IPM News and Events Roundup 08/30/2024
A weekly collection of IPM news, webinars, employment, funding opportunities, and more from the Northeastern IPM Center
If you have IPM-related research, events, or other IPM news you would like to have included, please email Jerrie Haines at jlh472@cornell.edu. If you would like to subscribe to the weekly Roundup, please email northeastipm@cornell.edu. Past Roundups are archived on our website.
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Northeastern IPM Center News
Call for Nominations: 2025 Outstanding Achievements in Integrated Pest Management Award
Submission deadline: Friday, October 25, 2024
The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center is opening nominations for the 2025 Outstanding Achievements in IPM Award.
The Center launched the award in 2019 and has offered it most years since. The award honors those whose work on IPM in the Northeast deserves special recognition. Professionals (or organizations) and students are eligible. Nominations come from colleagues, advisors, supervisors, and others familiar with the nominees’ work.
External reviewers with expertise in IPM evaluate the nominees. Each winner receives $500 and agrees to provide an article for the Center’s publications/website/social media outlets and/or present a webinar hosted by the Center.
The award seeks nominations of growers, consultants, researchers, educators, managers, and college/university students (undergraduate, master’s, and PhD) in the Northeast region who are working in:
- Agricultural IPM (fruit, vegetables, ornamentals, and livestock and field crops)
- Affordable housing
- Homes
- Schools and institutions
- Natural-areas/water-resources IPM
- Invasive species
For more detailed information, or if you’d like to submit a nomination, visit neipmc.org/go/YpTc.
The August 2024 issue of IPM Insights.
The National Plant Diagnostic Network's 7th National Meeting
2024 Webinars: IPM Toolbox, DEIJ in IPM
Call for Nominations: 2025 Outstanding Achievements in Integrated Pest Management Award
Save the Date: 11th International IPM Symposium
Increasing Access to Practical Biocontrol Information through Digital Resources
October 2, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
Register at cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MFNtyp2KQoaWGYrAbDfvPw
The webinar will be recorded for anyone unable to attend the live session.
Description
The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program Biocontrol website continues to grow with information for all of North America. In the past year, we have added profiles of individual biocontrol agents, and we are planning to incorporate resources developed through the Augmentative Biocontrol (ABC) Working Group. The focus for both is to provide practical information that addresses barriers to biocontrol adoption and helps growers and gardeners successfully implement biocontrol. During the toolbox talk we will provide a tour of biocontrol agent profiles and describe the ongoing process and progress to create resources on augmentative biocontrol.
Amara Dunn-Silver
Biocontrol Specialist – New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, part of the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Amara supports the effective use of biological control solutions for pests in all agricultural commodities, as well as pests encountered by New Yorkers where they live, work, play, and learn.
Hillary Peterson
Integrated Pest Management Specialist – Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Hillary is responsible for IPM education and implementation across the state including pests affecting structures like schools, homes, and restaurants, agriculture, invasive species, and more.
October 29, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.
Register at cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wxN5zM8QTje8oyz45iChdw
The webinar will be recorded for anyone unable to attend the live session.
Description
This panel will explore a unique Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) perspective; best practices of DEI; an opportunity to learn how to implement change in light of the anti-DEI legislation, and how it’s affecting experiences across the country. We will provide the necessary examples that will equip you to be a more informed leader with DEI in mind and lean into how to support your administration, faculty, staff and students in an anti-DEI climate. This session will give participants an opportunity to think through real-life diversity, equity and inclusion scenarios, and help create a network for you to turn to when addressing DEI issues.
Panel members:
Dr. Antomia “Mia” Farrell - Associate Dean and Director College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (CANR), Michigan State University
Dr. Quatez Scott - Assistant Dean for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Agriculture (IDEA), Colorado State University
Dr. Jacquelyn Mosley - Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Assistant Dean, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas
Dr. Anna Katharine Mansfield - Associate Director & Associate Professor, Cornell AgriTech
Bee Breeding and IPM for Better Pollinator Health
November 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
Register at cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YZTukWExRLq9o2-3qgTL2g
The webinar will be recorded for anyone unable to attend the live session.
Description
This presentation will focus on recently published and current research on the genetics and breeding of mite-resistant stocks in honey bees, and a recent study using a sustainable method to manage varroa mites in bee hives.
Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay
Associate Professor, Central State University
Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and president of the International Branch of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Her doctoral degree is in entomology from Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana) and she studied the genetics and physiology of Drosophila melanogaster. Then she worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and North Carolina State University to study functional genomics and social behavior of honey bees. In 2017, she started her research lab on bee genetics, genomics, pollinators, and ecology. She has mentored 40 undergrad students at CSU, and published 49 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters including P.N.A.S., BMC Genomics, Insect Molecular Biology, etc. She has presented 120 talks for research. She’s on the Editorial Board of Current Research in Insect Science, and topic editor for Nature Scientific Reports, Cell Heliyon, and the Journal of Insect Science.
EPA Announces Voluntary Cancellation for the Pesticide Dacthal
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s emergency suspension of the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal), the agency is initiating a process to cancel all products containing DCPA. On Aug. 19, 2024, EPA received a letter from AMVAC Chemical Corporation (AMVAC) stating its intent to voluntarily cancel the remaining pesticide products containing DCPA in the United States, and subsequently announced it intended to cancel all international registrations as well.
Read the public inspection version of the Federal Register notice on the voluntary cancellation of DCPA.
EPA Publishes New Resources on Bilingual Pesticide Labeling (with editorial note)
Beginning on December 29, 2025, product labels on restricted use pesticide products and agricultural use products with the highest toxicity will be required to bear Spanish language translations for the health and safety sections. Following this first phase, pesticide labels must include these translations on a rolling schedule depending on the type of product and the toxicity category, with the most hazardous and toxic pesticide products requiring translation first. All pesticide labels must have translations by 2030. The translations must appear on the pesticide product container or must be provided through a hyperlink or other readily accessible electronic method.
Multistate Research Projects Address Avian Influenza
Although avian influenza viruses usually do not infect humans, they have caused illness and even death in rare cases. Avian influenza viruses spread from bird to bird (and to other animal species) through direct contact with infected birds and their saliva, mucus, feathers and feces and via contaminated surfaces and materials.
With funding support from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, scientists at Land-grant Universities are working together to develop and share the information, tools and strategies needed to prevent, detect and manage avian influenza.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final guidance and a test method to evaluate efficacy claims for antimicrobial products against Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) in cooling tower water. Legionnaires’ disease (LD) is a serious type of pneumonia (lung infection) acquired by breathing in water droplets contaminated with L. pneumophila bacteria. Cooling towers are a potential breeding ground for this bacterium. L. pneumophila can disperse through the air in water droplets if cooling towers are not properly maintained. The incidence of LD in the United States has been increasing since 2000. Outbreaks and illness clusters have been associated with decorative, recreational, domestic, and industrial water systems, with the largest outbreaks caused by cooling towers. Since 2006, for example, six community-associated LD outbreaks have occurred in New York City, resulting in 213 cases and 18 deaths. More recently, in August 2024, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services identified seven individuals diagnosed with LD, linked to the presence of L. pneumophila in a nearby cooling tower.
The final guidance, test method and the agency’s response to public comments are available in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0430 at www.regulations.gov.
News
Highlights include:
- Bed bugs
- Spotted Lanternfly 3D Prints
- Elm Zigzag Sawfly Pest Alert
Why are spotted lanternflies a problem? What to know about the invasive red bugs (usatoday.com)
Get ready to see more of the invasive lanternfly in coming days and get ready to take action.
In August into September, lanternflies reach full adulthood with their striking spotted wings and black and red coloring. And the Department of Agriculture recommends that if you see one, squish it. Invasive spotted lanternflies are damaging plants and trees in several parts of the Northeast.
And the insects continue to spread through Northeast and Midwestern states. The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University in Ithaca says the spotted lanternfly, a plant-hopping bug that can fly, may have arrived the U.S. on a stone shipment from China in 2012.
The Structural Forces Underpinning Pesticide Exposure (migrantclinician.org)
Agricultural workers bear a disproportionate burden of pesticide exposure in the United States. While that pronouncement may seem obvious (as agricultural workers apply the chemicals, work in fields that have been sprayed by the chemicals and are exposed in other ways including by pesticide drift), numerous structural factors place agricultural workers at an increased risk of exposure, unnecessarily exposing them to chemicals when they should be protected and safe. In a new research article published by the Brookings Institution, a US-based think tank focused on social sciences, authors Nathan Donley, PhD and Robert Bullard, PhD outline how diet, housing, occupation, and institutional failings result in higher pesticide exposures for agricultural workers. Here, we briefly review each of these elements outlined by the article, and then expand the lens by taking a structural look at why each element may be contributing to pesticide exposure.
