreach Priorities

1. Goal: Increased public engagement with insects, insect science and interactions with the department



Increasing public understanding of insects and entomology

Formal science education programs:• Insectaganza• FFA, 4-H• HASTI

Informal science education programs:• Bug Bowl• Butterfly Encounter• State Fair• Others TBD

Develop outreach messages for the public that reflect department positions and priorities with input from faculty

Develop and test practical methods for program evaluation and assessment

No. events, no. people reached (comprehensive inventory of activities, e.g., programs delivered and estimate of audiences)

Programs evaluated and impact assessed

Faculty engaged, messages developed and delivered

Evaluation methods incorporated as an essential component of outreach programming

Outreach coordinator, faculty & staff participants


2. Goal: Teachers incorporating insect science into their curriculum



Hypothesis: few teachers include insects and insect science in their curriculum

Survey of teacher knowledge and interest in insects and insect science

Survey conducted and results published

Outreach coordinator, faculty participants

Using insects and insect science in STEM education

Workshops to engage educators to support insect science and outreach education

Develop insect science content that meets state standards, is user-friendly and easy to implement

No. workshops, no. teachers trained

No. lesson plans developed and distributed; no. teachers trained and using material


3. Goal: Increase the visibility of entomology to Purdue students



Greater visibility among Purdue students

Outreach programming that targets the Purdue student community

No. events, no. people reached (comprehensive inventory of activities, e.g., programs delivered and estimate of audiences)


4. Goal: Create and implement a transition plan for the entomology outreach program



Retirement of faculty and staff involved in outreach

Develop transition/succession plan for teaching/outreach

Succession plan developed & implemented

Head, outreach faculty, outreach coordinator


Discovery

Goal: Enhance and maintain nationally and internationally acclaimed research and development programs in arthropod and nematode pest management, arthropod molecular biology and functional genomics, and environmental and evolutionary entomology.

Expected Outcomes:

1. A pest management program emphasizing fundamental mechanisms underlying insect hostinteractions, and resulting in practical and useful knowledge and applications at home andabroad

2. National leadership in the application of arthropod and nematode molecular genetics andgenomics for fundamental scientific discovery and solving applied problems

3. National leadership in ecological and environmental biology focused on biodiversity, spatialbiology, environmental indicators and ecosystem services

4. Stronger integration of research into teaching at the undergrad and grad levels

SWOT Analysis

Strengths• Recognized programs in applications of molecular genetics and genomics, pest

management, and environmental and evolutionary entomology• Unique capacity in urban pest management and urban pest biology• Split appointments in discovery and engagement that provide stronger connections

between research and extension• Synergistic interactions within and between programs (e.g., ecological and evolutionary

biology, organic pest management, urban entomology and soil ecology, forest and landscapeentomology)

• Increasing interactions with other departments and colleges (e.g., plant science initiative,plant volatiles, intestinal microbiology, environmental engineering, OIGP/PULSe)

• USDA ARS adjunct faculty, APHIS identifier cooperative agreement• Substantial international research portfolio• University core facilities; e.g. genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, microscopy, research

farms, research forests, etc.• Critical mass established in forest entomology (Jeff Holland, Matt Ginzel and Cliff Sadof)• Increasing research funding (annual research funding and funding per FTE up 50% in 2011-

2013 compared to 2007-2010)• From 2008-2013, total departmental publications = 351; total citations = 3752; Avg H-index

= 4.2 (n = 28 faculty, including USDA faculty). Source: Web of Science.

Weaknesses• Overall quality and quantity of research space• Lack of quarantine containment facilities for disease vectors and introduced invasive species• Limited internal support to seed innovative, interdisciplinary and high risk activities


• Little infrastructure for nursery industry research; no field lab for postharvest storageresearch

• Limited internal support for grad students and none for research technicians

Opportunities• Demand for nursery technologies, risk assessment, resistance management, international

efforts in food and fiber production, post-harvest protection and pollinator health• Linking with new campus initiatives, e.g., College of Agriculture plant science initiative,

campus water community • Institutional capacity in bioinformatics• Revitalizing and increasing national visibility of research collection (e.g., dissemination of

holdings and data, research opportunities)• New faculty hires including discipline-specific and interdisciplinary joint appointments• Increase number of faculty leading interdisciplinary efforts• Microbiome science and potential collaborations in the college and across the university• Increasing graduate student support through training grants, student fellowships, e.g., NSF• Ag-based biofuel technology development and biofuel crop pest management• Nontraditional research support; e.g., industry, foundations, foreign countries, crowd-

funding• Collaborative funding opportunities with other departments• Linking research programs with undergraduate research and capstone experiences• Quarantine facilities to study regulated insects, invasive species and disease vectors

