First ACE-International Certification Awarded by ESA

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Entomological Society of America Certification Corporation (ESACC) announced the first recipient of the new international version of the Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) certification.

On Wednesday, February 11, Mr. Siu Ming (Kenneth) Leung of Christian Environmental Health Ltd in Hong Kong passed the ACE-International Pesticide Safety exam, successfully completing the second of two exams required for all ACE-I certified individuals.

Mr. Leung is very proud to achieve the inaugural ACE-I designation, and feels that it will be a good way to promote pest management professionalism in his country. “I have been able to embrace my dream,” he said.  “The honor of being an ACE-I is very important to me.”

Whereas the U.S. version of ACE requires a pesticide applicators license to even apply for the program, a successful score on a pesticide safety exam determines an applicant’s competency in this aspect of their training and education.

“We arrive at the same place with both programs – assuring competency in the safe handling, use, and disposal of pesticides,” says Dr. Zia Siddiqi, BCE, Chair of the ACE-International Support Committee. “Since all nations do not require a license to apply pesticides ESA cannot require it of applicants. Instead we make sure that they have learned the safety aspects of the profession by administering an examination.”

Applicants must also take and pass a core entomological knowledge exam, which is similar in size and scope to the U.S.-based version but does not test on U.S. laws and regulations.

“The ACE-I is a rigorous examination and one that Mr. Leung should be very proud to have earned,” continued Siddiqi. “Fewer than 1,000 pest management professionals in the U.S. have earned their ACE so far. It shows a strong commitment to professionalism to apply for and earn this certification. And what an honor to not just be the first person in Hong Kong to earn an ACE, but also the first to earn the ACE-I designation.”

To become ACE-I certified, an applicant must supply proof of working in the pest management industry for a minimum of five years, sign a statement that they will adhere to the ACE Code of Ethics, submit two letters of professional reference, and pay the requisite application and testing fees. Upon approval of the application, the ACE-I candidate must take and pass two examinations. Once accomplished, the ACE-I recipient is required to keep track of his or her continuing education and submit CEUs tri-annually to maintain the credential.

“The ESA Certification Board has invested a lot of resources into developing and launching this new program,” said Dr. Laura Higgins, BCE, who is the current Director of the Board. “After conversations with our industry partners, most notably the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), the Board became convinced several years ago that a program of this stature would have positive impacts around the globe in terms of the expansion of the entomological knowledge community”.