How Tire Piles, Heat, and Population Density Drive Mosquito Abundance (entomologytoday.org)
“Tires are unmatched in terms of habitat quality for mosquitoes,” says Rebeca de Jesús Crespo, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Louisiana State University “The absence of predators, [the] large water volume, and thermal insulation make them a highly coveted nursery for ovipositing females.”
Tick Season: Assemblywoman Lupardo & Binghamton University Host Webinar (morningagclips.com)
Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo worked with the Binghamton University School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (Binghamton PPS) to produce an informational webinar on tick season and tick-borne diseases. The goal was to provide an easily accessible source of information for the community on the prominence of ticks in our region and how to stay safe. It can be watched at any time.
State Agriculture Department Urges Horse Owners to Vaccinate their Animals Against Disease (agriculture.ny.gov)
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball urged horse owners across New York State to vaccinate their horses against Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV), both of which are caused by a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. This is especially important since parts of New York have mosquito activity into late November. So far this year, New York has already seen cases of EEE found in horses in Clinton, Franklin, Saint Lawrence, Washington, Madison, Oneida, Orange, Ulster, Cayuga, and Wayne counties. There has been one confirmed case of WNV in Oswego County. The Department of Agriculture and Markets has made veterinarians across the state aware of these confirmed cases of EEE and WNV.
New Hampshire Resident Dies From EEE (pctonline.com)
An adult from Hempstead tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus. The patient was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease and died of their illness, according to an update from the state's Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS).
Redbanded Stink Bugs: Variety of Methods Available to Manage Impact on Soybean Crops (entomologytoday.org)
The redbanded stink bug (Piezodorus guildinii) is an invasive species in the southern United States that feeds on the sap from seeds, pods, flowers, stems, and leaves of soybean plants. It causes considerable economic losses in soybean growing regions. In June, a group of researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published an in-depth review in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management (JIPM) that details the biology, ecology, and integrated pest management strategies for controlling redbanded stink bugs.
Call for proposals
Call for Sessions: IPM Symposium 2025
- The theme for 2025 is “Pest Management in Changing Environments.”
- Session proposals may address any aspect of Integrated Pest Management including research and extension, regulatory actions and policy, and IPM in practice.
- Proposals should include the session title, a proposed slate of speakers, and a maximum 250-word abstract. Find out more here.
- A networking and professional development event, this is your opportunity to discuss the most significant challenges of today – climate change, pesticide resistance, increasing the use of biocontrol tools and new technology, invasive species, emerging pathogens, and vectors.
- The committee welcomes proposals for multiple speaker sessions, discussion, roundtable, workshop, or question-and-answer formats.
- This call is for organized sessions, not for individual presentations (excepting students and early career scientists). Individual presenters are encouraged to consider submitting poster presentations. The call for poster submissions will be announced later this year.
- The DEADLINE for submissions is now August 30, 2024.
- Questions? Contact Dawn Gouge: dhgouge@arizona.edu
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
2024 SPOTTED LANTERNFLY RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT MEETING
16-17 OCTOBER, WOOSTER, OH
Organizers of the first 2024 Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) R&TD Meeting are seeking submissions for presentations in alignment with the SLF Strategic Plan Goal 2: Support continued scientific research towards practical management and risk mitigation. Submissions for presentations and/or posters for this meeting should describe scientific and technology studies on spotted lanternfly under the following categories: (1) SLF impacts to US agriculture and natural resources; (2) biocontrol techniques; (3) development of tools for early detection, survey, trapping; (4) chemical and microbial control; (5) risk assessment models and prioritization tools; (6) risk mitigation and practical management; and (7) outreach and education. Persons who have received USDA funding for SLF research projects are strongly encouraged to present their findings, but all SLF-related submissions are welcome. The program again will be based primarily around oral presentations, but a poster option will also be available. The program will begin at 7:30 AM on October 16 with continental breakfast and will end at 3:30 PM on October 17 or earlier depending on the number of presentations submitted.
Email submissions to greg.r.parra@usda.gov, with a cc: to phillip.lowe@usda.gov, by September 6, 2024. For each submission, please provide the following information:
Title, senior author, presenting author (if not senior author), author affiliation, author’s email address, subject area preference (from list in first sentence), and format preference (oral or poster). We will try to honor all requests for format type, but we reserve the right to ask presenters to switch formats in order to achieve an acceptable balance between speaking slots and poster space.
