Blog - Entomology & Plant Pathology

From Investigating Bollworm Resistance to Navigating Graduate School: Dawson Kerns

Blog, Student SpotlightBy TParker June 8, 2023 Leave a comment

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

EPP Welcomes New Assistant Professor at the Soil, Plant and Pest Center

Blog, Gireesh NewsBy TParker June 1, 2023 Leave a comment

Please help welcome Dr. Midhula Gireesh to the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. Gireesh joins the team today, June 1, 2023, as an assistant professor and Extension entomologist at the Soil, Plant and Pest Center in Nashville, TN. In this role, Gireesh will develop an educational program using traditional and innovative outreach tools for diverse audiences and an applied research program focused on insect and mite pests affecting ornamental plants, nursery plants, and turf. The role also involves supporting county Extension agents and specialists, stakeholder groups, and regional and state leaders. Gireesh will also play an important role in the

Taylor Miller Reflects On Graduate Experience within the Herbert College of Agriculture

Blog, Graduate Student NewsBy TParker May 26, 2023 Leave a comment

Taylor Miller, a recent graduate student, sat down for an insightful interview with the Herbert College of Agriculture to share her remarkable journey and experiences during her time in graduate school. In the interview, Miller recounted her favorite memories and classes that left a lasting impression. Graduating from the Herbert College of Agriculture was not just an academic achievement for Taylor; it was a testament to her unwavering dedication and the invaluable impact of her alma mater. To read Miller’s interview, visit her highlight “Achieving Academic Excellence at Herbert: Taylor Miller“.

University of Tennessee to Host “Garden Buzz: The Celebration of Pollinators” in Honor of Pollinator Week

Blog, Events, Tsuruda NewsBy TParker May 22, 2023 Leave a comment

The University of Tennessee Bee Campus Committee, a group comprised of UT faculty, staff and students, in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and UT Gardens, invites communities across the state to celebrate Pollinator Week at a series of pollinator events, Garden Buzz, on June 20, 2023. Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health, initiated and managed by Pollinator Partnership. Garden Buzz will offer participants opportunities to learn more about pollinators in Tennessee through educational sessions and to fill their gardens with locally grown plants that attract pollinators. “Garden Buzz is an example of the great events the University of Tennessee offers

Professor Emeritus Mark Windham Awarded the Joseph and Marion Klima Medal for Excellence

Blog, M. Windham NewsBy TParker May 11, 2023 Leave a comment

Professor emeritus Mark Windham was awarded the Joseph and Marion Klima Medal at the 2023 ARS National Rose Convention in Shreveport, LA on May 6, 2023, by the American Rose Society (ARS). The award recognizes Windham’s many contributions to the American Rose Magazine and ornamental plant pathology and outreach to rosarians. “I am honored. I would also like to thank Sara Collins, a research associate within the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, as she was instrumental to the success of the resistance work at the Plateau Station,” Windham said. The Celebration Awards Banquet, which took place during the National Rose

“May the Bugs Be with You” at STEAM night in Oak Ridge

Blog, Events, Grant NewsBy TParker May 8, 2023 Leave a comment

Undergraduate students, Kathleen Coffman and Sydney Crowe, attended Community STEAM night at Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge, TN, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm EDT on Thursday, May 4, 2023. With more than 30 displays/booths, STEAM night brought together STEM and ART into a fun, educational evening! The theme of the night was “May the Fourth Be with You”. Therefore, Kathleen Coffman and Sydney Crowe spent the evening educating more than 500 students and adults at their booth named, “May the Bugs Be with You”.

The 2023-2024 Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide is Available Online

Blog, PublicationBy TParker January 19, 2023 Leave a comment

Burley and dark tobacco growers in the U.S. make hundreds of decisions that impact the yield and quality of the crops that they produce. The 2023-2024 Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide will aid growers as it provides specific recommendations regarding management decisions. The information and recommendations provided in this guide have been developed and reviewed by tobacco production specialists and scientists at the University of Kentucky, University of Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina State University. To review the 2023-2024 Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide, visit http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ID/ID160/ID160.pdf.

EPP Social Committee Hosts the 2022 EPP Winter Awards Banquet

Blog, EventsBy TParker December 21, 2022 Leave a comment

On Friday, December 16, 2022, the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology held its Annual Winter Awards Banquet at KoPita Authentic Mediterranean in downtown Knoxville. The banquet, which featured a game of trivia and White Elephant, provided EPP students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to celebrate the 2022 year. The event honored graduates Ryan Kuster and Sandra Pena for their achievements and announced the 2022 departmental award winners for their accomplishments and contributions. The list below details each category and award presented at the event: Russell and Bobbie Bull Outstanding Ph.D. Graduate Student Award in Entomology – Kassie Hollabaugh and Matthew Longmire Outstanding Ph.D. Graduate Student Award

EPP Attends Entomological Society of America 2022 Joint Annual Meeting in Vancouver

BlogBy TParker November 18, 2022 Leave a comment

Several entomology graduate students, staff, and faculty attended the Entomological Society of America 2022 Joint Meeting in Vancouver, which was held November 13 – 16. Everyone in attendance networked with others, attended professional development sessions and presented research of their own. We are pleased to announce that students within our department were presented with awards during the conference. Please join us in congratulating each individual! Julian Cosner, a graduate student in the Grant lab, won second place in the Grad P-IE: Biocontrol – Parasitoids section of the student competition. Corey Day, a graduate student in the Trout Fryxell lab, won first

Entomology and Plant Pathology Professors Serve Veterans

Blog, Hadziabdic NewsBy TParker October 25, 2022 Leave a comment

The Common Ground, a newsletter of the Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, featured members of a task force aimed to serve veterans. The task force all began with associate professor Denita Hadziabdic Guerry. Hadziabdic Guerry operates a fungal pathogen research lab. As an advocate for providing undergraduates with research opportunities, Casey Richards, a Marine student veteran in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, joined the lab as an undergraduate research assistant. As Richards neared graduation, he recommended two veteran students, Ivan Perez and Justin Kosiewska, to the research lab. “Opportunities for veterans to have secure jobs or steady income can be limited. A challenge facing former service members