About the Department of Entomology
Department Overview
We are one of the top degree-granting entomology departments in the United States known for our outstanding research and teaching programs, facilities, and award-winning faculty. We offer small class sizes and provide students with the skills they need to either pursue careers or to enter into graduate school.
Our award-winning faculty are solving challenges that are facing our world today. We take pride in creating a supportive environment that promotes networking, professional growth and the pursuit of excellence. Our friendly advisors and staff are committed to the growth of the student preparing to function effectively in the dynamic economy of the 21st Century.
Howdy and Welcome!
In the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University, we embrace discovery, transitional and applied entomological research from ecological landscapes to biological molecules. Our faculty are internationally recognized scholars who provide students with exciting research experiences and training that is scientifically relevant and crucial to protecting human health and advancing agriculture around the world.
We are one of the top departments of entomology in the world, offering undergraduate degrees in entomology and forensic and investigative sciences and graduate degrees in entomology. We pride ourselves on the rigor and reputation of our academic programs, the students who study with us, and the impacts made by our former students. Our department is home to a diverse group of students, faculty and staff who bring global perspectives to conversations necessary to advance the fi eld of entomology. As we embrace future opportunities, we must innovate and improve the quality of our offerings and infrastructure. We are committed to ensuring our students and former students maintain a competitive advantage in an ever-changing society and scientific world.
We are excited about your interest in our department and hope you’ll consider reaching out to learn more about our opportunities and programs.
Phillip Kaufman, Ph.D.
Professor and Department Head
Mission
The Department’s mission is to generate impactful entomological and forensic knowledge that will improve lives through innovative science-based solutions and educate and train students with the highest current standards for competencies in entomology and forensic & investigative science disciplines so that they will be able to solve present and future societal and environmental challenges.
Vision
The Department of Entomology is a dynamic community of faculty, students, and staff, synergized by national and international visiting scholars, and preeminent in the world for excellence in research, teaching, and extension in entomological and forensic & investigative sciences.
Entomology News
Light-based insect analysis sharpens forensic timelines
A Texas A&M AgriLife Research study shines fresh light — literally — on forensic death investigations. Researchers from the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics have developed a technique that uses infrared light and machine learning to reveal the sex of blow fly larvae found on human remains. This innovative approach may help investigators estimate time of death with greater speed and accuracy.
Cracking the code of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks
Tereza Magalhaes, Ph.D., is living an old, oft-used adage: “Science saves lives, one discovery at a time.” Magalhaes, a vector biologist in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, grew up in Brazil in a family of scientists and academics, and she developed her natural interest in biology from an early age. Her aunt would tell Magalhaes she would be a detective one day.