Monday 25 – Tuesday 26 March, 10:00 – 17:00
Henry Daysh Building, Newcastle University and Online

We are delighted to announce details for our 2024 Student Forum! This annual two-day event run by the Royal Entomological Society’s student representatives is aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students studying insects.

It provides an opportunity to network and discuss ideas with other students, consider options for your future careers in entomology, and share your research in a welcoming space. The programme also includes talks and careers advice from invited insect scientists and two interactive workshops to help develop skills to help further your careers on ‘Using citizen science as an engagement tool’ and ‘Exploring Research Culture’. Please note due to their interactive nature, workshop will only be available to those joining in person.

The 2024 event will be run both in-person at Newcastle University and the talks will also be live streamed online.

Invited speakers

Larissa Collins
FERA

Larissa Collins lead a team of 23 entomologists and acarologists delivering research and services to government and the private sector. They provide advice and consultancy to Defra on Plant Health, insect monitoring for agricultural pests, research into insect transmission of disease causing organisms, and research on the development of novel insect control (native and invasive species). They also receive all of the invertebrate plant health samples from UK ports and airports for identification. Larissa’s current research interests are developing IPM for wireworms and using Stable Isotopes Analysis to determine the geographical origins of wood-boring insects. This is Larissa’s 30^th year as an entomologist, who is very happy to still be learning about the wonderful world of insects and their ecology and behaviour, but most of all to be translating this into sustainable solutions for agriculture and UK Plant Health.

Kelly Jowett
Rothamsted Research

Kelly Jowett is an entomologist working on the design of cropping systems and landscapes to reconcile crop and livestock production with biodiversity and ecosystem services. She has a particular interest in the functional biodiversity of carabid and dung beetles, and working with farmers to apply her research. Kelly completed her PhD on the modelling of carabid beetle distributions in farm landscapes towards effective natural-enemy pest control. She has an MRes in Global Food Security and Development, and a BSc(H) in Environmental Conservation. She has expertise in agricultural entomology, forestry, agricultural systems, and communications.

Kelly is passionate about inspiring the next generation of entomologists, and facilitating others to make a difference for the creatures and environments they love.

Vivek Nityananda
Newcastle University

Dr Vivek Nityananda is a BBSRC David Phillips Research Fellow at Newcastle University. He researches the ecology and evolution of sensory and cognitive behaviour in insects. He has a PhD in Animal Behaviour from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and has worked at the University of Minnesota, St Paul and Queen Mary University of London. He has previously been a Marie Curie Research Fellow, a Human Frontiers Science Program Fellow and a fellow of the College of Life Sciences at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.

Abstract submission

Abstract submission is now closed. If you submitted an abstract you will hear if this has been accepted by Wednesday 28 February. All presenters must register to attend the Student Forum.

Abstract deadline: 17:00 (GMT), Friday 09 February

Registration

Registration is now open at the bottom of this page. Please note there are discounted rates for student members of the RES, so if you are not a member already, consider joining today. Student membership is just £15 per year with one year’s free trial!

To access the discounted rates you will need to login to your account.

Many thanks to Koppert for kindly supporting the 2024 Student Forum.

RES Student Representatives

Ayman Asiri
Cardiff University

Ben Hawthorne
Newcastle University

Vera Kaunath
University of Potsdam