Carroll N. Smith was born in Menlo, Iowa, on November 5, 1909. He died on November 8, 1992, in Gainesville, Florida. Carroll graduated from George Washington University with a BA in 1932, an MA in 1934 and a Ph.D. in 1941. He specialized in medical and veterinary entomology. Throughout his career he was employed by the USDA. He started in 1935 as a Junior entomologist in Washington, D.C. He served as an Associate Entomologist and Entomologist in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, (1937-1941) and Savannah, Georgia (1941-1946). In 1946, he transferred to the USDA Insects Affecting Man and Animals Research Laboratory at Orlando, Florida, where he led a research team developing repellents for use on humans against insect pests and disease vectors. In 1954, he was selected as Director of the laboratory. In 1963, he supervised transfer of the Laboratory to Gainesville, Florida. In 1969 he accepted an assignment as the first Director of the USDA's Insect Attractants, Behavior and Basic Biology Research Laboratory in Gainesville. Carroll retired later in 1969 and accepted an assignment in New Delhi, India, with the World Health Organization as Director of a project on genetic control of mosquitoes.

Carroll had many duties and responsibilities throughout his career as an entomologist. As Director of the Insects Affecting Man and Animals Research Laboratory, he was an advisor to the Armed Forces Pest Management Board. As a Courtesy Professor in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida (1963 to 1969), he helped develop and train graduate students in entomology. He was also an associate member of the Rickettsial Disease Commission, a member of the Malaria Commission of the armed Forces epidemiological Board and a member of the food and Agriculture Organization's expert panel on tick borne diseases of livestock. Carroll was a consultant for the World Health Organization and served on their Expert Panel on Insecticides.

Carroll was an outstanding scientist. His early work on the life history of the American dog tick on Martha's Vineyard is a classic. Some forty years later, these studies provided important information for a computer simulation model on the population dynamics of this tick. The repellent DEET, developed under his direction, is still an active ingredient in most commercial repellents worldwide. His scientific articles, book chapters and books that he edited cover many aspects of medical and veterinary entomology. These publications reported on his research in basic biology, development and application of repellents and insecticides, insecticide resistance, and factors affecting the attraction of biting insects to humans. He was widely known for his studies of radiation, chemosterilization, and genetics as related to the sterile insect release method. His work covered a wide variety of arthropods including ticks, chigger mites, mosquitoes, flies, sandflies, lice, fleas, cockroaches, tsetse flies and ants.

Carroll's leadership abilities were unique and outstanding. He treated everyone equally and fairly. He worked hard and long and expected others to do the same. Because of this, he earned everyone's respect. He inspired others through his knowledge, analytical skills, dedication and leadership by example. Although he was inherently a kind and gentle man, he could be strong, aggressive and convincing when necessary. As a leader, he insisted on scientific accuracy and honesty. He also set high standards of moral and ethical behavior for his subordinates. Carroll is remembered for devotion to family, friends and associates. He provided help and understanding for all of his colleagues and subordinates. He had a quick wit and unbelievable memory. All that knew him will miss his many outstanding attributes, but will remember and treasure them.

Carroll received many honors as an entomologist. He was elected President of the Entomological Society of America in 1964. He received the American Mosquito Control Association's highest award, the Medal of Honor, in 1976, he and his research group received a Superior Service Award from the USDA for the development of DEET and other insect repellents. He received a Superior Service Award from the USDA in 1968 for leadership and outstanding scientific accomplishments. Carroll was an honorary member of the Entomological Society of America. He was also a member of the American Mosquito Control Association, Florida Mosquito Control Association, the Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and Sigma Xi.

Dr. Phillip S. Callahan was born on August 29, 1923 at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He attended Fordham University and graduated from University of Arkansas (B.A. 1953, M.S. 1953) and Kansas State (Ph.D. 1956). He served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, and the reserves afterwards. After serving as a faculty member at Louisiana State University for several years (1956-1962), his professional career was spent primarily with USDA. He was on the staff of the Southern Grain Insect Lab in Tifton Georgia from1962-1969 and the Insect Attractants, Basic Biology and Behavior Lab in Gainesville from 1969-1986. Since retiring from USDA, Phil has served as a consultant for several organizations. In his association with Louisiana State and University of Florida, Phil has directed the graduate programs of several M.S. and Ph. D. students.

Dr. Callahan has published extensively in the areas of insect biology, morphology, culture, and communication. He is a leader in the field of bioacoustics. In addition to technical publications he also has authored numerous books, many concerning bird life and nature, but also in other fields. Among his recent books are Nature's Silent Music (1992), Exploring the Spectrum (1994), Paramagnetism (1995), and my Search for Traces of God (1997).

Dr. Callahan has been recognized many times, including being named a Fellow of the New York Explorers Club, and by being awarded the Superior Service Medal by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Gregory J. Oelfke  from Santa Fe High School, Alachua, FL, won the Florida Entomological Society Senior Section Award for "Investigation of the effects of various behavioral, biological, chemical, and environmental components on Musca domestica".

Vaishali K. Grover from Paul W. Bell Middle School, Miami, FL,  won the Florida Entomological Society Junior Section Award for "Snail trails: Can fruit enzymes be used to control garden snails?".

Jeffory Head from Godby High School, Tallahassee, FL, won 3rd place in the FSSEF Behavior and Social Sciences Section for "The effect of male house cricket nutrition on female sexual selection."

http://www.flaentsoc.org/2001annmeetschedule.html
8/01/01 John Capinera and Richard Mankin