I am sincerely grateful for the support provided through the Pi Chi Omega Scholarship I received in 2025. Receiving this scholarship has been an important source of encouragement and motivation throughout the past year. I truly appreciate the organization's commitment to supporting graduate students in entomology, and I am honored to be a recipient.
The financial and professional support from Pi Chi Omega has had a meaningful impact on my progress this year. More importantly, this support has reinforced my commitment to advancing scientific knowledge in urban entomology. Knowing that my work is recognized and valued by a professional society has been both motivating and affirming, especially during an intensive stage of my doctoral training.
Over the past year, I have continued to advance my dissertation research in Dr. Changlu Wang's lab at Rutgers University. My work focuses on insecticide and rodenticide resistance in urban pest populations, including bed bugs and commensal rodents, as well as ectoparasites associated with house mice. In 2025, I have made substantial progress in my research productivity and scholarly output. I am pleased to report that I conducted three major topics:
All studies resulted in two papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, including Journal of Economic Entomology and Journal of Pest Science, one study has been submitted to journal of Pest Science Management. In addition, I published an article introducing ectoparasites on house mice in the Pest Control Technology magazine. These publications represent significant milestones in my doctoral research and reflect sustained effort in experimental design. These three publications represent a productive year and meaningful progress toward establishing a strong publication record as I prepare for the next stage of my career.
I have also remained fully engaged in my academic responsibilities and have maintained a strong grade point average throughout the year. My coursework has strengthened my knowledge in entomology, statistics, and research methods. In addition to research and coursework, I have continued to develop professionally through attending professional meetings, mentoring graduate students, and engagement with the scientific community. I attended the annual meeting held by Entomology Society of America in November 2025, and shared my bed bug research with other professionals. I also communicated with them on study design, interpreting results, and a plan for future research cooperation. These experiences have strengthened my ability to work effectively, independently, and even expanded future cooperation within urban entomology community.
In addition to my research, I have been actively involved in extension and outreach activities over the past year. I attended Annual Insect Festival held by County Master Gardeners to introduce the concept of urban entomology and answered questions about urban pest management. I also shared knowledge of non-chemical control on common urban pests to residents when I had field work. Through these efforts, I translated scientific research into practical information for pest management professionals, community members and housing staffs. These experiences have strengthened my communication skills and reinforced the importance of connecting academic research with real-world applications.
Looking ahead, I am highly motivated to continue building on this year's progress. My goals for the coming year include completing key components of my dissertation and graduation. In addition, I will continue to expand the impact of my research in urban entomology. The support from Pi Chi Omega has played an important role in helping me reach my current milestones, and it continues to inspire me to pursue excellence in both research and professional service.
Once again, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the support from Pi Chi Omega. This scholarship has not only provided practical assistance but has also served as a meaningful recognition of my efforts and potential. Thank you for your continued support and for considering this progress report.