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Certificate Program Overview
Designed by the Rutgers Center for Vector Biology (CVB) and coordinated by the NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education (OCPE), this new certificate in mosquito management includes three courses designed to meet the needs of government or private industry personnel involved in mosquito research, surveillance, and abatement.
Incorporating a science-based approach to mosquito control, stewardship of public health and the environment is a primary focus. Lectures will cover biology, morphology, ecology, and behavior of the Culicidae, along with the most current surveillance and control techniques.
The sessions will present information necessary for workers employed in mosquito abatement operations, however the information will also be of interest to entomologists, biologists, public health personnel and wetlands specialists.
Attendees can register for the classes individually should they wish to gain experience in any one discipline, however, those wishing to become certified will need to satisfactorily complete all three sections and pass a certification examination. Exams are administered through the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station per the guidance and requirements contained in N.J.A.C. 26.9.
Note: A certificate of completion will be issued for each course an attendee successfully completes. After an individual completes the three required courses, documentation of completion of the certificate program will also be issued. The following are detailed descriptions and agenda for each of the programs.
Certificate Program Requirements
Take all three of the classes listed below to earn the Professional Mosquito Management Certificate!
Mosquito Biology, Ecology, and Habitat Recognition
This comprehensive course will provide participants with a deep understanding of the biology and ecology of mosquitoes, as well as skills to identify and manage their habitats. It includes site visits for hands-on habitat identification, combining scientific understanding with real-world applications.
Topics covered in this course include:
- Mosquito Biology and Ecology
- Mosquito-borne Diseases
- Mosquito Habitats Across NJ
- History and Organization of Mosquito Control in NJ
- Five Field Visits for Sampling and Habitat Identification
Join our email list to be notified when the class is scheduled!
Mosquito Surveillance and Management Strategies
This course will address the practical aspects of monitoring, managing, and controlling mosquito populations. It has been designed to equip learners with the knowledge and skills needed to implement effective surveillance programs and deploy various control strategies for mosquito-borne disease prevention.
Topics covered in this course include:
- Mosquito Surveillance Techniques
- Pathogen Surveillance in Mosquitoes
- Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Mosquito Control Strategies
The next offering of this course is scheduled for November 10 – December 19, 2025. Register now!
Mosquito Identification: Focus on the Northeastern US
This four-day, hands-on course is designed to provide participants with the skills and knowledge needed to identify mosquito species prevalent in the region using taxonomic keys. Understanding local mosquito populations is essential for effective surveillance and control strategies.
Topics covered in this course include:
- Bridges Introduction to Mosquito Diversity
- Mosquito Anatomy and Morphology
- Introduction to Taxonomic Keys and Advanced Taxonomic Key Techniques
- Hands-on Identification
The next offering of this course is scheduled for January 13 – 16, 2026. Register now!
Certificate Program Instructors
Faculty and Staff from the Rutgers Center for Vector Biology will teach all three of the Professional Mosquito Management Certificate Program courses.
Dr. Dina Fonseca, Instructor
Dr. Dina Fonseca is a tenured professor and the current chair of the department of Entomology at Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and a member of the graduate programs in Entomology, Ecology and Evolution, and Microbiology. She is also a member of the Rutgers Global Health Institute, the Rutgers Climate Institute, the Rutgers Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, and the NJ One Health Steering Committee and the NE One Health Regional Consortium developing strategies to reach underserved communities with Public Health training and information. She works on the ecology and control of invasive mosquitoes and ticks and the parasite/pathogens they transmit and was a member of the 2022 National Tick-borne Diseases Working group sub-committee on Tick Ecology, Personal Protection and Control. In addition, she is Director of the Rutgers Center for Vector Biology, a program that provides accreditation, continuing education and broadly supports the extended NJ Mosquito Control community. She also works with residential communities to develop proactive strategies for urban vector surveillance and control, through Citizen science projects – Community AcTS (Action Through Science) and NJTicks4Science! aimed at empowering communities to organize and minimize the proliferation of invasive mosquitoes and limit exposure to ticks and disease agents.
Emily Fontaine, Project Coordinator
Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology Secondary Education from The College of New Jersey (2022) and is certified to teach middle and high school biology in New Jersey. Currently, she serves as project coordinator, where she leads NJ Ticks 4 Science!, a citizen science initiative from Rutgers’ Center for Vector Biology. In this role, she creates outreach materials—including flyers, brochures, and interactive lecture slides—to engage the public in vector science. Additionally, Emily develops educational resources on mosquito biology and their relevance to public health. For this course, she organized the lecture slides and assessments that students will review.
Dr. Dana Price, Instructor
Dr. Price’s work focuses on functional genomic analyses of vector arthropods and their holobiont – that is, the host and assemblage of commensal organisms (viruses, bacteria and eukaryotes) that live within and around them. This often involves identifying, characterizing and surveilling emerging zoonotic infectious diseases within arthropod hosts as well as the environment.
Current major research initiatives include:
• Novel means of rapid and non-destructive vector-borne pathogen sampling and discovery.
• Reverse-vaccine development targeting invasive arthropods.
• Tick-borne disease dynamics and discovery in a rapidly changing landscape.
• Genotyping and spatiotemporal distribution of arthropod-borne viruses.
Dr. Price holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a doctoral degree in vector biology from Rutgers University.
Who Should Attend the Professional Mosquito Management Certificate Program?
This certificate program is recommended for professionals involved in mosquito research, identification, surveillance, and abatement, including:
- Biologists
- Entomologists
- Environmental Health Specialists
- Mosquito Control Commission Staff
- Mosquito Inspectors
- Mosquito Researchers
- Mosquito Technicians
- Pesticide Applicators/Operators
- Public Health Personnel
- Wetland Specialists
Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about the Professional Mosquito Management, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Program Coordinator: Pamela Springard-Mayer
848-932-7463
pspring@rutgers.edu
