Dr. Richard Hellmich

Dr. Hellmich has been a Research Entomologist with the USDA–ARS, Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit in Ames, Iowa for 25 years.  The mission of this lab is to develop sustainable ways to manage insect pests of corn.  His research focuses on European corn borer ecology and genetics, insect resistance management, and evaluation of non-target effects of genetically-engineered maize.  Recently he also has focused on restoring habitat for monarch butterflies.  Previously, Dr. Hellmich studied Africanized honey bees in Venezuela and Guatemala while working for eight years at the USDA–ARS Honey Bee Laboratory in Baton Rouge, LA.  Dr. Hellmich also is a Collaborator and Assistant Professor with the Iowa State University Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology.  Dr. Hellmich was co-recipient of a 2002 USDA Secretary’s Honor Award for leading a consortium of scientists that investigated Bt maize and monarch butterflies.  He authored or co-authored five papers published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA related to this topic.  He has authored over 135 peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters.  Dr. Hellmich was the Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area, 2002 Scientist of the Year.