New World screwworm is making headlines again, but how worried should we really be? In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Gordon sits down with University of Florida medical and veterinary entomologist Dr. Edwin Burgess to unpack the science behind one of the most infamous livestock pests in history.

Learn what New World screwworm is, why it poses a serious threat to livestock and wildlife, how it spreads, and why the risk to humans remains extremely low. Dr. Burgess explains the fascinating sterile insect technique that successfully eradicated the pest from the United States decades ago, how "sterile flies" are helping fight its return, and why experts are confident it can be controlled again. They also tackle common misconceptions about sterilized flies, food safety, surveillance efforts, and the role of agricultural producers, scientists, veterinarians, and government in responding to the current outbreak.

Whether you've been seeing alarming headlines or just want a deeper understanding of this remarkable insect, this episode offers a clear, science-based look at New World screwworm and what comes next.

Moderator: Dr. Jennifer Gordon

Panelist: Dr. Edwin Burgess

You can learn more about ESA at our website entsoc.org.

You can watch the screen recording on our YouTube here.

On this episode, ESA's Senior Manager of Certification Programs chats with Adam Holt and Chelle Hartzer from The BCE Podcast. Willet shares insights into ESA’s educational resources and certification programs, including the Board Certified Entomologist certification. The conversation explores how ESA programs help advance industry standards, encourage continuing education, and inspire the next generation of insect science professionals.

This episode was created in partnership with The BCE Podcast: www.youtube.com/@TheBCEPodcast

To learn more about ESA's certifications program, please visit entocert.org.

This episode features Samuel Martinelli, chair of the International Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC), who presented IRAC's history, key achievements, and future directions. IRAC has become the global authority on mode of action (MoA) classification for insecticides, developing the widely recognized classification system and guidelines that help farmers and advisors manage pesticide resistance. The discussion highlights IRAC's three pillars (MoA classification, guidance/tools development, and global coordination) and outlined their next major initiative: creating a comprehensive resistance database to provide validated, publicly available intelligence on insecticide resistance developments worldwide.

This episode is hosted by the Early Career Professionals Committee, featuring panelists Dr. Heena Puri, Dr. Mary Wallace, Dr. Swati Mishra, and Miles Maxcer discussing their experiences transitioning directly from graduate programs to roles at agricultural biotech startups focused on innovative pest control solutions like biopesticides and RNA technology. Using a Jurassic Park analogy, they defined startups as high-risk, high-reward ventures with dynamic workloads, limited resources, and opportunities for broad skill-building in fast-paced environments. The discussion covered job-finding strategies, leveraging academic backgrounds, positives like creativity and growth versus challenges like uncertainty, and advice on assessing company health and work-life balance.

Hosted by the Early Career Professionals Committee

Moderator: Lidia Gual Gonzalez

Panelists: Mary Wallace, Swati Mishra, Heena Puri, Miles Maxcer

Learn more about our panelists here. You can watch the screen recording on our YouTube here.

This episode is hosted in honor of Black History Month to amplify the voices of International Association of Black Entomologists (IABE) and celebrate excellence, impact, and perseverance within the field of Entomology. The episode will provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about IABE and how its community influences the academic and professional journey of its members. The program features distinguished panelists who will present their research programs, professional accomplishments, alongside personal and professional testimonies of resilience.

Hosted by the International Association of Black Entomologists (IABE).

Moderator: Tara-Kay L. Jones

Panelist: Dr. Tolu Morawo, Dr. Beatrice N. Dingha

Learn more about our panelists here. You can watch the screen recording on our YouTube here.

A lot can change in five years! Although institutions have reverted to in-person teaching following the COVID-19 Pandemic, entomology is increasingly shifting to online classrooms and portals for student learning. With higher demand for online course options, accessibility and engagement in digital classrooms are essential. Hosted by the ESA Formal and Informal Teaching (FIT) Student Subcommittee, join us as invited presenters Adrienne Brundage, Ph.D., and Tonya Shepherd, Ph.D., from the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University share their experiences, recommendations, and new tools for improving accessibility and engagement in virtual entomology teaching.

Hosted by the ESA FIT Pilot Section

Moderators: Shelby Kilpatrick, Victoria Pickens

Panelists: Dr. Tonya Shepherd, Dr. Adrienne Brundage

Learn more about our panelists here. You can find the handout from our panelists mentioned in this discussion here, and watch the screen recording on our YouTube here.