AUBURN---Extension entomologist and Auburn University professor Dr. J. Wayne Brewer recently received the 2001 Entomological Society of America’s Distinguished Award in Teaching.

A former head of Auburn’s Department of Entomology, Brewer has taught on the college level for more than 30 years and is known for taking instruction far beyond the classroom setting. He frequently incorporates multimedia techniques to enhance his courses and developed a computerized correspondence course for academic credit through the Auburn University Distance Learning/Outreach Technology program.

Brewer also serves as coordinator of the university’s entomology internship program, and has contributed as a participant in the Hands-On Activity Science Program, an educational program designed to enhance the science training of elementary school teachers in Alabama.

Brewer’s research focuses on the relationship between insects and plants, particularly gall midges and the abnormal plant growth they cause. He was selected as a National Academy of Science Visiting Scientist three times, working in Prague, the Czech Republic and France. Brewer earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1968.