Threats • Redistribution of teaching loads (and associated trade-offs with research time) as teaching

faculty retire• Space for post-docs and graduate students in growing programs• Aging off campus research facilities (EFOB and FERC)• Trimester initiative effects on research• Future campus footprint of Entomology

Gaps• Training grants to support interdisciplinary or theme research

Critical Issues• Facilities are sub-par and may negatively impact competition for faculty and graduate

student hires and retention• No office or research space to accommodate additional faculty• Maintaining and enhancing interdisciplinary interactions to stay relevant and in demand,

given our strengths in pest management, genetics & genomics, forest landscape andecological & environmental science

• Building areas of strength with flexibility to address unforeseen opportunities

Future Faculty Position Priorities• Insect Microbe Interactions• Integrative Insect Physiology


2014-2019 Entomology Discovery Priorities

1. Goal: Fundamental discoveries in host-plant insect & nematode interactions



Molecular basis of plant resistance and susceptibility to insect and nematode pests

Molecular markers linked to resistance loci for introgression of resistance genes and gene pyramids into elite crop cultivars

Genetic structure in pest populations to identify risks to deployment of native and GMO resistance

No. genes tied to phenotype;No. pubs in genomics and transcriptomics; no. students, pubs, resources

Ferris, Krupke, Schemerhorn, Shukle, Stuart

Chemical ecology of plant-insect interactions

Research on the role of plant volatiles in mediating attraction of herbivorous insects and their predators or parasitoids

Ability to apply this information in managed systems for pest control

Technical capacity to quantify plant chemistry (GC-MS) and insect response to these chemicals. The Ginzel lab has recently constructed a GC-EAD as part of a departmental grant to assess insect responses to plant volatiles and/or pheromones.

Facilitating interactions with plant scientists on campus who have technical capabilities in this area from the plant perspective, but lack the insect link. Numerous faculty of this nature exist in the COA at Purdue, including Horticulture and Botany & Plant Pathology.

Ginzel, Kaplan


Plant volatiles and tri-trophic interactions

Testing the ecological role of plant volatiles in mediating insect-plant interactions, focusing mainly on herbivore-induced compounds

No. students, pubs, resources, collaborations

Kaplan, Holland, Faculty

Insect host plant resistance in the field

Refuge strategies to enhance the durability of GMO resistance in crop plants

Genetic and environmental factors in endophyte-mediated insect resistance of cool-season turfgrasses

No. students, pubs, resources Krupke

Richmond

2. A pest management program increasingly grounded in fundamental mechanisms and applications



Pest management portfolio informed by state-of-the-art research and development

Build on general pest management strengths

Grow our recognized capacity and leadership in Urban Entomology:• Maintain strength in post-harvestpest management with Mason transiting to administration• Evaluate need for public healthmedical entomology

Synergize interactions between members

No. students, pubs, resources

No. students, pubs, resources; staff positions considered & filled; significant recognition of capacity and leadership

Metrics that measure collaborations

Faculty

Urban faculty


Perennial need for novel concepts and paradigms for pest management

Enhance pest management research by accessing emerging ideas in this and other field, e.g., integrative “systems biology” research that implements basic approaches in new ways to address applied questions and generate applied outcomes. New ideas from medicine, general biology, economics and sociology are widely available for consideration.

No. pubs, patents, development grants, other recognition for innovation

Documented inter- and multi-disciplinary collaborations in the form of reports, grants, news stories

Faculty, AGAD

Research facilities that reflect need and opportunity

New purpose-built labs for nursery industry (experimental outdoors container nursery), quarantine facilities, grain storage head house

Facilities in place AGAD/Faculty

3. Goal: Build on strengths of arthropod and nematode genomics



Interdisciplinary genomics Use techniques from multiple fields to make the connection between genotype and phenotype

No. genes tied to phenotype;No. pubs in genomics and transcriptomics, etc.