Hotels and Registration
Best Western Plus
243 E. Liberty
Wooster, OH 44691
(330)-264-7750
Ohio USDA room block
Conf# 1542
Comfort Suites
965 Dover Road
Wooster, OH 44691
(330)-439-0190
Group name: ROOMS: USDA
Group number: UE71V0
Register by September 16, 2024
Rates & Available Rooms - Comfort Suites (choicehotels.com)
Registration for the meeting is through Eventbrite:
Webinars, seminars, meetings, and more
Newly featured this issue
The Entomology Seminar is generally held weekly on Thursdays from 11:05 AM to 12:05 PM. Please check the schedule because some meetings are held on different dates and times*
September 5th, 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM
2123 Comstock/Zoom & A137 Barton Lab (speaker will be in person)
Speaker: TBC
TBC
Host: Kyle Wickings
September 12th, 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM
2123 Comstock/Zoom & A137 Barton Lab (speaker will be in person)
Speaker: Baldwyn Torto, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
Strategies to manage pests of Solanaceae crops
Host: Christophe Duplais
September 19th, 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM
2123 Comstock/Zoom & A137 Barton Lab (speaker will be in person)
Speaker: Laurel Symes, Cornell Center for Conservation Bioacoustics
TBC
Host: Cole Gilbert
September 26th, 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM
2123 Comstock/Zoom & A137 Barton Lab (speaker will be in person)
Speaker: Peter Nagy, Cornell University
A pathogen-specific Nox-Atm-Cytokine pathway controls epithelial cell turnover upon infection
Host: Nicolas Buchon
Previously featured
Invasive Species Management: Post-Treatment Data Collection Workshop
Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024
Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd., Buffalo, NY 14203
During the workshop, we’ll talk about useful metrics to help improve invasive species management efforts while reviewing projects focused on long-term management of invasive species using manual, mechanical and chemical treatment methods, and integrated pest management strategies. We’ll also get to see long-term management in action during the outdoor portion. The information presented will help attendees update management plans, improve project budgeting, and increase management success.
Fall 2024 Cornell Climate Impact Speaker Series
In the last three years, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), establishing approximately $500 billion in federal funding for clean energy projects. These laws together represent the most historic action any nation has ever taken to address climate change and ushered in a new era of optimism for a clean energy future. However, the success of these laws hangs in the balance, with political obstacles, regulatory hurdles, and infrastructure bottlenecks creating significant headwinds for clean energy projects to move forward. This conversation will include looking back at the work behind-the-scenes that led to the creation and passage of these laws, and looking ahead to what work is needed in coming months and years to ensure that the US is able to realize the full potential of the IRA/BIL, and achieve significant GHG reductions.
First Speaker: Aliya Haq ‘03 (Breakthrough Energy)
Thursday, September 5, 2024 | 5:00 p.m.
G151 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall
SPOTTED LANTERNFLY. IT'S HERE, NOW WHAT?
Thursday, September 5, 2024, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
The Spotted Lanternfly, arrived first in New York City in 2020 and is now established in the lower Hudson Valley including Westchester County.
This invasive planthopper can become a real nuisance in landscapes and is a threat to vineyards. In this session we’ll review images of this insect so it can be recognized in its different life stages which range from tan egg masses to tiny crawling black nymphs to the adult with polka dotted outer wings and bright-orange underwings.
We’ll describe its life cycle and the favorite plants it feeds on. From there you’ll learn of the regulatory work to slow the spread of this invasive insect. By the end of the program, we’ll discuss spotted lanternfly traps and all of the management options.
Register here: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AnW6mg_2RJ-a-USUcGFXvg#/registration
Identifying Invasive Species Range Shifts: NE CASC/NE RISCC Tool Talk
Developing and using resource management tools has become an increasingly complex issue for researchers and managers alike. While many impressive management tools exist, it is often difficult to determine if they are, indeed, "the right tools for the job". To help researchers better understand the tool needs of managers and managers more efficiently navigate their overflowing toolboxes, NE CASC has developed a series of Tool Talks for the climate adaptation community. Bringing research and management perspectives into dialogue with one another, this series is designed to shed light on several key questions:
- What makes a good management tool?
- How can connections be created between existing management frameworks?
- What kinds of tools are currently needed?
