11th International IPM Symposium

Alma R. Galvan, M.H.C., of the Migrant Clinicians Network.

Alma R. Galván, M.H.C., of the Migrant Clinicians Network, shared the strategies her organization uses to reach farmworkers with pesticide, health, and safety information. Photo: Susannah Krysko.
People touring the USS Midway Museum.

A tour of the USS Midway Museum was led by active-duty Navy personnel and showcased the shipboard IPM practices. Photo: Jerrie Haines.

March 3–6, 2025, San Diego, CA

An impressive collaboration of IPM researchers, educators, and practitioners joined together for an outstanding conference, the 11th International IPM Symposium (ipmsymposium.org/2025/). The IPM Institute, Regional IPM Centers, state IPM coordinators, and many state and federal agencies, practitioners, and nonprofit organizations were deeply involved in the organizing of the event.

Most U.S. Department of Agriculture and other federal agency employees who had registered were unable to attend due to recently announced travel restrictions, but otherwise the conference unfolded without any major mishaps.

We heard presentations that included housing IPM, biocontrol, public outreach, and examples of every IPM effort imaginable. We were honored to welcome knowledgeable speakers from all over the world.

Here are some quick stats:

About 470 people registered for the symposium and 417 attended. That’s up from the COVID-impacted Denver symposium, but down from earlier editions of the meeting. Attendees came from 11 countries, including Canada, China, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United States, including Puerto Rico.

IPM professionals made 168 presentations and exhibited 86 posters, and 20 exhibitors set up booths in the main exhibit hall.

Conversations after presentations, in the hallways or over lunch were too numerous to count but animated and excited about the conference and the work it represented.

I am sure that I am joined by co-chairs Dr. Dawn Gouge, Ms. Janet Hurley, and Ms. Shannah Whithaus in thanking the team that made the conference possible and also our participants who made it come alive!

Many thanks to Steve Elliot, Western IPM Center, for sharing his article about the Symposium.

People touring a pesticide storage facility.

The field trip to University of California San Diego campus began with a tour of a pesticide storage facility and a discussion of the process used to determine when pesticide applications are necessary on campus. Photo: Shannah Whithaus.
A view of the rooftop art installation called Fallen Star (Do Ho Suh, 2012) at the University of California San Diego.

A tour of a University of California San Diego art installation called Fallen Star (Do Ho Suh, 2012) showed how pests are controlled on this and other living roofs around campus. Photo: Shannah Whithaus.