Highlights from the Department's Retirement Luncheon

The seven faculty members honored at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's recent retirement luncheon at the Alumni Center amassed 247 years of service to the department:

• UC Davis distinguished professor James Carey, 44 years, faculty member since 1980. He retired in June.
• UC Davis distinguished professor Richard Karban, 42 years, faculty member since 1982. He retired in June.
• UC Davis distinguished professor emerita Lynn Kimsey, 35 years, faculty member since 1989. She retired Feb. 1, 2024.
• Robert Kimsey, adjunct professor, 35 years, faculty member since 1989, retired in June
• UC Davis distinguished professor Jay Rosenheim, 34 years, faculty member since 1990. He retired in June.
• UC Davis distinguished professor Diane Ullman, 29 years, faculty member since 1995. She retired in June.
• Sharon Lawler, professor emerita, 28 years, faculty member since 1995. She retired in January 2023.

As molecular geneticist and physiologist Joanna Chiu, professor and chair of the department, said prior to the retirement luncheon: “Our retiring faculty will leave behind some very big shoes to fill. “They have set the bar very high for all of us with their passion to lifelong scientific exploration, perseverance to achieve intellectual and mentoring excellence, and dedication to the department, UC Davis, and external stakeholders. We are so proud to call them colleagues and mentors and they will no doubt continue to inspire us to carry on their legacy. It is with our most sincere appreciation that we wish all of them the best in their new endeavors and adventures in this next chapter of their lives."

Capsule information: 

James R. Carey: 'A Giant in Our Department' 
A giant in our department" and "a scholar in every sense of the word." That's how UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus Frank Zalom characterized retiring faculty member James R. Carey. A UC Davis distinguished professor and a senior scholar in the Center for the Economics and Demography of Aging at UC Berkeley, Carey completed a 44-year career at UC Davis. He is internationally known not only for his research in insect biodemography, mortality dynamics, and insect invasion biology but for his groundbreaking teaching program that centers on the strategic use of digital technology. (See more)

Richard 'Rick' Karban: International Authority on Plant Communication
UC Davis distinguished professor Richard "Rick" Karban is an international authority on plant communication, a noted author and an exemplary mentor. Professor Neal Williams praised Karban for "his contributions to the field of insect ecology and to the training and mentoring of a couple of generations of insect ecologists." Said Williams: "I have always loved that Rick has a book called How to Do Ecology (Princeton University Press). It is a truly a useful book for those launching a career in ecology and for veteran ecologists too.  What I additionally love about it is that Rick and his approach as a person make it is so genuine and matter of fact-- never let me tell you how it is."(See more)

Lynn Kimsey: 34-Year Director of Bohart Museum of Entomology
UC Davis distinguished professor emerita Lynn Kimsey, entomologist, taxonomist and 34-year director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology,  is "an amazing scientist, science communicator and friend." So said UC Davis doctoral alumna Fran Keller, a professor at Folsom Lake College and a Bohart Museum scientist, when she delivered a tribute at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's retirement luncheon. Kimsey, who specializes in Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) and insect diversity and evolution,  retired Feb. 1, 2024. She joined the faculty in 1989 and served as the Bohart Museum director for 34 years. She is continuing her Hymenoptera research, as well as her work as executive director of the Friends of the Bohart Museum, and as newsletter editor, published quarterly. (See more)

Robert Kimsey: Integral Part of Department Since 1990
Forensic entomologist Robert Kimsey, an associate adjunct professor and continuing lecturer since 1990 with the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology,  has taught and interacted with some 7000 students, including entomology, biology and animal biology majors since 1990. He shares with his students his many and varied research interests: public health entomology; arthropods of medical importance; zoonotic disease; biology and ecology of tick-borne pathogens; tick-feeding behavior and biochemistry.  He has served as the master advisor for the Animal Biology major since 2010 and an ABI lecturer since 2001. He has taught ABI 50A for 20 years, giving lectures and instructing labs to a total of 900 students per year. He has taught ABI 187 for 12 years, presenting material to a total of 450 students. (See more)

Jay Rosenheim: Exemplary Career as Scientist, Teacher and Mentor 
"Jay was an undergrad at UC Davis in the 1980s, before completing his PhD at UC Berkeley in 1987, and starting as a professor in this department in 1990. Upon his retirement this year, he will have been faculty in our department for 34 remarkable years. I've known him for 24 of those years and having seen just a little bit of how much he has done for students, colleagues, and the university in each of those years, it is deeply humbling to reflect upon his cumulative career-long contribution to science and mentorship." So began Professor Louie Yang, community ecologist, in his tribute to UC Davis Distinguished Professor Jay Rosenheim at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's retirement luncheon.  (See more)

Diane Ullman: 'Everything She Does Is World Class'
 UC Davis Distinguished Professor Diane Ullman, a 29-year member of the Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty, is an internationally known entomologist, a national award-winning teacher and an acclaimed artist. "Everything she does is world class," urban landscape entomologist and assistant professor Emily Meineke told the crowd at the retirement luncheon. Among Ullman's many awards: the Entomological Society of America's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2014.  Ullman chaired the Department of Entomology in 2004-05, and served as associate dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from 2005-2014. She co-founded (2006) and directs the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program. (See more)

Sharon Lawler: Aquatic Entomologist, Teacher and Mentor
A dedicated aquatic entomologist. Curious, reliable and "always has your back." So said UC Davis emeritus professor Hugh Dingle when he praised UC Davis professor emerita Sharon Lawler at the department's retirement luncheon. Lawler retired in January 2023 after a 28-year career with the department. Dingle, who shared an office in her lab at Briggs Hall, pointed out she was "frequently called upon because of her reliability," such as "heading up the very large Ecology Grad Group." An avid researcher, Lawler is the co-principal investigator (with John Eadie and Daniel Karp of Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology) of a substantial grant, the Integrated Wetland Management Project, to develop reduced-pesticide mosquito control via beneficial predators. The grant, awarded in 2022, has no expiration date. (See more)

Each received a plaque. Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist and member of the department's awards committee, also received a plaque for "outstanding service, but she's not retiring," said Joanna Chiu, professor and chair of the department.  Garvey, who joined the department in 2007, holds communication and journalism degrees from Washington State University, with a special interest in science. She is a longtime newspaper editor and science communicator. Highly honored by her peers, she has received international and national awards for her newswriting, feature stories and photography.