14 Research NEW ENTOMOLOGY FACULTY A familiar face at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus has recently been appointed assistant professor in field crop entomology. Dr. Jocelyn Smith, who has spent the bulk of her educational and professional career with the University of Guelph, started in the role in June 2024. Smith, a leading researcher in field crop entomology focusing on integrated management of pests in corn, soybeans, and wheat, says she knew she wanted to work in agriculture from a young age, growing up on her family farm in Lambton County. Her interest in entomology, specifically, she says, was sparked by taking courses in the subject during her undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph. “It was during my third year of undergrad that I took my first entomology course,” she says. “And it just really intrigued me. It was so interesting, and it really connected well with my agricultural background, thinking about pest management.” “And so from that point on, I was kind of hooked and I just took all the entomology courses that Guelph offered at the time.” RESEARCH Working as a research assistant with Albert Tenuta, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) pathologist and Tracey Baute, OMAFA entomologist, first as a summer student and after graduation as part of their research team, was the beginning of Smith’s long career at Ridgetown. While working in research, Schaafsma approached her about doing a master’s degree, and she later continued working with Schaafsma as a research technician working on insect resistance management. She then went on to complete her PhD part-time, and eventually became a research scientist at Ridgetown. “It’s just kind of been one thing leading to the next and and all these connections with these wonderful people at Ridgetown that helped me along the way, like Albert and Tracey and Art,” she says. TEACHING AND EXTENSION “I love the challenge of work,” Smith says of her research. “It’s forever interesting and always changing and, and I’ll never know it all.” Sharing her passion for pest management research and its real-life application is something that Smith says she enjoys about her role. “I’ve always liked communicating about entomology and the research work I do,” she says. “I like the fact that what I do is important to Ontario farmers, and I can understand where they’re coming from in their concerns in farming and pest management.” Teaching the next generation of farmers, agronomists, and entomologists is also part of Smith’s new role. “In the last few years, I’ve started teaching diploma students and I’m really enjoying that, and now graduate students as well,” she says. And while she’s often “tied to her computer,” the variety of the work she does is what make her role so interesting. “I get out and do field research, which I love … walk the fields and see what’s out there,” continued from page 13 DR. JOCELYN SMITH “A $2 million gift from the Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Fund helps support the Grain Farmers of Ontario Professorship in Field Crop Pathology.
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