We're really pleased to welcome back our student team for the 2021 field season! These folks are coming soon to a field (and field plots) near you!! Well, that's true ONLY if you're fortunate to be in the Peace River region!
Learn more about Maiya, Aarika and Donovan. They join Shelby, Amanda, and me and we're the IPM Team for the summer of 2021!
Hi, my name is Aarika and I am more than excited to be coming back to work in the IPM program again this summer!
About Me
I am going into my fourth year of Bachelor’s of Science specializing in Psychology at the University of Alberta. I am interested in pursuing medicine, specifically neurology or psychiatry. Although my studies are a bit different from agricultural entomology research, I have become very passionate in this area of agriculture from working at the Beaverlodge Research Farm last year. I was THRILLED when I knew I would be coming back to work here this summer. I grew up on a grain farm near Valhalla Centre and have been eager to become more involved. I have been helping out in the field when I get the chance to and learning to drive more of the equipment.
Last year I learned so much valuable information in the IPM program including starting to monitor insects in fields. I was able to review various pieces of scientific literature and take online courses to expand my knowledge on insect predators, pests, economic thresholds, insecticides, and more.
 |
| Figure 1. Aarika rolling canola in her family’s fields. |
What I Look Forward to... This year, I am excited to have the opportunity to do more fieldwork in different areas and on a wider variety of insects. I look forward to continuing learning about insect monitoring, scouting, and gaining more practical experience. This job has given me a greater awareness of what isgoing on in a smaller scale (insect scale) in those large fields! I have scouted some of my family's fields already and have seen insects already working away! I am eager to see how this year is in comparison to previous years as I have seen a lot of fluctuation with the weather.
Anyways, I am very excited to be working with the wonderful team for my second year here in the IPM program! They are truly incredible people to work with and are passionate about what they do.
Hello everyone! My name is Maiya and I am a returning student in the Insect Pest Management (IPM) Program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. I worked with the IPM team last year, but this is my first year both returning to the program and working in-person. I will be at the Farm for the 2021 summer from May to August.
I recently completed my third year at the University of Alberta pursuing an undergraduate degree in Science, majoring in Biological Sciences and Psychology. Though I have not focused on insects in my studies, I have taken a few ecology and zoology courses that often use entomological examples. I am looking forward to applying my school-based knowledge to the job and gaining more practical experience in biology this summer.
Previous work with the IPM program brought me a new appreciation for the wide range of insects with which producers must cope to grow a successful crop. Last summer I was only able to do fieldwork on my family’s farm in the Peace region (Fig. 1) and performed several online tasks and training while working from home. Therefore, I am eager to spend more time outside getting some hands-on experience with pest monitoring and laboratory techniques this summer.
 | ||
|
Hi there! I’m Donovan, a returning student in the Insect Pest Management Program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. Last summer, I worked remotely with the IPM team, mainly performing online insect-related tasks and research. This year, however, I’m working on-site from May to August, and I can’t wait to get that true pest monitoring experience!
I am a third-year student at Carleton University pursuing a BSc in Ecology while minoring in Statistics. Growing up, animals of all shapes and sizes intrigued me (Fig.1). Whenever I went to zoos, I never wanted to leave until I had the chance to see every animal, much to my parent’s occasional discontent. Later in my educational career, I realized I loved translating my ecological research into numbers (or vice versa), which prompted me to incorporate statistics into my studies.
I have a deep passion for entomology since working for the Canadian National Collection of Insects housed at AAFC-Ottawa. While working there, I marveled over the sheer diversity of insects and all the weird and wacky forms they possess. When I worked remotely for the Beaverlodge Research Farm, I was fascinated by how much of an impact insects have on agriculture, whether beneficial or detrimental, and I’m looking forward to expanding my knowledge on these compelling arthropods with the IPM team this summer!
 |
| Figure 1. Donovan celebrating the 12th birthday of his miniature labradoodle, Keegan. |