K-State Launches Program to Tackle Shortage of Veterinary Entomologists

Kansas State University is taking steps to address a nationwide shortage of veterinary entomologists with a new initiative called the Research and Extension Experience in Veterinary Entomology for Students (REEVES). The program aims to provide undergraduate students with hands-on research experience in the field of veterinary entomology, which focuses on insects and ticks that impact animal health.

Veterinary entomologists play a key role in protecting livestock and agricultural economies by studying arthropods that can spread disease or reduce productivity. However, awareness of the career path remains low.

"Despite the significant impact arthropods like ticks and insects have on livestock production, there's a serious lack of trained veterinary entomologists," said Cassandra Olds, assistant professor of entomology at K-State. "Many students simply aren't aware of this viable career path or what it entails."

Kansas at the Forefront of Livestock Health

Kansas is a major hub for beef production, with cattle and calves accounting for 46% of the state’s agricultural cash receipts in 2021, and the state ranking second nationally in cattle processed. Ensuring the health of livestock is therefore critical to the economic well-being of the region.

"With increasing insecticide resistance and the emergence of new tick and tick-borne pathogen species, our capacity to meet future research, extension and teaching needs in this area is more critical than ever," Olds added.

Hands-On Experience Through REEVES

The REEVES program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture and led by the University of Tennessee, is an eight-week summer residential program. It provides immersive, hands-on training in veterinary entomology research and extension while preparing students for graduate and professional programs or livestock-focused careers.

Each year, two scholars are placed at participating institutions, including K-State, the University of Tennessee, Texas A&M University, and the University of Georgia. The program will run from 2025 through 2028.

REEVES scholars gain experience collaborating on scientific teams and present their findings at the annual Livestock Insect Workers Conference and an online REEVES Expo. At K-State in 2025, scholars studied the impact of stable flies on cattle performance in feedlots and investigated local outbreaks of Theileria orientalis, a tick-borne pathogen affecting livestock.

"For me, the most exciting aspect of this field is the chance to do good at every level," Olds said. "You have the opportunity to positively impact both animal health and well-being while simultaneously improving the livelihoods of the people who own them."

Additional information and application details for the REEVES program are available on the program’s website.