Ferris, Ginzel, Hill, Hunt, Murdock, Scharf, Schemerhorn, Shukle, Stuart, Zaspel

Translational genomics Identify markers or genes linked to agriculturally important traits

No. genes/markers identified

No. pubs describing gene functions

As above

Exploit core facilities Increase projects and research proposals that use core facilities (genomics, bioinformatics, Bindley)

Submitted proposals; no. pubs sharing authorship with or acknowledging core facility participation

Faculty


4. Goal: Expanded program in ecological and evolutionary entomology



New linkages in ecological and evolutionary biology with other departments, institutions, public

Strengthen ties with evolutionary biology cluster faculty through collaboration and informal venues

Initiate new collaborations with bioinformatics and statistical sciences faculty to facilitate analysis of genomic datasets within an evolutionary context

Increase visibility and participation in the Computational Life Sciences (CLS) initiative at Purdue

No. linkages; associated research metrics

No. pubs, workshops, ‘hackathons,’ seminars, journal clubs

Courses added/tied to CLS curriculum (e.g., systematics and phylogenetic methods)

Faculty, Zaspel


Characterize vulnerabilities to biological invasions and identify new opportunities for managing invasive species

Research on impacts of invasive species in targeted systems

• Long-term effects of management onforest ecosystems

Modeling & analysis of geographical spread to identify control measures

Studies on how community structure can influence the capacity for invasion in forest, aquatic, agronomic (field and forage), horticultural and urban systems where species richness and disturbance regimes can be manipulated

Integrate behavior, functional and phylogenomics programs to develop novel tools for advancing knowledge of host associations and chemical communication within an evolutionary framework

Pubs, resources, students trained; collaborations with FNR

As above

As above with arthropod dynamics as significant focus; collaborations with ecologists in natural and managed plant and animal systems

Associated research metrics; e.g., pubs

Sadof, Ginzel, Holland, Zaspel, Yaninek, Faculty

Species, phylogenies and evolution

Development of molecular loci for evolutionary analysis in non-model organisms:• Design of ultra-conserved loci for

targeted enrichment and phylogenom-ic analysis. Design novel molecular markers for phylogeographic studies using next generation sequencing

• Development of anchored loci for func-tional genomic studies

Resources, students, pubs, collaborations, research presentations, no. loci developed and tested

Zaspel, Ferris


Impact of habitat loss, invasive species, chemical pollution, and climate change on invertebrate biology, populations and communities

Multidisciplinary climate change research

Spatial and community ecology research to characterize and predict impacts

No. pubs, resources, students trained; specific collaborations with other disciplines, e.g., environmental scientists, meteorologists, etc.

Holland, Sadof,Faculty

Measuring, monitoring, monetizing and preserving ecosystem services

Research into links between insect communities and high profile services (e.g., pest control, pollination, nutrient cycling)

Studies of managed and natural plant systems that alter arthropod communities to measure ecosystem services they provide

Establish linkages with natural resource economists to monetize these effects

Development of novel molecular tools to accelerate discovery of species (i.e., barcoding), host associations (i.e., comparative metabolomics), etc.

Resources, students, pubs, collaborations, research presentations

As above

As above, plus linkages with natural resource economists

As above, plus linkages, barcodes, chemical profiles, web-based tools; new projects & collaborations with conservation biologists & molecular ecologists in the region

Kaplan, Holland, Faculty

Sadof, Faculty

Sadof, Faculty

Zaspel, Nearns


Unify ecological, taxonomic and phylogenetic research themes through data synthesis

Expand provision and use of, ecological data toward applied problem-solving:

• Digitize biodiversity data from collec-tion and faunistic survey

• Generate web-based tools for insectidentification, ecological data and oth-er evolutionary information

• Promote and distribute CERIS environ-mental data

• Merge with "big data" initiatives oncampus and use big data for address-ing applied problems in ecology andpest management

Type specimens and taxa with major representation; Type holdings and taxa with major representation and being used online

Involvement in large-scale digitization projects; e.g., NSF-IDIGBIO

Strengthen linkages with colleagues from other institutions (e.g. INHS) to further develop Taxon Works project.

CERIS environmental data publicized and made available through a variety of appropriate information networks

Zaspel, Holland, Nearns

Genetics & Genomics faculty, Holland

CERIS staff

Increase visibility and importance to the larger systematics and evolutionary biology research communities

Expand frozen and pinned tissues collection

Fund raising for collections improvement and specimen informatics, fieldwork for specimen acquisition

Collections expanded

No. specimens databased and digitized; grants & fundraising

Zaspel, Nearns


Chemical ecology of plant-insect interactions

Research on the role of plant volatiles in mediating attraction of herbivorous insects and their predators or parasitoids

Ability to apply this information in managed systems for pest control

Technical capacity to quantify plant chemistry (GC-MS) and insect response to these chemicals. The Ginzel lab has recently constructed a GC-EAD as part of a departmental grant to assess insect responses to plant volatiles and/or pheromones.

