Congratulations to Ángela Sáenz, recipient of the inaugural Allen Steinhauer Scholarship

Congratulations to Ph.D. candidate Ángela Sáenz, the inaugural recipient of the Allen Steinhauer Scholarship, awarded in recognition of her outstanding research accomplishments.

This scholarship honors the late Professor Allen L. Steinhauer, a distinguished entomologist who left an indelible mark on the field of integrated pest management (IPM), the University of Maryland (UMD) Department of Entomology—which he chaired for many years—and the many students and colleagues he mentored throughout his career. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student supervised by an entomology faculty member in recognition of research achievement.

Ángela is a deserving and especially fitting first recipient. Dr. Steinhauer’s research specialty, IPM, is a strategy that combines multiple approaches, including alternatives to pesticides such as biocontrol, to manage pests while minimizing risks to human health, beneficial organisms and the environment. For the past five years, Ángela has investigated the emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive forest pest that is destroying ash trees. Her research has examined EAB phenology, mortality and impacts on overwintering arthropod communities. Her field-based work provides valuable insight into biocontrol effectiveness and offers practical guidance for land managers working to protect forest ecosystems.

Ángela has also taken every opportunity to share her work with local and global audiences, presenting at meetings of the Entomological Society of America, the Ecological Society of America, the International Congress of Biological Control, the National Diversity in STEM Conference and several UMD events. During her Ph.D. program, she has published three peer-reviewed articles from her prior research (Sáenz et al., 2023) and from collaborations with other research groups (Salcedo et al., 2023; Calderon-Arroyo et al., 2023).

Beyond her outstanding research accomplishments, Ángela is a dedicated contributor to our department community. She has served for multiple years as a teaching assistant for Principles of Ecology and received the 2025 Allen L. Steinhauer Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2021 Teaching Achievement Award. She has supported Extensión en Español as a blog writer, participated in outreach efforts such as the Brood X Cicada Crew and Insect Zoo events, and held leadership roles in the Entomology Student Organization, the DEI Working Group and on faculty search committees.

We are thrilled to recognize Ángela’s dedication through this scholarship and grateful for the contributions that establish and sustain awards like these. This scholarship would not be possible without Professor Steinhauer’s inspirational leadership, the generosity of the late Mary Steinhauer, entomology faculty, alums and friends who helped establish the scholarship and continue to support it through ongoing gifts. We are especially grateful to Dr. Michael Tysowsky (Ph.D. ’71) for his dedicated support and stewardship.

Upon receiving the scholarship, Ángela said:
“This type of recognition means a lot. Amid the stress of pursuing a graduate degree, this scholarship validates my efforts—not only academic, but also the work I’ve done to make my community and department a better place. This scholarship will provide significant financial security as I finish my dissertation projects and move forward in my career.”

We look forward to seeing this scholarship continue to support outstanding students like Ángela for years to come.