DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY
DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

Concurrently, Dr. O. W. Oestlund served as entomologist with the Minnesota Geological and Natural History Survey from 1885 to 1890. In 1891, Dr. Oestlund became a member of the faculty of the Department of Animal Biology on the Minneapolis campus, where he taught elementary and advanced courses in entomology until his retirement in 1926.

Professor Lugger's successor was Professor F. L. Washburn who served as Head of the Division of Entomology from 1902 to 1918. During this period, research and teaching in entomology were expanded, staff were added, and numerous bulletins were published. The first graduate degree in entomology was awarded to a Master's candidate in 1913. Activities were diversified to include parasitology, which was well established by 1918.

In 1916, the name of the Division was changed to "Division of Economic Zoology," and changed again in 1918 to "Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology" when Professor William A. Riley was appointed as Chief. Professor Riley was also made a member of the Department of Animal Biology on the Minneapolis campus, teaching entomology and parasitology. Subsequently, the name of the Minneapolis department was changed to "Department of Zoology."

Control of rabbits, pocket gophers and other rodents, and parasitology of wild animals were added gradually to the research and teaching programs of the Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology. In 1925, with the appointment of Dr. Maynard Johnson, a vertebrate biologist, courses in comparative anatomy and mammalogy were introduced.

The presence of a Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology on the St. Paul Campus and a Department of Zoology on the Minneapolis Campus fostered a perception that "pure" biology was taught in Minneapolis while "practical" aspects were taught in St. Paul. During the period 1921 to 1925, collegiate work at the graduate level advanced and the first Ph.D. degree with a major in entomology was granted in 1921. The faculty was increased, the insect collection expanded, the library grew to encompass volumes on parasitology and mammalogy, as well as entomology, and fundamental research was encouraged.

In 1925, Professor Riley was appointed as Head of the Department of Animal Biology. He was succeeded in St. Paul by Professor Royal N. Chapman, who had made outstanding contributions in insect ecology and the control of insects attacking stored products. Graduate education grew and students from various parts of the world were attracted to St. Paul or the University Farm Campus, as it was known. In 1928, the activities of the Beekeeping Division were consolidated with those of the Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology.

Professor Chapman resigned in 1930 to accept a position in Hawaii and Professor Riley returned from Minneapolis to again become Chief of the Division. Professor Riley retired in 1944, whereupon Professor C. E. Mickel, a member of the faculty of the Department of Zoology, assumed, in addition, the position of Chief of the Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology.

The name of the unit was changed from "Division" to "Department" in 1952 when the Institute of Agriculture was organized; but in 1962, its name was changed again to the Department of Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife to better reflect its broad mission.

Professor Mickel retired in 1960 and was succeeded by Professor A. C. Hodson as Head. Dr. Hodson was well known for his work in forest insect ecology and directed the work of 75 graduate students in forest and stored-product entomology. Dr. Hodson was instrumental in gaining support for a new building which the department occupied in 1968.

Dr. Hodson retired in 1974 and Dr. Milton W. Weller joined the department as Head. Dr. Weller's background was in avian ecology with special emphasis on waterfowl and wetlands. In 1982, Dr. Weller left the department to accept the Caesar Kleberg Chair at Texas A & M. A departmental split had been discussed for several years and was recommended by the 1982 CSRS review. Consequently, in 1983 Fisheries and Wildlife was established as a separate department in the College of Forestry and Entomology was established as a department in the College of Agriculture. Dr. Richard Jones was named head in January 1984. Dr. Jones was well known for his work in insect physiology.

In 1980, Dr. Richard Sauer, past head of the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University and an entomologist with a background in acarology was appointed Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Sauer was tenured in the Department of Entomology. In 1983, he was promoted to Deputy Vice President then Vice President of the Institute of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics while retaining his role as Director of the Experiment Station. In 1988, Dr. Sauer took on interim responsibilities as President of the University. He resigned in 1989 to become Chief Executive Officer of the National 4H Council.

The position of Vice President and Director, left vacant by movement of Dr. Sauer to President, was filled by Dr. Gene Allen, then Dean of the College of Agriculture, leaving that position vacant. The position was temporarily filled by Dr. Keith Wharton from 1988 to 1990. Dr. Jones was asked to become interim dean, and then acting dean of the college with the retirement of Acting Dean Wharton. Dr. Mark Ascerno was appointed interim head of the Department of Entomology in August, 1990 while Dr. Jones was handling the job of Dean.

In 1991, Dr. Jones was appointed Dean of the College and Dr. Ascerno became Acting Head. In February, 1992, after a national search, Dr. Ascerno was appointed head of the department.

Since 1988 the Department has added faculty in insect neurobiology (Dr. Karen Mesce, jointly appointed with the Neuroscience Program), vegetable research and extension (Dr. William Hutchison to replace Dr. Penelope Ives), apiculture (Dr. Marla Spivak to replace Dr. Basil Furgala), shade tree/landscape extension and research (Dr. Vera Krischik to replace Dr. Mark Ascerno), systematics (Dr. Susan Weller, jointly appointed as Curator, Bell Museum of Natural History), field crop entomology (Dr. Ian MacRae, located in Crookston, to replace Dr. David Noetzel), biological control (Dr. George Heimpel), forest entomology (Dr. Steven Seybold, jointly appointed in Forest Resources to replace Dr. Herbert Kulman), aquatic entomology (Dr. Leonard Ferrington), and commodity and structural arthropoid pest management (Dr. Colleen Cannon to replace Dr. Phillip Harein).