Facilitating interactions with plant scientists on campus who have technical capabilities in this area from the plant perspective, but lack the insect link. Numerous faculty of this nature exist in the COA at Purdue, including Horticulture and Botany & Plant Pathology.

Ginzel, Kaplan

4. Goal: Increase interdisciplinary research and compete successfully in large science initiatives



Group/center R&D initiatives increasingly important to be competitive

Join and participate in existing R&D groups/centers

Create new group/center initiatives; e.g., invasive species, climate change, ecosystem services

Faculty join existing R&D groups/centers

Establishment of new functional inter-disciplinary groups or centers

Faculty, AGAD,University


Critical scientific expertise transcends department/college boundaries

Explore joint faculty appointments where appropriate; e.g., in areas such as insect-microbe interactions and/or effector biology

Pursue inter-departmental research and proposals

Joint appointment(s) established

No. inter-disciplinary projects and associated outputs; e.g., proposals, grants, students, pubs, etc.

Faculty, AGAD

Faculty

New hires in (1) Integrative Insect Physiology and (2) Arthropod-Microbe Interactions

Increase critical mass of researchers working at the basic-applied interface; gain comparative advantages across multiple discipline areas

Fill Positions Head and faculty

5. Goal: Top graduate program in Entomology



Cost of grad training initiatives requires creative solutions

Develop interdisciplinary working group focused on graduate training

No. training grants submitted Faculty

6. Goal: Explore research opportunities for Forensic Science program




Establish new linkages with public forensic organizations (e.g.—coroners, crime labs, pathologists) to open forensic funding avenues (NIJ, NIST)

Initiate new collaborations where appropriate

No. of linkages established and amount of funding generated

Stamper, FS advisory committee, faculty

EFOB facility expanded for carrion ecology/entomology studies

Create working group to plan annual faculty space usage and needs, scheduled routine maintenance, and prioritize upgrades

Invite carrion ecology researchers to utilize facility

Establish a working group of interested parties to organize space needs for coming year

No.pubs acknowledging EFOB; no. invited carrion research publications

Faculty

Stamper


Globalization

Insects and efforts to manage their impacts knows no borders, and now in this time of lightning fast travel and vast international trade, a great many entomology-related problems arise, from invasive species to new insect-borne diseases entering our borders. We often lose sight of the fact that nearly all of the really important American crops are imports from foreign lands, as are the insects that rob our harvests. There’s very little that entomologists do that does not transcend borders, whether it be in systematics or molecular biology. The international arena is vital to understand because of growing foreign markets, and in turn our students need to be familiar with the important questions and issues.

International entomology is a rich source of new ideas, not only in research and teaching, but equally in Extension: here lies untold opportunities to give our students and faculty new opportunities and a highly valuable practical, as well as intellectual education. Perhaps the overwhelming issue is a challenge facing the world, namely how to feed two billion more people that will join us on earth during the next 35 years – otherwise known as the challenge of ‘food security’. For many crops, insects are the number one cause of diminished yields, save for drought, both before harvest and after harvest. Purdue Entomology has taken a lead position in promoting simple, low-cost post-harvest storage technologies that poor people can afford and will use to increase their food supplies and boost their incomes when they sell their crops in the market. There are also international initiatives that focus on crop protection and capacity building. Entomology is on the cutting edge of international entomology, and it hopes to stay there.

It is in this context that the department has decided to raise the visibility of our international activities and cast them as a featured component under the rubric of globalization. The SWOT analysis and strategy plan which follows lays out the issues and our agenda in this arena.

Goal – Increasing international presence and collaborations for Entomology in all three mission areas of discovery, engagement and learning

Expected Outcomes:

1. Internationally known pest management program that addresses global food securityissues; e.g., pre and post-harvest losses, climate change, etc.

