Published: 29 October 2026.
The RES was delighted to support the Society for Vector Ecology (SOVE) 53rd annual meeting in Yosemite, California in September this year. Editor-in-Chief of Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Marion England, attended the meeting and was able to award two prizes: one for the best presentation by an Early Career Professional, and one for the best poster by an Early Career Professional. Marion was kindly assisted in judging the awards by Phillip Shults and Stacey Scroggs from the USDA.
The winners were Megan Heineman for the best presentation by an Early Career Professional, and one for the best poster by an Early Career Professional. Read on below to find out more about the winners and what the judges had to say about their work.
Best Presentation – Megan Heineman
MVE Editor-in-Chief Marion England pictured with Megan Heineman, winner of the Early Career Professionals presentation award.
Photo credit: Michelle Brown
Judges comments: “Megan gave an assured and confident presentation on Ornithodoros ticks in Uganda. She detailed how ticks were collected and processed for host blood meal analysis and pathogen screening.
We liked the holistic nature of the study, drawing the different elements together to create an interesting narrative. Megan used her slides effectively to show both the field and laboratory elements of her work, and explained all aspects of her work in an engaging manner which was a pleasure to hear.”
Megan is a doctoral candidate in Dr. Gabriel Hamer’s laboratory at Texas A&M University, Department of Entomology with a focus in soft tick-host interactions and African swine fever virus. Her dissertation research involves advancing surveillance tools used in the collection of soft ticks, determining their vertebrate host utilization in both an African swine fever endemic region (Uganda) and non-endemic region (Texas, USA), and characterizing ASFV in Ornithodoros ticks to further our understanding of their role in ASFV transmission within Uganda. She earned her Master of Public Health in Environmental Health from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Emory University.
She is also a U.S. Army Entomologist and has supported the execution of surveillance programs and research projects assessing arthropod vector distribution and abundance, vector-borne disease risk, and the effectiveness of control measures within Europe, Africa, and the Pacific region.
Megan Heineman (best presentation)
“There were many amazing presentations given by early career researchers at the 53rd Society for Vector Ecology Annual Meeting, so I was both elated and surprised when I was announced the winner for the ECR Presentation Award.”
– Megan Heineman (best presentation)
Best Poster – Stephen Edache
MVE Editor-in-Chief Marion England pictured with Stephen Edache, winner of the Early Career Professionals poster award.
Photo credit: Michelle Brown
Judges comments: “Stephen presented an interesting poster about mosquito presence and abundance on swine farms in the US, demonstrating mosquito feeding on swine and other hosts, thus serving as a potential bridge vector for disease. He highlighted the evidence for the movement of mosquitoes into and out of farm buildings and proposed some exciting follow-up studies.
We were impressed with the clarity and enthusiasm of Stephen’s presentation and the balance of text and visuals on the poster was excellent.”
Stephen holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and a Master of Science degree in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. He is currently a PhD candidate in Pathobiology and works as a graduate research assistant at the Center for Outcomes Research and Epidemiology (CORE), College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University.
Stephen Edache working on samples.
His research focuses on the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases, with particular emphasis on the role of mosquito vectors in the emergence and spread of transboundary pathogens, particularly Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). His doctoral work includes knowledge synthesis on mosquito vector competence and host competence for JEV as well as mosquito surveillance on U.S. commercial swine farms to investigate mosquito abundance, species diversity, seasonal dynamics, resting habitats, host-feeding patterns, pathogen transmission, and entry pathways into swine facilities.
Stephen Edache in the field.
“I felt delighted and honored when my name was announced; this recognition encourages me to continue investigating the often-overlooked role of mosquitoes in livestock health and biosecurity.”
– Stephen Edache (best poster)
