Entomology

College of Computer, Mathematical, & Natural Sciences
4112 Plant Sciences Building
Phone: 301-405-3911
http://entomology.umd.edu

Research, teaching, and extension have been the backbone of the Department of Entomology for more than 100 years. Our faculty, students, and post-doctoral fellows remain committed to these three areas, in addition to outreach and public service. We maintain our historical focus on insects and their relatives, but the department's interests also span a diversity of subdisciplines, including ecology, aquatic biology, molecular and developmental biology, genetics, biological control of insects and weeds, systematics, evolutionary biology, integrated pest management, toxicology, and insect pathology.

Undergraduate students interested in Entomology typically major in one of the specializations within the Biological Sciences Program. Interested students should contact the Entomology Director of Undergraduate Studies for information on pursuing a career in Entomology.

The Department of Entomology faculty coordinate and advise students in the following Biological Sciences Program area:

  • Biological Sciences: General Biology (GENB) Last names that begin with the letters A through M

The requirements for the Biological Sciences major can be found here.

Chair: L. Pick

Director of Undergraduate Studies: D. Hawthorne

Professors: D. Gruner, C. Hooks, W. Lamp, M. Neel, M. Palmer, L. Pick, P. Shrewsbury, R. St. Leger, S. Via

Associate Professors: M. Fritz, K. Hamby, D. Hawthorne, J. Shultz, D. vanEngelsdorp, J. Wang

Assistant Professors: K. Burghardt, A. Espindola,  N. Krishnan  

Principal Lecturer: T. O'Brien

Senior Lecturers: L. Shapiro, M. Shofner

Lecturer: M. Ngeve

Affiliate Professor: A. Leslie

Associate Research Professor: M. Williams

Professors Emeriti: E. Armstrong, P. Barbosa, A. Brown, J. Davidson, G. Dively, J. Linduska, D. Messersmith, J. Nelson, D. O'Brochta, M. Raupp, B. Thorne

Majors

​Minors

The Department of Entomology faculty coordinate and advise students in the following areas:

  • Biological Sciences major:  General Biology (GENB) Last names that begin with the letters A through M
  • Entomology minor: Biological Sciences (BSCI) and students in related majors
  • Paleobiology minor: Shared jointly with the Geology department

Contact the Department of Entomology (301-405-3911) for information about advising or to determine the name of your advisor. To schedule an appointment with your advisor or the Entomology Director of Undergraduate Studies, contact them directly through the Entomology Undergraduate page. 

For advising on other Biological Sciences Program specializations, see the Biological Sciences Major listing in this catalog.

Students interested in Entomology major in many different programs but would find one of the specializations offered by the Biological Sciences Program to be most appropriate. They should also consider adding the Entomology minor. Students may contact the Entomology Director of Undergraduate Studies for additional information on their academic program and on pursuing a career in Entomology.

Undergraduate Research Experiences

Students can engage in laboratory and field research with Entomology faculty. Contact the Entomology Director of Undergraduate Students for information on opportunities to participate.

Honors Program

The Entomology Honors Program provides the opportunity for highly motivated and academically qualified undergraduates to engage in original, independent research under the guidance of an Entomology faculty mentor. Participation in the program requires:

  1. junior standing (including at least twelve credits within the major),
  2. a minimum overall GPA and major courses GPA of 3.2, and
  3. a Department of Entomology faculty member who has agreed to serve as a mentor.

Contact the Entomology Honors Director, Dr. Karin Burghardt (kburghar@umd.edu) for more information. Participants in the Entomology Honors Program are eligible for the Ernest N. Cory Undergraduate Scholarship.