{"id":59859,"date":"2025-10-15T01:06:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T05:06:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=59859"},"modified":"2025-10-16T09:45:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T13:45:09","slug":"biology-alum-recognized-for-outstanding-achievements-in-chemical-ecology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2025\/biology-alum-recognized-for-outstanding-achievements-in-chemical-ecology\/","title":{"rendered":"Biology alum recognized for outstanding achievements in chemical ecology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One EMU grad is creating quite the buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nathan Derstine \u201910<\/strong>, a chemical ecologist and physiologist whose research focuses on insect pheromones, was recently recognized for his groundbreaking work on how bees, wasps, and other insects communicate. He received the Early Career Award from the International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE) at its annual meeting held in New Zealand this past August. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The award recognizes \u201ccutting-edge research in any area of chemical ecology performed by the new generation of scientists\u201d and is open to researchers within 10 years of earning their PhD, according to the ISCE website<\/a>. It honors Derstine for \u201chis outstanding achievements in advancing our understanding of the plasticity and regulation of chemical signals governing social behavior in insects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

What is chemical ecology?<\/strong>
Chemical ecology is the study integrating chemistry and biology to examine the chemical interactions among organisms and their environment. It includes signaling processes and communication between individuals, for instance in pheromone responses. (Nature.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are so many remarkable and excellent researchers who are equally, if not more, deserving of this award, so I didn\u2019t expect to get it,\u201d Derstine said. \u201cI\u2019ve had the opportunity to work on a wide array of projects with a lot of great mentors, and it feels very affirming to be recognized for all the work I\u2019ve done and put in over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with receiving the award, Derstine was invited to present a plenary lecture on his research at the conference, with all travel, accommodation, and conference fees fully covered. \u201cIt was a great trip,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was cool to see New Zealand and connect with a different group of chemical ecologists. It\u2019s always rewarding to put a face to the names of the papers you\u2019ve read.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He arrived back in the U.S. two days before fall classes started at the University of Richmond<\/a>, where he teaches as a visiting assistant professor of biology. Since moving to the city this summer, he\u2019s been approached by more than one solicitor who\u2019s knocked on his door and offered to spray for bugs. \u201cI always have to tell them that they\u2019re barking up the wrong tree,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Planting the seeds<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Nathan Derstine (left) is presented with the Early Career Award from ISCE President Robert Raguso, a professor at Cornell University.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Derstine said he\u2019s always been interested in biology, but had never thought of himself as an entomologist or \u201cinsect person.\u201d \u201cIn retrospect, I realize I may have had a unique background compared to others,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His parents were beekeepers for as long as he\u2019s been alive\u2014his father Kenton, professor emeritus at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, maintained a few bee hives<\/a> on the EMU Hill back in the day\u2014\u201cso I grew up doing it and never thought of it as anything other than normal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While at EMU, most of his student research was with Roman Miller<\/strong><\/a>, professor emeritus of biology, on how plant hormones affect the development of reproductive organs in mice. He got involved in Professor Matthew Siderhurst<\/strong>\u2019s entomology research<\/a> and spent two summers as a student at a U.S. Department of Agriculture lab in Hilo, Hawaii, where he worked to identify and develop strategies for managing invasive pests such as the little fire ant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was the seed of where it all began, through my involvement with Matt,\u201d said Derstine, who remains in close communication with the professor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that EMU\u2019s small class sizes, as well as the biology program\u2019s exclusive focus on undergraduate students, helped him form close connections with faculty and allowed him to gain hands-on experience working alongside professors as they conducted research projects. \u201cThat\u2019s a big benefit,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt that there\u2019s a very direct link between my experiences and the network of people I now know, who have helped me not only get a job but also continue to provide mentorship and guidance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After graduating from EMU with a biology degree in 2010, Derstine worked for two years as a research technician with Siderhurst at the lab in Hawaii before deciding to pursue graduate school. He earned a master of science from Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada) in 2016. From 2017 to 2018, he conducted research on the spotted lanternfly at a USDA lab in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. He earned his PhD in entomology from Pennsylvania State University in 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has also studied and contributed to research papers on yellowjackets and bumblebees, fruit-piercing moths, coffee berry borers, coconut rhinoceros beetles, and fruit flies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Derstine fondly recalled spending long hours at Suter Science Center identifying specimens for an insect collection and late nights in the basement of Sadie Hartzler Library studying with friends. He returned to campus in March 2024 to lead a Suter Science Seminar<\/a> talk on the \u201cSociality and Evolution of Reproductive Signals in Bees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI loved my time at EMU,\u201d he said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine it any other way.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One EMU grad is creating quite the buzz. Nathan Derstine \u201910, a chemical ecologist and physiologist whose research focuses on insect pheromones, was recently recognized for his groundbreaking work on ... read more about Biology alum recognized for outstanding achievements in chemical ecology<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":302,"featured_media":59860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4515,266,5590,17562,5640,5730],"tags":[18221,5753,7962,18617,18618,10667,18619,18620,9348,18616,9491],"feature":[17427,17426,17241],"class_list":["post-59859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-alumni","category-biology","category-digest","category-suter-science-center","category-undergraduate-programs","tag-academic-excellence","tag-alumni","tag-biology","tag-chemical-ecology","tag-early-career-award","tag-hawaii","tag-international-society-of-chemical-ecology","tag-isce","tag-matthew-siderhurst","tag-nathan-derstine","tag-roman-miller","feature-emu-home-page-feature","feature-myemu-feature","feature-news-feature"],"yoast_head":"\nBiology alum recognized for outstanding achievements in chemical ecology - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2025\/biology-alum-recognized-for-outstanding-achievements-in-chemical-ecology\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Biology alum recognized for outstanding achievements in chemical ecology - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One EMU grad is creating quite the buzz. 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