Marjorie A. Hoy
Professor and Eminent Scholar
University of Florida
Biographical Information: http://gnv.ifas.ufl.edu/%7eentweb/hoy.htm
Fields: Entomology, genetics, biological control
Specialty: Biological control of pest insects and mites
Nominated by: Marjorie A. Hoy
Excerpt from nomination: Marjorie A. Hoy has pioneered the use of
genetics to develop improved natural enemies of pest insects and mites.
She has used traditional and recombinant DNA methods and has been able to
deploy improved parasitoids and predators in practical pest management
programs in California and Florida. In 1996, she received approval from
state and federal regulatory agencies to release the first transgenic
beneficial predator into the environment.
Dr. Hoy has published numerous scientific papers (ca. 200) and written or
edited 6 books. Her honors and awards include: Fellow, American
Association for the Advancement of Science, the Bussart Memorial Award and
the Founders Memorial Award from the Entomological Society of America,
Fellow of the Entomological Society of America, the 1997 Honor Award from
the Secretary of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture for research on
biological control, the 1996 Senior Faculty Research Award from Sigma Xi,
and the 1997 Team Research Award for achievements in the biological control
of the citrus leafminer from the Florida Entomological Society.
Dr. Hoy holds an endowed chair (Fischer, Davies, and Eckes Professor of
Biological Control) at the University of Florida, Gainesville (1992 -
present). Prior to this, she was an Assistant, Associate, and Full
Professor at the University of California at Berkeley.
What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
I worked after school at the public library during my junior high school
years. I learned it was fun to work with books and help people find the
information they wanted. I also learned how great it was to earn money,
which I saved for college.
Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?
Several people have provided generous help to me throughout my years as a
student and professional. Several of these mentors have been men. I
appreciate the help they have given. In the very competitive academic
environment, not very many people are willing to help others, yet I've been
fortunate that, at key times in my career, several people have been
supportive and kind.
What are you most proud of (either professionally or personally)?
I am proud of my ability to focus on projects, to get them done in a timely
manner, so that I can have time left over to spend with my family. That
has always been a high priority for me.
What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?
Be prepared to work hard and learn to keep on learning new things your
entire professional life. Also be aware that you will have to make
difficult choices about how you spend your time; despite the mythology
about "having it all," I don't think we can. We do make decisions every
day and every hour about our time and these decisions affect our personal
and professional lives.
What is your favorite book?
"The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance" by Laurie Garrett
What is your favorite Web site?
http://www.scienceguide.com
What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?
I get to learn new things every day; I can be a perpetual student.
What do you do to relax?
I read, garden, and enjoy outdoor activities such as snorkeling, kayaking,
and hiking.
