From Investigating Bollworm Resistance to Navigating Graduate School: Dawson Kerns
Fueled by his upbringing, Dawson Kerns, a doctoral student in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, is dedicated to understanding a major cotton pest, bollworm, and its resistance mechanisms. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in entomology from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Kerns embarked on his Ph.D. journey in 2020 under the guidance of Professors Juan Jurat-Fuentes and Scott Stewart. With a focus on bollworms (Helicoverpa zea), a significant threat to cotton crops, Kerns’ research aims to answer research questions related to insecticidal protein resistance. Q&A with Dawson Kerns Can you tell me a little bit