Jason Thomas

• Integrated Pest Management
  
• Biological control
  
• Insect identification
  
• Video production
• Game based learning

• Thomas, J. and G. Loomis, Pest friends: an educational board game about pest management, ECS 20, University of Idaho, October 2022.
• Thomas, J. 2022. Reducing fear in future pest managers through hands on experiences.
• Thomas, J., K. Duellman, E. Wenninger. 2021. Monitoring Insects with Bucket Traps, EVS 026, University of Idaho Extension, https://youtu.be/y0uONkNjdPw.
• Thomas, J., J. Packham, N. Ghimire. 2020. Money doesn’t always matter, low-cost ways to increase the longevity of southern Idaho’s Hispanic agricultural employees, Journal of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, Volume 13, Issue 12.
• Thomas, J., J. Rickman, J. Packham and T. Sorensen, Utilizing Barn Owl Boxes for Management of Vole Populations, BUL 962, University of Idaho, May 2020.

Impact Statements

• Spanish online learning format helps Hispanic workers in the potato industry
• Reducing fear in future pest managers through hands on experiences
• Improving IPM skill through the pest friends board game
• Virtual field trips improve youth perceptions of insects and spiders
• Zoom into 4-H; central district bringing 4-H to local families
• Growing the master gardener program using hybrid online/in-person learning

Born and raised in Malad, Idaho, Jason Thomas is a passionate instructional designer, educator and scientist who enjoys the thrill of helping improve people's lives. He utilizes his scientific knowledge and education background to create simplified programs presented in various mediums to help farmers and key stakeholders get the information they need in a manner they can understand and apply to improve their lives. He has worked at Texas A&M and Purdue University to develop educational programs. He also served a mission in Mexico for two years and is fully fluent in Spanish. His master’s is in entomology with an emphasis in outreach education. In his free time Jason enjoys improvisational comedy, couponing, tabletop role playing games and updating his YouTube channel, "The Insect Hunter."

• Thomas, Jason, C. Duellman, National Association of County Agricultural Agents, Education Video Recording Award National Winner, 2021
  
• Bean, B., R. Bowling, M. Brewer, D. Buntin, N. Elliot, J. Gordy, A. Jacobson, R. Navarrete-Ganchozo, N. Seiter, J. Thomas, J. Woolley, Entomological Society of America, Plant-Insect Ecosystem Integrated Pest Management Team Award. 2019
• Academic Excellence Fellowship, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, August 2015-2016
  
• John A Jackman Endowed Scholarship, Texas A&M University, June 2016
  
• Academic Scholarship, Brigham Young University Idaho, April 2011-2014
  
• Eagle Scout Award, Boy Scouts of America, September 2007