UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Dennis Calvin, professor of entomology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named associate director of Penn State Cooperative Extension, effective Jan. 1, 2006.

Dennis Calvin has an outstanding record of scholarly achievement and outreach," says Daney Jackson, Penn State associate vice president for outreach and director of cooperative extension. "His programmatic leadership and his track record of conducting research that translates into effective extension education programs are valuable assets that he brings to this important position."

Calvin will provide organizational leadership in support of the strategic objectives of Penn State Cooperative Extension and will be a key member of the College of Agricultural Sciences administrative team. He will assist the director of cooperative extension, regional and academic unit leaders and state program leaders in facilitating cooperation and collaboration among units in the College of Agricultural Sciences and with other academic colleges and outreach units of the university.

Cooperative extension, with offices in each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, transfers research-based information to individuals, families, businesses and communities through nonformal educational programs designed to meet locally identified needs.

"I believe the future success of cooperative extension depends on developing interdisciplinary teams of researchers, teachers, extension specialists, county-based extension educators and external stakeholders," Calvin says. "My goal is to help facilitate these teams by bringing talented people together to discuss issues, develop methods to solve problems and identify resources. The measure of our success will be our ability to serve the public by providing solutions to their problems."

Calvin's research focuses on insect population dynamics, insect-plant interactions and how climatic uncertainty affects insect development and management, particularly the European corn borer. He has studied the effects of insect feeding on plant physiology and has evaluated biological control techniques for use in managing insect pests.

Through his extension work, he has developed expert systems and other computer-based decision-support systems for insect pest management in corn and alfalfa and trained county-based extension educators, private consultants, farmers and agribusiness personnel on pest management for field and forage crops and stored products.

Calvin joined Penn State as assistant professor of entomology in 1985. He was promoted to associate professor in 1991 and to full professor in 2001. From 1985 to 1996, he also served as Penn State's integrated pest management coordinator, which entailed the development and coordination of IPM programs and acting as a liaison with national, regional and state IPM groups. In addition, he has been extension coordinator for the Department of Entomology since 2001.

Calvin has published nearly 40 articles in refereed journals and more than 70 articles in nonrefereed journals. He has authored or co-authored more than 60 extension bulletins and has presented more than 100 papers at scientific and technical meetings. He is a member of several professional organizations and honorary societies, including the Entomological Society of America.

Calvin received a bachelor's degree in agronomy and pest management from Iowa State University. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees in entomology from Kansas State University, which recently honored him as a Distinguished Alumnus.

###

EDITORS: Contact Daney Jackson at 814-863-3438 and Dennis Calvin at 814-863-4640.

Chuck Gill office (814) 863-2713 home: 814) 466-7671 e-mail: cdg5@psu.edu