Entomology doctoral student Allison Parker received the 2018 William H. Luckmann Award for research on mosquito production in residential neighborhoods of varying socio-economic status.

This award provides funds to support student attendance and presentation of research at either this year’s Entomological Society of America Meeting or a meeting of another appropriate professional society within a year of receiving the award.

William H. Luckmann, the person after whom the award is named, served as a researcher and administrator for applied entomological programs at the Illinois Natural History Survey from 1949 to 1984.

Parker said in an email she conducted a series of ecological surveys and field projects and distributed a social science questionnaire to residents within the Champaign-Urbana area.

“Mosquitoes are a great study subject because they are very common in human-dominated landscapes and also spread some pretty nasty diseases to humans,” Parker said. “They are fascinating and provide a very interesting study system.”

Parker said she decided to pursue this research area because she is interested in the ecological interactions between humans and their environments.

“I am also interested in this area of work because my research can be directly used to help control mosquitoes,” she said.

Parker said she is excited to receive the award, which will allow her to travel to various entomological events across North America.

“It is a great honor and will allow me to travel to the 2018 Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of British Columbia Joint Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada this upcoming November to present my research,” she said.

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