Endowment of more than $400,000 goes to Geneva station entomology

By Joe Ogrodnick

The Department of Entomology at Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES) in Geneva, N.Y., has received an endowment of more than $400,000 to support its graduate students. The gift was bequeathed to the Paul J. Chapman graduate fellowship fund by Mary F. Lienk in memory of her husband, entomologist Siegfried E. Lienk, who died in 1988.

Former NYSAES director James Hunter, who made the announcement this May, noted that Siegfried Lienk had enjoyed a productive career as an entomologist from 1949 to 1983. Lienk worked on the biology and control of tree fruit pests in collaboration with entomology colleague and former chair Paul J. Chapman, for whom the fellowship fund is named. One significant project resulting from that partnership was a study to determine the flight periods of large species of moths in the Geneva area using black light traps. Over 600 species were identified during the five-year study, noted Hunter. The data helped determine when control measures should be used for species of economic importance.

Lienk and Chapman also conducted a project to update the number of native species that had adopted the apple as a host plant in North America. Species found feeding on apples were classified as using it as a primary, secondary or accidental host. From that study a number of potential new apple pests were identified, and a book was published by the experiment station, titled Tortricid Fauna of Apple of New York.

Hunter also praised Mary Lienk, who died in November 2003: "Mary Lienk was a delightful and very generous person. Everyone who knew her thought very highly of her and loved her. I'm sure that the department will put this money to good use in helping future entomologists."