Research Entomologist
6St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement, Louisiana, United States
Dr. Isik Unlu (pronounced Ish-ick Ooh-n-luu) received her bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s degree in ecology from Hacettepe University. She conducted research and spent time as an educator in Turkey, Israel, and Germany before coming to the U.S. in 2003. Isik moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to obtain a PhD degree in medical entomology from Louisiana State University, which she did in 2007.
After her graduation from the LSU Entomology Department, she joined Rutgers University as an adjunct professor and for her post doc work with Randy Gaugler and Dina Fonseca, and Mercer County Mosquito Control first as an entomologist, then as a superintendent. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the fields of vector biology, ecology, surveillance, management and control, diseases surveillance, blood meal analysis, and epidemiology of vector-borne diseases.
Isik has been published in nearly 60 outlets, covering topics such as vector biology, ecology, surveillance, host preference, epidemiology, and the control of vector-borne diseases. Some of the publications include: the Journal of Medical Entomology, PLOS One, CABI Reviews, Journal of Economic Entomology, Pest Management Science, Parasites & Vectors, the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, and more.
She has presented at or contributed to more than 90 various conferences and panels such as the National Association of County and City Officials, the American Mosquito Control Association, the New Jersey Mosquito Control Association, Vector-Borne Diseases Centers of Excellence, the Virginia Mosquito Control Association, the Utah Mosquito Abatement Meeting, the Dhaka North City Corporation in Bangladesh, and many more.
During her career so far, Dr. Unlu has served on the advisory boards of the NJMCA, the Scientific Advisory Board and the Best Management Practices panel for AMCA, and the QualityPro Public Health Task Force Mosquito Working Group.
Dr. Unlu is currently the Acting Division Director and Operations Manager for Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control, where she oversees a team of more than 50 staffers, including inspectors, surveillance technicians, laboratory technicians, public information and outreach personnel, support staff, and a supervisory and management crew. She also conducts extensive in-house research on pesticide resistance.
Professional honors include for Team Excellence at Rutgers, a Louisiana Mosquito Control Association research fund award, an AMCA Presidential Citation, and an Appreciation of Service award from the Society for Vector Ecology.
Disclosure information not submitted.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM AST