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[Editorial] Speaking of insects…

ScienceNOW - Fetched: September 22nd, 2016, 2:00pm UTC

Given that Aedes aegypti, the main mosquito vector of Zika virus, has been an intense focus of public health attention in the Americas, most recently in Florida, it seems apt that next week, 7000 entomologists from around the world will converge on Orlando, Florida, for the 25th International Congress of Entomology (ICE), where, among other activities, 175 discipline thought-leaders will join policy-makers and other experts to address “Improving the Human Condition through Insect Science.” The ICE summit's goals are to define the major global insect-related challenges—from arthropod-borne diseases to the protection of beneficial species—and plan collaborative efforts to meet these challenges through research and technology. These “grand challenges” aren't new. What's new, however, is an explicit effort to address one of the greatest challenges: effective engagement with the public about the value of insect science. Author: May R. Berenbaum

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