Fritz receives 2026 CANR Outstanding Up and Coming Alumni Award
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EmailMegan Fritz, Ph.D., will receive the 2026 CANR Outstanding Up and Coming Alumni Award during the ANR Awards on Friday, February 27.
Dr. Megan Fritz will receive the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) Outstanding Up and Coming Alumni Award at the February 27, 2026, ANR Awards Program.
The CANR Outstanding Up and Coming Alumni Award recognizes individuals who have achieved significant professional success within 15 years of graduation and demonstrate high integrity and character, enhancing the prestige of CANR.
Dr. Fritz is a three-time MSU alumnus, earning her Ph.D. from the Department of Entomology in 2011. She currently serves as an associate professor of Entomology at the University of Maryland (UMD) where she specializes in insect genetics and evolutionary biology.
Her research interests address pressing human health and agricultural challenges, including the development of sustainable food production systems and the adaptation of insect management tools.
In her current role, Dr. Fritz has published 28 peer-reviewed articles, delivered 90 scientific presentations and generated $4.7 million in research funding to support her program. Her service activities include:
- Associate Editor, Insect Molecular Biology (2024–present)
- Reviewer for 13 scholarly journals
- Participation in 4 grant panels for NIH, USDA and NSF
- Service on 7 UMD Entomology committees, 4 college committees and 1 external working group
Her outstanding contributions have earned numerous honors, including:
- 2023 Postdoc Mentor of the Year, University of Maryland Postdoctoral Association
- 2020 Board of Visitors Distinguished Junior Faculty Award, University of Maryland
- 2019 Maryland Research Excellence Award, University of Maryland Division of Research
As a graduate student, she was supported by a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP). Following her Ph.D., she completed postdoctoral research at MSU and North Carolina State University, where she pioneered genomic approaches to detect and monitor pesticide resistance in agricultural settings.
Since joining the University of Maryland faculty in 2017, Dr. Fritz has established two major research programs funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH). Her work focuses on:
- Evolution of pesticide resistance in agricultural ecosystems, funded by USDA grants
- Mosquito host selection behavior, a critical factor in disease transmission, funded by an NIH R01 grant
Additionally, Dr. Fritz partners with the Maryland Department of Health to monitor tick populations, providing vital public health information on tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease.
Beyond her research, Dr. Fritz is a dedicated mentor, guiding undergraduate and graduate students, research technicians and participants in programs aimed at increasing diversity in science. Her dynamic leadership, innovative research and commitment to service make her a rising star in genetics and genomics.
