Shifting the paradigm: highlights from 2022 demonstrate broad public health impacts of applied urban entomology

Abstract

In 2022, the dramatic reduction of applied and extension urban entomology positions was highlighted and widely discussed by seasoned and nascent urban entomologists alike. In fact, many urban entomologists are calling for a “paradigm shift” within the discipline given the reduction in niche urban entomology-specific positions. Specifically, many individuals are insisting that movement toward a framework where urban entomologists address complex, cross-disciplinary issues and advocate for research funding through science policy is critical for the endurance of the discipline. In this new model, the purpose of urban entomology does not necessarily change, but rather expands to attack questions that may be of interest to the broader scientific community. In addition, this paradigm shift would necessitate increased engagement of urban entomologists with bureaucratic and administrative agencies to communicate the importance of urban pest management, especially in a landscape where funding opportunities and endowments have been reduced, reallocated, or eliminated. To reflect the ongoing transformation within the field of urban entomology, the objectives of this review were to highlight papers published in 2022 that exemplify the broader impacts of urban entomological studies and urban pest management. Studies with ties to global public health and Entomological Society of America science policy initiatives are highlighted to encourage urban entomologists to consider the far-reaching influence of their research.