Ag Research

 

Bruce Noden, associate professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, recently received a Fulbright Specialist Program Award.

 

The program sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning and related subjects at academic institutions abroad for two to six weeks. Recipients are selected based on academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad.

 

“Dr. Bruce Noden is especially deserving of the Fulbright Specialist award. His research has a significant impact on public health in this region,” said Justin Talley, entomology department head. “He has developed a sustainable research program that involves fellow scientists, graduate students, and undergraduate students, and his mentorship to both colleagues and students has left lasting impressions that have remained constant throughout his career.”

 

Through his research, Noden has demonstrated the role that Eastern Red Cedar plays in expanding and increasing both ticks and mosquitoes. His research in Eastern Red Cedar areas shows there is a higher probability of encountering an infected mosquito that can transmit West Nile Virus.

 

Noden will complete a project at the University of Namibia in Namibia, a country in southern Africa in January and February. He will focus on developing a group of specialists who can address tick and mosquito disease concerns.

 

“This Fulbright award is catalyzing this focus by providing ample time to renew collaborations with old colleagues and develop relationships with new researchers already active in the field,” Noden said. “I am excited about receiving this award as it provides an opportunity to link what I’m currently doing in Oklahoma with a part of the world I’ve worked in before. The environmental concerns between the two regions are very similar, both involving the impacts of woody plant encroachment, in addition to regional issues like malaria.”