2. Commitment to human and institutional capacity building in pest management in theinternational setting

3. Leadership of multidisciplinary collaborative research and development activities toaddress food security in strategic regions of the world

SWOT Analysis

Strengths• Experience in leading multidisciplinary research and engagement efforts in the global

setting• Accomplishments in implementing large-scale activities


• Strong connections with national and international agricultural research organizations andNGOs

• Long history of international activities around the world• Interest of faculty in international research, engagement and learning• Training international students and visiting scientists and promoting study abroad

Weaknesses• Perception that credit/recognition for interdisciplinary efforts could be better• Limited opportunities to share experiences and interests• Historically, little institutional support to recruit faculty with a strong focus in international

research and engagement

Opportunities• Overcome institutional hesitations and recruit faculty with international considerations• Capitalize on experiences to benefit department and college peers; e.g., annual colloquium• Engage student and post-doc interested in international activities as part of their academic

training

Threats• Geopolitics• Pandemics


2014-2019 Entomology Globalization Priorities

1. Goal: Globalization priorities integrated in our learning mission



Integrate globalization into curriculum

Work with other departments and units to develop and teach classes and seminars that provide international perspectives to students

Offer at least one class or seminar every other year focusing on pest management issues of global importance; no students participating


Promote international study opportunities

Work with the university to develop collabo-rations with partner institutions for experi-ences in Entomology that vary in duration from a few weeks to a semester or longer

Develop study abroad programs that also meet the interests of students in specialty areas, e.g., agroecology, biodiversity, forensic science

At least one partner institution iden-tified, and one new study abroad program offered

No. specialty programs offered, fac-ulty and student participation

Teaching Curriculum Comm., Faculty, university & college intern. programs

Globalization through students

Sandwich programs with other universities

Participate in international student exchanges

Borlaug fellows and other program for training international students

Graduate students participating

Agreements with foreign universities

Grad students participating

Faculty

Faculty, Head


Mentoring junior visiting scientists

Work with IPIA and donor agencies to recruit and host international visiting scientists

Increased number visiting scientists Faculty

2. Goal: An engagement portfolio that reflects our globalization priorities



Comprehensive commitment to enhance programs through international research and Extension activities

Create a vision and framework showing how integrating international opportunities enhance our Extension efforts

More international opportunities that match interests and expertise e.g., USAID Feed the Future projects, Kabul U. and Herat U. Plant Protection Program Rehabilitation, Moi U. Specialty Crops Pest Management

Vision and framework created and institutionalized

Funded activities; scientific exchange, visiting scientists, workshop, publications; joint activities among Purdue Extension staff

Extension staff, Foster, Sadof, Baributsa, Head

Faculty and extension specialists involvement

Work with Purdue faculty and extension specialists to share international pest management experience

No. faculty and Extension agents sharing experience in pest management internationally

Faculty and Purdue Extension

Integrated training Explore opportunities for integrating global perspectives in pest management training

Task force created and opportunities evaluated

Ext specialists, Ext coordinator


Platform for sharing knowledge across programs/activities

Work with Purdue and international collaborators to create a platform for capturing and sharing knowledge in implementing international pest management activities

At least one platform is created for sharing global pest management knowledge and experience

Faculty

Graduate student involvement

Work with CGIAR, CGFS, foreign scientists to provide research opportunities to graduate students

Increased number of students conducting research overseas

Faculty, Grad Comm., CGFS

3. Goal: A discovery portfolio global in composition and perspective



Science that reflects a global reach

New Initiatives: International collaborations in traditional and emerging areas such as invasive species, climate change, ecosystem services, effector biology, insect-microbe interactions, etc.

No. joint grant proposals, e.g., USAID

No. research agreements with international industry partners

Co-authored publications, and other research metrics: grants, students, leadership credits

Faculty

Leadership in specific areas in science that reflects a global reach

Work with international scientists in traditional and emerging areas such as invasive species, climate change, ecosystem services, insect-microbe interactions, etc. to address key challenges related to global food security

No. faculty research collaboration addressing global pest management issues

Faculty

Science as a global endeavor including graduate education and training

Explore globalization opportunities, e.g., short-term research and training visits, international meetings and collaborations

No. grad. students participating Faculty, Grad. Comm.


4. Goal: Embrace cross-cutting opportunities for globalization



Promoting student, staff and faculty involvement

Develop a strategy for encouraging and promoting cross-cutting global activities

Programs developed, delivered and outcomes measured

Head, faculty,

Partnerships with relevant university centers (e.g., CGFS, GPRI), national and international institutions and programs

Explore opportunities to promote and facilitate international partnerships in a systematic manner

As above Faculty

Targeted research on cross-cutting global issues

Work with faculty, centers on global pest management initiatives that integrate cross-cutting considerations, e.g., climate change, human health and nutrition, gender as components of the research strategy

No. faculty addressing issues related to targeted global cross-cutting issues

No. women participating in global pest management activities

Faculty

department of entomology draft strategic plan 2014 – 2019 · strategic planning - 1. department...

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