Friends of IPM Awards
The mission of the Southern IPM Center is to champion the development and adoption of integrated pest management (IPM), the science of managing pests while protecting people, the environment and economy. Each Regional Center engages broadly with stakeholders to identify and address regional pest priorities in agriculture, communities and natural areas.
Since 2003, the Southern IPM Center (SIPMC) has worked with USDA, Land Grant universities, Extension, and many other partners in promoting and facilitating the development and implementation of IPM in many settings across the region.
Many of these partners have contributed to the region’s well-being for years or even decades.
Hall of Fame
The Southern IPM Hall of Fame award recognizes individuals who have contributed to any important aspect of Southern IPM over many years with documented history of career achievements in IPM.
Along with authorship of educational materials, research papers, manuals, books, and presentations of IPM material, Hall of Fame award candidates have greatly impacted IPM in the Southern region over the lifetime of their career.
At the time Dr. Ames Herbert received this honor, it was known as the Southern IPM Lifetime Achievement Award. The award has since been renamed the Southern IPM Hall of Fame Award and continues to recognize individuals whose careers have had a lasting impact on integrated pest management.
Ames Herbert, Virginia Tech
Original Story Written by Rosemary Hallberg
Updated by Abbey Stewart
Virginia IPM Coordinator Ames Herbert received the 2012 Lifetime Achievement award. Dr. Herbert was an Extension Specialist with the Tidewater Area Research and Extension Center for 24 years and IPM Coordinator for over 15 years. In both positions, he conducted research and extension activities on peanuts, cotton, soybeans, and small grains, and was the only entomologist with responsibilities in those fields. Dr. Herbert’s day involved anything from field or lab work to driving out to a grower’s field to help with a pest problem.
Dr. Herbert received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Johnston State College in 1971. Then, he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in Entomology from Auburn University in 1975 and 1985, respectively.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Herbert served in numerous leadership roles. For years, he participated in the Southern Region IPM Center Advisory Council and Steering Committee. In addition, Dr. Herbert served as a member or was in a position of leadership in SERA-IEG 7 Regional Information Exchange Group-Peanut Entomology, S-1039 Regional Project Soybean Insects, and SERA-IEG 3 Regional Information Exchange Group-Integrated Pest Management.
Dr. Herbert was the principal investigator on several southern region projects, including two pocket guides (one on corn, soybean and wheat and the other on stink bugs), stink bug research and extension tools, a slug workshop and more. Almost all of his projects involved several states, from the southern region and from the North Central and the northeastern regions. Four years ago, Dr. Herbert received an award from Virginia Tech for his service to the Tidewater AREC and the state IPM program.