People Type: Alumni

Ari is an MS student in the Agroecology program, and is co-advised by Dr. Amanda Gevens in the Plant Pathology department and Dr. Russell Groves in the Entomology department. Her research will focus on organic pest management best-practice, and will contribute to the creation of web-based pest management resources. More specifically, Ari will work with …

Dr. Abdullah was a Post-Doc with a primary focus on the project titled ‘Late Blight Resistant Potato Germplasm for US Breeding Programs’ in collaboration with Dennis Halterman, Vegetable Crops Research Unit USDA, ARS. His work emphasizes the interaction between the RB gene and the corresponding IPI-O effector and understanding the molecular interactions between host R …

Mary is an agronomist by training with experience in commercial potato production and research in central Wisconsin. Her current interest is understanding the ways in which data management and evolving disease detection tools can aid commercial growers in detecting, diagnosing, and managing disease in potato cropping systems. She pursued a PhD in Plant Pathology, co-advised …

Thesis: Evaluating disease dynamics of tomato leaf mold in enclosed production systems

Julia’s research focus is on applied microbial ecology and the management of fungal plant pathogens.  Julia worked in the Gevens lab as a postdoctoral research associate, where she focused on improving management of the potato blemish diseases silver scurf and black dot. Her research projects included developing pathogen detection methods, evaluating pathogen infection dynamics in …

Shunping was a PhD student in the lab and her work focuses on the potato early blight complex (EBC) with the goal of mitigating loss in potato production by helping the potato industry to manage the disease in an economical and environmentally responsible manner. EBC is the combined diseases of early blight caused by Alternaria …

Ken’s research in the lab was focused on learning how the environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, or wind) influenced the occurrence and progression of several key foliar disease of carrot and onion. The goal of his work was to reduce disease impacts by using disease forecast models to inform the timing of fungicide applications.

As a Research Intern in the Gevens lab, John is involved in a great variety of interesting research projects, both in the field and in the lab.  Across Wisconsin, at numerous Agricultural Research Stations (namely at Hancock, WI) and at private farms, John has undertaken a primary support role in various field trials investigating fungicide …

I feel fortunate to have found the field of plant pathology. For me, it is a perfect blend of my love for plants, developed while growing up on a small potato farm, and an affinity for conducting research, discovered during my undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University-Idaho. Since graduating with my undergraduate degree in biology, …

Thesis: Developing a hydroponic system to investigate powdery scab of potato