2021 Champions of Entomology Games

The University of Hawaii Entomology Team (Ka Mea Kolo), attended the National Meeting of the Entomological Society of America in Denver, Colorado, and were crowned Champions of the Entomology Games Competition. In the championship round, Ka Mea Kolo faced off against perennial heavyweight Texas A&M, and they dominated them with a score of 110 to 45! This is the first time the University of Hawaii, Manoa, has won this award, and it represents all of the hard work our students and faculty have put into this.

Congratulations to:

• Karim Gharbi (Tay Lab)
• Kenneth Choi (Cheng Lab)
• Mitchell Kirsch (Tay Lab), also won Best Poster in the Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology (MUVE) category!
• Michelle Au (Wright Lab)
• Dr. Mark Wright, Faculty Coach

Mahalo to the Tanada Family Entomology Fund from the PEPS department for funding Kenneth Choi's travel award.  Let's hear from the winners about their experience:

Karim: "I've attended ESA twice before (in 2018 and 2019), but neither experience compares to this year. Previously I traveled alone, watched presentations and the Entomology Games, hoping that I'd soon be able to present my own research and maybe compete in the games too. I interviewed with my current PI, Dr. Jia-Wei Tay, at the 2019 convention, bringing me a little closer to that goal.

In stark contrast, this year I had the privilege to attend the convention with my fellow students, present my own research and not only compete in the Entomology Games, but also bring home the gold for UH! I'll never forget this experience and those who made it possible: the university that accepted me, the faculty that have mentored me and the team-mates I'm proud to call my friends."

Mitchell: "The University of Hawaii Entomology Team (Ka Mea Kolo) was the team that had the most fun during the Entomology games. We were also the most well rounded team, with Karim, Michelle, Kenneth, and myself answering questions correctly in the championship round. Anytime a question was asked about chemicals or pesticides, I relaxed because I knew Karim would answer correctly. Afterwards, many people came up to us and said they were cheering for us and how happy they were for our victory. We were highly charismatic and identifiable thanks to Michelle’s great idea of matching Aloha shirts.

In addition to the Entomology Games, ESA was a chance to make connections and learn about other current research. I’m very glad that I was able to attend, represent the University of Hawaii, and present my research, returning with two awards, new connections, and immense pride."

Kenneth: "The Entomology Society of America hybrid meeting was different in the age of the pandemic. I was thankful to present my research and act as a team member in the student competition. As a last-minute replacement for a member of the UH team, it was a daunting task to get reacquainted with insect trivia and biology. Thankfully, my teammates made it easy for me to catch up to them and they were extremely helpful! I think this win reflects our hard work and dedication and is a classic David vs Goliath story that puts Hawai'i on the map of strong contenders."

Michelle: “The Entomological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meetings are an opportunity for me to network with professionals, broaden my knowledge in this field, and most importantly meet other women of color in Entomology. I am very proud that we, as a team, could represent CTAHR and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Hawaiʻi and CTAHR always have a special place in my heart and sharing a little bit of aloha with everyone at ESA was a very special moment for me. Winning the Entomology Games is the cherry on top to an already amazing conference but what I will cherish the most are the connections I’ve made with members from the opposing teams and other students at ESA.”

Dr. Mark Wright: "The performance of our students in the Entomology Games was impressive. I think their effort is a reflection of the quality of students that our Entomology program attracts, despite being a relatively “small’ program by some measures. Their performance raises the profile of our graduate program nationally and contributes to attracting great students.

We’ll be preparing for the 2022 contests soon, starting with the ESA Pacific Branch meeting in April next year. There may be some teams out for revenge, so we’ll need to keep our standards up!"

Congratulations again to Ka Mea Kolo!  We look forward to hearing more about their journey as they begin preparations to defend their title at next year's national meeting in Vancouver.  Good luck at the at the qualiftying round against U.C. Riverside and U.C. Davis at the Pacific Branch meeting in April 2022!  Everyone at CTAHR will be cheering you on!