Entomology and Plant Pathology
The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology had the privilege of honoring two longtime faculty members. On June 29th and June 30th, students, staff, and faculty gathered alongside friends and family to celebrate the careers of Alan and Mark Windham, respectively. Both professors joined the department in 1985 after receiving their Ph.D. at North Carolina State University. Throughout their thirty-seven years of service at EPP, they have mentored many students, provided scientific information to people in agriculture across the state, and helped create many memories that will be cherished. A Few Messages for Professor Alan Windham Karen Vail, Ph.D., Professor – “It has been a pleasure to work with you. You have served our state well and were
Questions Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? My name is Žaklina Pavlović. You can call me Jackie. I am a Ph.D. student at the EPP department, and I work with Dr. Trigiano. My research mainly focuses on transcriptomic work related to flowering dogwoods. I am from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe. And if you would ask me what the Serbian national brand is, I would respond right away with these three names: Mihajlo Pupin, Nikola Tesla, and Novak Djokovic. Once I finish my Ph.D. program, I plan to grow coffee and develop my coffee brand. What is your current concentration? My current concentration is
Congratulations to Sarah Boggess on the issuance of her first patent. The patent is for Cornus kousa Mellissa’s mountain snowfall – a new and distinct cultivar of flowering dogwood tree, which has fused bracts. Please visit if you would like to review recently issued patents and licenses by EPP members https://epp.clientdev.us/2022/04/21/epp-members-recognized-at-ut-research-foundation-innovation-awards/.
Happy National Pollinator Week (June 20 – 26, 2022). Pollinator Week is an annual event in support of pollinator health. The week was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership, and fourteen years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. As Pollinator Week has grown, people across the planet have pledged to continue promoting pollinator health and well-being through their Pollinator Week events. Through the numerous virtual and in-person gatherings, webinars, planting sessions, garden and farm walks, and monument lightings, Pollinator Week 2022 is geared to be the busiest and best one yet! (From Pollinator Partnership
Graduate student Trinity Hamm and Research Coordinator Sarah Boggess collaborated with departmental colleagues and the Thad Cochran Southern Horticultural Research Laboratory to recently publish an article titled “Development and Characterization of 20 Genomic SSR Markers for Ornamental Cultivars of Weigela”. To read the article, visit https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11111444.
Questions Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I grew up in rural East Tennessee. I attended UT to obtain my BS in plant science and MS in entomology and plant pathology (plant pathology concentration). Since working at the university, I have joined the EPP committees for Diversity and Inclusion and Social events, as well as professional organizations diversity & inclusion and accessibility committees. This position allows me to combine my passions for teaching/working with students, disability advocacy, and scientific research. Who are the team of faculty you work with? I work with Bob Trigiano. Our lab collaborates frequently with many other groups in EPP and beyond including but not limited to, Dewayne Shoemaker, Meg Staton,
Jessica Krob was born in the “Air Capital of the World,” Wichita, Kansas. However, when she was a young child, her family moved to Springfield, Missouri. Her favorite part about Springfield was being just a short drive to Table Rock Lake, where her family enjoyed boating on the weekends. Years later, Krob relocated to Jonesboro, AR, to attend Arkansas State University as an undergraduate student. Little did she know, she would be exposed to the agricultural industry. “I became interested in entomology while working as an undergraduate researcher for Dr. Tina Gray Teague, a field crop entomologist,” Krob stated. During this time, she learned the ends and outs of small-plot research. Krob was responsible for maintaining her project and
Upon the completion of the spring semester, the Entomology and Plant Pathology social committee celebrated EPP students, staff, and faculty by holding an End of Semester Social. The celebration included sweet and tasty cupcakes, fun lawn games, and more. During the event, five graduating students were also highlighted for their accomplishments. Congratulations to you all! We are proud of each of you.
The Chancellor’s Honors Banquet is an annual event recognizing outstanding service and achievements of students, faculty, and staff. Sarah Boggess attended the banquet and was honored with the 2022 Commission for Disability Advocate award. Congratulations to you for winning this honorary award! To read more about Sarah and what volunteering means to her, please visit https://honorsbanquet.utk.edu/2022-commission-for-disability-advocate-award/.
The Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURēCA) is an annual event that showcases research and creative activities across all disciplines by currently enrolled undergraduate students in collaboration with a University of Tennessee, Knoxville or UTIA faculty mentor. This year, the 26th annual EURēCA event was held in person on April 25, 2022, in the Student Union Ballroom. During the event, students presented their individual, group, or classroom. The awards ceremony, hosted on May 2, 2022, recognized staff, faculty, and students across many disciplines. Dentia Hadziabdic Guerry, assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, is the winner of the Faculty Research Mentor Award. This award honors a faculty member that demonstrates what it means to
