The Annapolis, Md.-based Entomological Society of America has been awarded $500,000 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help boost diversity in the profession, the association said this week.

Under the cooperative agreement, the funding will support programs to expand and diversify the pool of people entering entomological careers related to public health. Entomology is the study of insects.

The association said that it will launch next year a one-year fellowship for recent college graduates and a 10-week internship for current undergraduates to work with CDC entomologists for hands-on training, field work and lab experience in medical entomology. The group will seek participants from federally designated minority-serving educational institutions.

"Protecting Americans from diseases that are spread by mosquitoes and ticks is a critical capacity for the CDC and other public health agencies," ESA board President Michelle Smith said in a statement. "There is a great opportunity to enhance today's medical entomologist workforce by developing professionals who are underrepresented in STEM and entomology."

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