Lewis has had long-held enthusiasm and commitment to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the cotton industry. He was integral to the adoption of IPM practices for insect control prior to the introduction of GM cotton and has maintained and promoted this approach through the development of Ingard^® and Bollgard^® varieties. As his focus changed from the impact of mites and thrips on cotton development and compensation to other emerging sucking pests, Lewis adopted innovative molecular techniques to investigate the feeding habits of the predators of whitefly and green vegetable bugs.

His busy mind never ceased to seek new collaborations with other scientists who could contribute their knowledge and experience to Australian cotton research. His publication list of 99 listed papers (with and without many co-authors) attests to Lewis’ talent to improve his research capacity through scientific exchange in the areas of IPM, host plant resistance, plant compensation, resistance testing, and sucking pests management. His impact in these areas can not only be measured by the 827 citations, 2008 views and 479 downloads (averaging >30 downloads/month according to LOOP) but also in the personal relationships he has built in the industry, his frequently requested presentations and the appreciation and respect shown to him by industry members and scientific colleagues.