ECU Environmental Health students presented their research through oral presentations at the 2024 North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association (NCMVCA) Annual Conference held from November 18-20, 2024 at Atlantic Beach, NC. The titles of their presentations are as follows:
- Will Murray, MS Environmental Health student – “Wind Tunnel Exposure of Mosquitoes to Water- and Oil-based Formulated Products”
- Raven Slade, MS Environmental Health student – “Droplet Distribution of Formulated Products on Mosquitoes Exposed via Wind Tunnel”
- Emma Rush, BS Environmental Health student – “Comparison of Field Trial and Wind Tunnel Exposure of Mosquitoes to Biomist®, Duet®, and ReMoa Tri®”
- Naina Sharma Bastakoti, MS Environmental Health student – “Occupational Hazards among Mosquito Control Personnel”
All of the students represented ECU well and the crowd appreciated their presentations. Emma Rush won third place ($50 cash prize) in the student competition that consisted of 11 students total from ECU, Western Carolina University (WCU), and University of North Carolina (UNC). Paul Jones, a BS Public Health (BSPH) student, helped with some of research studies and data analysis. All of the students received funding from HHP Student Travel Fund to attend this conference and are very appreciative of that opportunity.
Dr. Stephanie Richards serves as mentor to these ECU students and has also been serving as the long-standing treasurer of the NCMVCA. The conference consisted of 86 attendees from programs across the state: Albemarle Regional Health Services, Beaufort County, Brunswick County, Cabarrus Health Alliance, Chesapeake Mosquito Control Commission, City of Greenville, City of Boiling Springs, City of Rocky Mount, City of Southport, Craven County, ECU, Edgecombe County, Forsyth County, Gaston County, Haywood County, Mecklenburg County, New Hanover County, NC DACS (Pesticides Division), NC DHHS (Division of Public Health), Onslow County, Pamlico County, Pender County, Pitt County, Transylvania County, UNC, US Navy, and WCU. Seven industry partners (e.g., mosquito control and drone manufacturers) also attended from various areas across the US.
