The semi-annual meeting of the Urban Pest Management Technical Committee will be held at New Mexico State University May 15-18. UPMTC is a consortium of technical directors, training and quality managers, and related technical support positions in the urban pest management industry.

While in Las Cruces, the committee and several manufacturers will meet with Alvaro Romero, associate professor of urban entomology at NMSU, and his students. Romero is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and holds a master’s degree in veterinary entomology and a Ph.D. in urban entomology. He is a leading researcher in the field of urban pest management in the Southwestern United States.

“UPMTC members will gain valuable insights into the urban pests being studied at the NMSU Urban Entomology Lab, including scorpions, kissing bugs, Turkestan cockroaches and bed bugs,” Romero said. “And our research students will have the opportunity to benefit from the feedback and insights of urban entomologists and technical experts currently working in the field.”

“We are looking forward to meeting with Dr. Romero and his students as we continue our collaboration with leading academic institutions,” said UPMTC spokesperson Mark Sheperdigian, BCE.

VM Products, the event title sponsor, is known for developing and manufacturing high-quality, innovative and reliable products for pest management professionals. Ethan Vickery, VM chief executive officer, continues to help support Romero’s undergraduate and graduate research projects, most recently with a $10,000 gift to the NMSU Foundation.