The Gulf South VECTOR project received the Southern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center’s 2026 “Pulling Together” Award during the annual Friends of IPM awards presentation at the 2026 National Conference on Urban Entomology. The award recognizes groups that demonstrate success in developing, promoting, teaching, or implementing integrated pest management through collaboration.
Joe LaForest, co-director of the Southern IPM Center, presented the award on behalf of the Center, which supports the development and adoption of integrated pest management throughout the southern United States. During the presentation, LaForest recognized Gulf South VECTOR for bringing together professionals in pest control, vector management, public health, environmental health, research, and Extension to strengthen training and partnerships across the Gulf South.
A Regional Training Effort
Led by Dr. Claudia Riegel, Gulf South VECTOR is supported by a grant (1NU50CK000638-01-00) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The project works to improve the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases by expanding training opportunities for professionals and students, assessing workforce needs, and building regional partnerships to share resources and expertise.
Since launching in 2022, Gulf South VECTOR has developed mosquito emergency management plans, vector and vector-borne disease field guides, webinars, and other online training resources. The project has also conducted regional stakeholder surveys to help guide its educational programs and support Extension publications and peer-reviewed research.
Reaching Professionals and Communities
To date, Gulf South VECTOR has trained more than 32,000 professionals and 6,600 students across five states through workshops, webinars, travel awards, and online educational opportunities. The project also reaches the public through its annual NOLA BugFest, which has welcomed more than 1,500 attendees each year for the past three years.
Recognizing a Team Effort
LaForest said the award recognizes the project’s collaborative approach to building capacity for integrated pest management and vector control throughout the region. Dr. Riegel accepted the award on behalf of Gulf South VECTOR and recognized the contributions of the students, early-career professionals, researchers, Extension specialists, practitioners, and partner organizations whose work has made the project successful.