Jump to navigation

The University of Arizona Wordmark Line Logo White
Home

Search form

  • About Us
    • Faculty
    • Staff
    • Postdocs
    • Advisory Board
    • Facilities
    • Find Us
  • Graduate
    • Program Overview
    • Courses
  • Undergraduate
  • Research
  • Extension
    • Insect ID
    • Integrated Pest Management
    • UA Agricultural Centers
  • Community
    • Subscribe to our e-Newsletter
    • Join Your Alumni Community
    • UA Ento News
  • Get Involved
    • Outreach
    • Support Us

Kathleen Walker

Associate Specialist
Associate Professor
krwalker@cals.arizona.edu
520-626-2088
Insect Discovery Outreach Program Website

Education

PhD, Entomology - University of California - Berkeley

Research

I study the ecology of arthropod vectors of human diseases, particularly the invasive mosquito Aedes aegypti, the primary worldwide vector of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika and yellow fever. I'm exploring the environmental and human factors that affect this mosquito's abundance and longevity in an effort to understand why arbovirus transmission occurs in some communities and not in others. Mosquito vector control is also an important research area. I am collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maricopa County Environmental Services – Vector Control Division to assess and improve current integrated mosquito management methods.

A new project in my lab involves the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus. This tick is found (on dogs) all over the world but is a vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) only in a few places, including Arizona and our neighbor state of Sonora, Mexico. We are studying the genetics of this tick to find out why it transmits the RMSF pathogen (Rickettsia rickettsii) here but not in other regions. We are also working with RMSF-affected rural communities to develop a sustainable tick surveillance tool.

Extension & Outreach

As an entomologist in UA Cooperative Extension, communicating applied research results to Arizona and neighbor communities is important. I am collaborating in an EPA Border project led by Dr. Lucy Li to engage Arizona tribal communities in environmental health and IPM. We also work to provide presentations and extension publications in Spanish.

A main component of my work is science outreach to support K-12 education. Insects are amazing tools to teach young students about the natural world and the process of scientific discovery. I direct the Insect Discovery Outreach Program, providing a variety of resources to help teachers make the most of their students' fascination with the amazing world of insects. The program is designed to stimulate children's scientific curiosity through hands-on activities using live and preserved insects. Program activities include classroom visits and field trips to the UA campus for elementary school classes, outreach events, teacher training and on-line resources. Every year, the program reaches over 3000 Tucson children. Insect Discovery is staffed by UA undergraduate and graduate students who receive course credit or teaching assistantships. For more information, go to https://extension.arizona.edu/insect-discovery

Selected publications

Tarter KD, Levy CE, Yaglom HD, Adams LE, Plante L, Casal MG, Gouge DH, Rathman R, Stokka D, Weiss J, Venkat H, Walker KR. 2019. Citizen science to enhane surveillance of Aedes aegypti in Arizona - 2015-17. J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 35(1):11‐18. doi:10.2987/18-6789.1

Walker, KR., Gouge, D. H., Hayley, Y., Brophy, M., Casal, M. & Ortiz V. 2018. The Brown Dog Tick and Epidemic Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Arizona, United States and Sonora, Mexico. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension AZ. https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1...

Walker, KR., Williamson, D., Carrière, Y., Reyes Castro, P., Haenchen, S., Hayden, M., Jeffrey Gutierrez, E., Ernst, K. C. 2017. Socioeconomic and human behavioral factors associated with Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) immature habitat in Tucson, AZ. J Med. Ent., tjy011. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjy011.

Reyes-Castro PA, Castro-Luque L, Diaz-Caravantes R, Walker KR, Hayden MH, Ernst KC. 2017. Outdoor spatial spraying against dengue: A false sense of security among inhabitants of Hermosillo, Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 11(5): e0005611. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0005611

Ernst KC,* Walker KR,* Reyes-Castro P, Joy TK, Castro-Luque AL, Diaz Caravantes RE, Gameros M, Haenchen S, Hayden MH, Monaghan A, Jeffrey-Guttierez E, Carrière Y, Riehle MA. 2016. Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Longevity and Differential Emergence of Dengue Fever in Two Cities in Sonora, Mexico. J. Med Ent. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjw141 (*First and second authors contributed equally to this work.)

Haenchen, S.; Hayden, M.; Dickinson, K.; Walker, KR.; Jacobs, E.; Brown, H.; Gunn, J.; Kohler, L.; Ernst, K.C., 2016. Mosquito avoidance practices and knowledge of arboviral diseases in cities with differing recent history of disease. Am J Trop Med Hyg. Oct 5;95(4):945-953.

KR. Walker, T. Storch, C. Ellers-Kirk and F. Ramberg. 2011. Human and environmental factors affecting Aedes aegypti distribution in an arid urban environment. J. Amer. Mos. Control Assoc. :135-141.

Department of Entomology at the University of Arizona
Forbes 410, PO Box 210036, Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
racheldoty@arizona.edu
Follow us on social media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube
Phone: (520) 621-1153
Hours: 8 am - 5 pm

We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.


University Privacy Statement

© 2023 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona.

NetID Login

You will be redirected to the secure UA WebAuth login page.