Walter Leal Receives 2026 Applied Chemical Ecology Award
Walter Leal, a Distinguished Professor in the department, has received the 2026 Applied Chemical Ecology Award from the International Society of Chemical Ecology. The award recognizes his work using the chemical signals insects rely on to find food, mates and hosts to develop practical tools for pest management.
Leal’s research spans agricultural pests and mosquitoes that transmit disease. His lab has studied how mosquitoes detect and avoid the repellent DEET, and his work on the navel orangeworm has helped inform efforts to control the crop pest by disrupting its mating signals. Research on the Asian citrus psyllid has also contributed to methods for monitoring that insect.
Leal received the award at the society’s recent conference at Cornell University, where he spoke about his career and research.