Forensic entomology program adds new faculty
Yoho to teach crime scene investigation, forensic science and entomology
Kelie Yoho, Ph.D., joined the Department of Entomology in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as an instructional assistant professor of forensic entomology.
Yoho’s focus will be teaching forensic entomology curriculum related to crime scene investigations.
“It’s very exciting to be in an academic environment with such prominent forensic entomologists,” she said. “We have some of the greatest minds in the world concentrated here at Texas A&M, and to be in this position is an amazing opportunity to teach and learn and apply new concepts to make the forensics program even stronger for students.”
Propelling the forensic entomology program forward
Incorporating more statistics-based coursework and chemical forensics into her curriculum will be a priority because there has been a push within the field to provide statistical support for forensic evidence.
This addition to the curriculum will set the program apart from others nationally, she said.
“Students are passionate about this area of study and seeing them get excited about certain topics and materials and how genuinely they are interested in learning makes teaching exciting for me,” Yoho said.
She will teach four courses this semester, including crime scene investigation, introduction to forensic science, and forensic entomology lecture and lab.
Her teaching style is a “student first” approach, she said, with the philosophy to focus on what students understand and how they can apply course material to real-world situations.
Building a career
Yoho earned her bachelor’s degree in forensic science from Loyola University Chicago, a master’s degree in entomology from Purdue University and a doctorate in entomology from the University of Idaho.
As a graduate teaching assistant in the entomology department at Purdue, Yoho prepared and instructed laboratory procedures for forensic science courses and developed and implemented active learning assignments. At Idaho, she performed literature reviews and statistical analyses for grants and publications; conceived and managed research projects focused on agricultural entomology; prepared, analyzed and interpreted data and performed plant disease and pest identification and control recommendations.
