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AMES, Iowa -- Fighting corn rootworms is what Iowa State University entomology professor Jon Tollefson does, and now he's taking his talent to Croatia.

Tollefson has received a Fulbright Senior Specialists grant in Environmental Science to the University of J.J. Strossmayer in Osijek, Faculty of Agriculture. He will be leaving for Croatia July 5 for a two-week stay to help Croatians manage corn rootworms. Croatia was first infested by corn rootworms in 1996.

"They've been monitoring the insect for a couple of years and now they are in the management phase," Tollefson said. "I'll be looking at their farming systems, how they grow their corn and their crop rotation practices."

The Fulbright Senior Specialists Program offers grants to U.S. faculty and professionals who can share their expertise at academic institutions in 140 countries around the world. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and managed by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars. The program's purpose is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people in other countries.

Grantees also undertake activities that include teacher training, developing and assessing curricula or educational materials, leading seminars or workshops and conducting needs assessments. More information about the program is online at: http://www.cies.org.