Educating and empowering undergraduate students on the importance of insect ecosystem services using interactive displays

Insects are simultaneously responsible for many underappreciated ecosystem services, and are declining at an alarming rate of 1-2% each year (Wagner, 2020). Despite insects’ importance and looming danger, many undergraduate students have negative relationships with insects because of frequent exposure to common pest insects (i.e., cockroaches, mosquitoes, ticks, or bedbugs) and minimal exposure to beneficial or even neutral insects. The goal of this project was to provide a new way for students to experience the diversity and value of insects. To do this, we created visually appealing insect displays with pinned insects, informational posters, and resources to learn how insect biodiversity is relevant to everyone. These displays, installed in prominent locations on campus, provided a new way for students to interact with entomology and consider how insects may play a role in their future careers. On the department level, these displays provided a means for interdisciplinary collaboration between departments and to grow connections across the campus. Finally on the community level, students who engaged with these displays during the curation process have a new sense of belonging in the community and have shared their work in several popular science articles. Visually appealing, interactive displays open doors for a new method of undergraduate teaching in entomology, which ultimately impacts future career choices and builds a stronger department and community.