UCD Debate Tea Takes the Championships

By: Kathy Garvey
The UC Davis Debate Team, comprised of graduate students Mohammad-Amir Aghaee, Matan Shelomi, Irina Shapiro, and Danny Klittich of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, won the championship at the Student Debates at the Entomological Society of America's 61st annual meeting, held Nov. 10-13 in Austin, Texas. Aghaee captained the team, and Michael Parrella, professor and chair of the department, served as their advisor. 

The topic:"Using GMOs to Increase Food-Security in Regions Where the Technology is not Universally Accepted." UC Davis argued the con side, and Auburn (Alabama) University, the pro side. The UC Davis team will receive a perpetual trophy engraved with the team members' names to grace the Davis trophy cabinet for the year.   The match was touted to be the best of all three topics debated, and as such the teams (UC Davis and Auburn) received the first and second highest honors in the entire completion of six schools. Other universities competing:

• University of Arkansas and Mississippi State University; their topic was "What is the Best Individual Solution to Preserving the World's Current Biodiversity?"
• Oklahoma State University and Louisiana State University; their topic was "Using Citizen Scientists to Collect Data in Scientific Experiments?"

Shelomi's major professor is Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology and professor of entomology; Shapiro studies with Ed Lewis, professor and vice chair of the department;  Aghaee studies with Larry Godfrey, Extension entomologist; and Danny Klittich with Parrella. The annual Student Debates are open to all students in an entomology degree program (B.S., M.S., or Ph.D.)Teams prepare for the debates for more than eight months leading up to the annual meeting, according to ESA website.  The debate topics and positions are randomly assigned by the Student Affairs Committee.