Happy New Year!
Start out 2024 by attending our first technical meeting of the new year!
Think like a bug act like a human: The correlation between insects and healthy workspaces
From disease transmission to allergies, and stress, insects have a great impact on public health. Discover how these tiny intruders, such as bed bugs, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and ticks, can impact the safety of our work environments. We’ll learn to think like an insect to explore the challenges they pose, the health risks they carry, and most importantly, the proactive measures we can take to maintain hygiene standards and safeguard the well-being of employees. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into pest management and industrial hygiene practices that can transform your workplace.
When: January 9, 2024 @ 6pm EST
Speaker: Maria A. Gonzalez-Morales, M.Sc.,Ph.D.,
Entomologist at Defense Centers for Public Health – Aberdeen (DCPH-A),
Pesticide Use and Resistance Monitoring Branch Entomological Sciences Division
This event is virtual via Zoom.
Cost: Free for Potomac LS Members; $20 donation for Non-Members (Scholarship Fund)
Maria A. Gonzalez-Morales born and raised in Puerto Rico, completed her PhD in 2022 in Urban, Medical and Veterinary Entomology at North Carolina State University working in the laboratory of Dr. Coby Schal. Her thesis investigated the effects of urban pests on humans and animals, resistance to insecticides and the improvement of pest management techniques. Some of the highlights of Gonzalez's research are the first to document bed bug resistance to fipronil (pyrethroid) insecticides and the first report on the effectiveness of a drug controlling bed bug infestations in the poultry industry. Her research aims to develop new and innovative pest management techniques, especially in challenging environments, but also reduce costs to make indoor pest control sustainable, effective, and affordable for all. Now, Dr. Gonzalez-Morales is an Entomologist at the DoD Defense Centers for Public Health at Aberdeen, Maryland. In this capacity, she is responsible for monitoring public health pest issues, providing pest control recommendations, monitoring insecticide usage and insecticide resistance across all branches and military installations. Her overall aim is to improve the quality of life, health and readiness of military members and their families. Lastly, she also manages SEED, a 3-year research grant that aims to create a comprehensive program for surveillance, insecticide and resistance testing and education for bed bugs that results in accessible and updated information to aid the process of military decision makers. "
