Raised in a rural community near Lexington, Ken., Sydney Crawley grew up alongside cattle and tobacco farms, which fostered her lifelong appreciation for the natural world. Outdoor pursuits such as fishing, hiking, and cross-country running sparked her interest in animal behavior and entomology. Sydney earned a B.A. in biology from Transylvania University and a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Kentucky, where she studied bed bug biology, behavior, and chemical ecology. Her work now focuses on applying urban entomology and IPM principles to protect public health.