ENTOMOLOGY TODAY - Insects have important roles as both heroes and villains, as well as neutral house guests either feared or ignored, and their ubiquity makes them accessible to both civilians and scientists. Entomology outreach is an essential part of inviting the public to learn about these characters. Frequently, graduate students are at the forefront of engaging the public in this field. However, not every graduate student is prepared to interact with a pre-entomologist, nor are they convinced that this is an important activity. The following is a beginner’s guide to initiating outreach: why to try, how to start, and what to do while more traditional classroom visits are not available during the current wave of virus spread.
I am a graduate student at University of California, Riverside, where we have a well-established outreach program that predates my career as a scientist, but I recognize that not every department has an interest in (or the means of) reaching out to the broader community on a large scale. So, starting small, and taking steps now, is important.