University of Georgia
Allen J. Moore
Associate Dean for Research,
Distinguished Research Professor
Department of Entomology
ajmoore@uga.edu
706-542-2151
Allen Moore is an expert in evolutionary biology and behavior genetics, molecular and quantitative genetic studies of complex traits, especially social traits, and the development of behavior. Allen Moore is the research leader of the Southeastern Whitefly and Virus Management Team.
Tim Coolong
Professor
Department of Horticulture
tcoolong@uga.edu
706-542-2471
Tim Coolong is an Extension Horticulturalist and commercial vegetable specialist. Tim Coolong’s research and outreach focus on organic vegetable production and expanding organic vegetable acreage in Georgia. Most of Coolong’s work is applied, field-based research that can be readily used by farmers.
Patricia Moore
Professor
Department of Entomology
pjmoore@uga.edu
706-542-0169
Trish Moore’s research focuses on the area of evolutionary ecology and development, specifically the role of developmental mechanisms in sexual selection and the evolution of reproductive strategies in insects. Trish Moore’s current research is working to understand the function of the maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1 in insects, including in the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci.
David Riley
Professor
Department of Entomology
dgr@uga.edu
229-386-3374
David Riley’s lab studies insect pest management in vegetable crops. Riley’s research focuses on plant-insect interactions, sampling, population dynamics, economic thresholds, host plant resistance, cultural controls, insecticide efficacy and resistance monitoring, integrated pest management, and epidemiology associated with insect vectors of plant viruses.
Bill Snyder
Professor
Department of Entomology
wesnyder@uga.edu
706-542-2816
Bill Snyder leads an interdisciplinary group of ecologists studying natural solutions to problems in species conservation, sustainable agriculture, and human health. Bill Snyder’s research focuses on biodiversity, the ecology of insect-transmitted pathogens, and eco-genomics.
Alton “Stormy” Sparks
Professor
Department of Entomology
asparks@uga.edu
229-386-3835
Stormy Sparks conducts applied research to evaluate new technology and management programs for vegetable insect pests. He also develops educational programs for County Extension Agents and producers to maximize economic returns in vegetable production systems while maintaining environmental integrity, sustainability, quality, and worker safety.
Babu Srinivasan
Professor
Department of Entomology
babusri@uga.edu
770-412-4714
Babu Srinivasan’s research focuses on insect-transmitted plant viruses affecting crops in Georgia and in Southeast. His lab uses behavioral, biochemical, serological, and molecular approaches to study virus transmission by vectors, vector-virus-host plant interactions, and factors that mediate these interactions.
Michael Toews
Assistant Dean (Tifton Campus), Professor
Department of Entomology
mtoews@uga.edu
229-386-3338
Research programs in the Toews Lab are designed to develop and test ecologically based strategies for sustainable pest management in cotton, corn and soybean. Current projects integrate elements of insect behavior, sampling, monitoring, population ecology, basic biology, and movement across agricultural landscapes.
Bhabesh Dutta
Associate Professor,
Extension Vegetable Disease Specialist
Department of Plant Pathology
bhabesh@uga.edu
229-386-7495
Bhabesh Dutta’s extension program focuses on the management of numerous plant diseases that affect over 20 different vegetable crops in Georgia. Research efforts include monitoring strains for fungicide resistance and gaining a better understanding on the ecology of bacterial pathogens.
Cecilia McGregor
Associate Professor
Department of Horticulture,
Institute of Plant Breeding,
Genetics and Genomics
cmcgre1@uga.edu
706-542-0782
Cecilia McGregor’s research focuses on developing molecular tools for watermelon breeding programs. Her work spans basic genomic research to applied cultivar development.
Jason Schmidt
Associate Professor
Department of Entomology
jschmid2@uga.edu
Jason Schmidt’s research focuses on predator-prey interactions in agroecosystems, with a particular interest in prey selection and environmental effects on natural enemy populations. His lab uses a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating molecular, and chemical ecology tools, behavioral laboratory bioassays and microscopy, as well as on-farm and manipulated field experiments to study predatory arthropod communities and biological control at multiple levels.
Sudeep Bag
Assistant Professor
Department of Plant Pathology
sudeepbag@uga.edu
229-386-3042
Sudeep Bag studies the etiology, epidemiology, and genomics of emerging and re-emerging viruses. His lab also studies the application of genomics and molecular biology tools for the management of virus diseases on economically important crops.
Gaelen Burke
Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology
grburke@uga.edu
706-542-1863
Gaelen Burke studies microbial symbioses using functional and evolutionary genomics and genetics. Specifically, the Burke lab studies beneficial viruses harbored by parasitic wasps.
Paul Severns
Assistant Professor of Plant Disease Epidemiology
Department of Plant Pathology
paul.severns@uga.edu
706-542-6224
Paul Severns studies the basic ecological and evolutionary underpinnings of plant disease epidemic spread (a form of biological invasions), and how these insights can be used to generate refined projections of disease dispersal and more efficient methods of outbreak control.
Phillip Roberts
Extension Entomologist—Cotton
Department of Entomology
proberts@uga.edu
229-386-3835
Phillip Roberts is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive extension education programs in integrated pest management for cotton and soybean production systems. Roberts also conducts applied research and on-farm demonstrations to advance innovation in and adoption of IPM systems.
Fort Valley State University
George Mbata
Professor
Biology Academic Department
mbatag@fvsu.edu
Somashekhar Punnuri
Research Professional
College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology
punnuris@fvsu.edu
Auburn University
Andre da Silva
Assistant Professor
Department of Horticulture
alvin.simmons@usda.gov
352-870-9927
Andre da Silva’s research focuses on addressing the needs of commercial vegetable growers in Alabama and the southeastern U.S. The da Silva lab conducts on-farm trials, participates in field days and county meetings, and develops educational videos, web-based resource tools, and extension bulletins. Da Silva’s extension program aims to translate science-based information to growers in the vegetable industry and promote sustainable intensification of vegetable production.
USDA-ARS
Alvin Simmons
Research Entomologist
alvin.simmons@usda.gov
843-402-5307
Andre da Silva’s research focuses on addressing the needs of commercial vegetable growers in Alabama and the southeastern U.S. The da Silva lab conducts on-farm trials, participates in field days and county meetings, and develops educational videos, web-based resource tools, and extension bulletins. Da Silva’s extension program aims to translate science-based information to growers in the vegetable industry and promote sustainable intensification of vegetable production.