J. Reese Voshell honored with emeritus status
J. Reese Voshell, professor of entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “professor emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1976, Voshell made significant contributions to the understanding of entomology through his work in aquatic entomology focusing on precision measurements of stream pollution.
His research program emphasized the use of aquatic invertebrates for monitoring environmental pollution and managing natural resources. During his career, Voshell received 68 contracts and grants that totaled $3 million. He developed the invertebrate monitoring protocols for all streams under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service and U. S. Forest Service in Virginia.
Voshell, of Floyd, Virginia, was author or co-author of 55 peer reviewed papers. He also wrote a book on freshwater invertebrates that became popular with volunteer stream monitors, anglers, and other naturalists. It sold more than 50,000 copies.
Voshell taught all or parts of 13 courses. He taught more than 1,000 students in his specialty course, Aquatic Entomology, taken mostly by students majoring in fisheries, biological sciences, and environmental science. In collaboration with Stephen Hiner, he taught more than 10,000 students in Insects and Human Society, taken by students throughout the university.
He won numerous teaching awards, most notably the university’s Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching, which also made him a member of the Academy of Teaching Excellence.
Reese served as major professor for 18 graduate theses and dissertations; nine of those students won the Grayson Award for the outstanding graduate student in the department.
Voshell received his bachelor’s degree from Randolph Macon College and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
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