Nan-Yao Su was recognized for his subterranean termite research with a UF Foundation Term Professorship.
UF’s Provost’s office gave the award to two UF professors. Su, who’s studied termites since 1978, will receive $25,000 for his research.
Su
“There are many projects we are carrying out right now, but I am sure we will use the funding to study the nitrogen recycling process of termite colonies, as well as the use of other insect growth regulators,” wrote Su in an email.
Su said he’s best known for contributing to the Sentricon system, which has been in use since 1995 and is now used in 32 countries.
“I guess one factor is the impact of my work that applied information generated from basic biological studies to invent a control method, Sentricon system,” he said.
The system has protected three million homes from termites and has reduced the use of pesticides by more than 9,000 metric tons, Su said.
Jacqueline Burns, the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ dean of research, wrote in an email that Su is a member of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.
“Dr. Su has been very generous in his support for students at UF and the research they conduct,” Burns said.
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