Central State University student honored by Entomological Society of America

Central State University student Keiana Briscoe will be honored with the Entomological Society of American (ESA) Alate Award, which recognizes students currently enrolled at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSI).

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The Alate Award aims to promote interest in entomology and encourage students to attend the ESA Annual Meeting. Award honorees will be showcased during the event from Nov. 5-8 in National Harbor, Maryland. 

Each year, the ESA recognizes scientists, educators, and students who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to entomology. The theme of this year's conference is Entomology 2023: Insects and Influence: Advancing Entomology's Impact on People and Policy.

Briscoe is an undergraduate student researcher in the Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Central State University. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in general biology with concentrations in sustainable agriculture and chemistry. She enrolled at CSU in the fall of 2022. 

The rising junior began working at the Central State University bee lab in November 2022 under the guidance of Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay. Her research is focused on the landscape ecology and the oxidative stress levels of honeybees and small carpenter bees. This work is important for studying pollinator health in organic and conventional agricultural landscapes.

Briscoe has presented her work at the ESA-IB Virtual Symposium, Central State's Research and Scholarly Activities Day, and the Fifth International Conference on Pollinator Biology, Health and Policy hosted by the Center for Pollinator Research at Pennsylvania State University.

During her time at CSU, Briscoe has worked with chemistry professor Dr. Natosha L. Finley on the evaluation of agricultural soils using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance. Her work with Finley provided her the opportunity to present at the 2023 Dayton Chapter American Chemical Society Meeting.

While exploring the fields of entomology and chemistry, Briscoe developed her research areas of interest, which include ecology and molecular biology. More specifically, she is interested in how human intervention affects species on the molecular level. 

“I am thankful for this opportunity and the many doors it will open for me,” Briscoe said. “I am especially thankful for Dr. Hongmei’s guidance and encouragement throughout my research experience.” 

“Keiana has a true passion for research and science. I really enjoyed working with her on her first research project,” Li-Byarlay said.

The Entomological Society of America is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and individuals in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA has more than 7,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, students, pest management professionals, and hobbyists. 

Learn more about bee research taking place at Central State University or email hli-byarlay@centralstate.edu for more information.