- How is feedback collected and implemented in existing tools and frameworks?
We enthusiastically invite you to participate in the next installment of our Tool Talk series on September 11th at 4:00 PM! This conversation will explore the questions above in the context of invasive species ranges and adaptation. In addition to providing ample opportunities for audience input, our hour-long structured exchange will feature discussion and analysis from a group of panelists who have amassed a wealth of experience creating or using conservation tools and frameworks for invasive species range shifts across our region. Our lineup includes:
- Catherine Jarnevich, Research Ecologist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center
- Wesley Daniel, Fishery Biologist, USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
- Gary Fish, State Horticulturist, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
- Jenica Allen, Senior Research Fellow, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Moderated by NE CASC team members, this Tool Talk will help attendees gain a clearer understanding of tools available for identifying invasive species range shifts, build connections in the climate adaptation science community, and shape future NE CASC research and outreach activities. Are you ready to start talking tools with us? Then sign up for this event today! We look forward to seeing you on September 11th at 4:00 PM Eastern Time!
Southern IPM Hour: Supporting Homeowner IPM Programs
This is an ARDP research project. The main problem we seek to resolve is developing a cohesive dataset and holistic recommendations for pest management in and around structures that can be implemented by homeowners and non-pest management professionals. (We use the term "homeowner" to also include renters.) RESEARCH The research goal of our proposal is to fill data gaps that inhibit integrated, science-based recommendations for the control of perimeter pests. Research Objective 1. Define the minimum interstitial space that will prevent perimeter pests or serve as harborage using peridomestic cockroaches as a model and expanding to other pests. Research Objective 2. Laboratory efficacy testing of over-the-counter products. EXTENSION Extension goal is to deliver science-based IPM information directly to consumers by diversifying the IPM message and messengers. Extension Objective 1. Survey citizens about their current knowledge of IPM and pesticide use. Extension Objective 2. Develop homeowner-friendly recommendations that incorporate results from research objectives and use in direct-marketing to the general public. Extension Objective 3. Build Extension's capacity by engaging non-traditional change agents who will then reach a more diversified audience. Extension Objective 4. Demonstration project to complement laboratory research objective on exclusion. The Southern IPM Hour presents research, issues, and programs in Integrated Pest Management from the Southern Region of the United States. Recordings of the webinars are available after the event. More info southernipm.org/ipmhour
Date & Time
Sep 17, 2024 01:00 PM in EST
What’s Bugging You First Friday is a monthly virtual series that explores timely topics to help you use integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid pest problems and promote a healthy environment where you live, work, learn and play. IPM is a wholistic approach that uses different tools and practices to not only reduce pest problems, but to also address the reasons why pests are there in the first place. Each month, our speakers will share practical information about how you can use IPM.
The 2024 What’s Bugging You First Friday schedule is now available on the program’s website, and you can register for multiple events using our registration form. We look forward to seeing you in 2024!
September 6th: Back to School: Bed Bugs | Head Lice
October 4th: Identifying Pests in Your Home
November 1st: 2024 Tick Blitz Results | No Spray Needed
December 6th: Feed the Birds | Repurposing a Holiday Tree
2024 Webinar Series for Greenhouse, Nursery & Garden Center Professionals
Join UNH Cooperative Extension and other experts to sharpen and refresh plant production skills. These monthly webinars on a variety of topics are intended to provide practical training for greenhouse, nursery and garden center professionals, although all are welcome to attend. One New England pesticide applicator recertification credit has been applied for each event.
Register for one, multiple or all of the interactive, Online Classes
2024 Class Dates:
September 24 - Injecting a Drench - Jonathan Ebba
October 29 - Renewable Energy Sources for Greenhouse Environmental Control - Dr. Md Sazan Rahman
November 26 - Mealybug - Dr. Amber Vinchesi-Vahl
December 17 - Fertilizer Selection Basics/Water Analysis - Jonathan Ebba
If you have questions or would like assistance registering for or accessing the webinars, including language access, please contact Jonathan at Jonathan.Ebba@unh.edu
Save the Date!
The 11th International IPM Symposium
March 3 – 5, 2025
San Diego, CA
This is an excellent opportunity for state IPM program directors and ARDP PDs to meet USDA NIFA presentation requirements.
The Symposium is a key conference that cuts across IPM issues and offers much in the way of highlighting current issues in IPM, presentations on current research and developments, and valuable networking for stakeholders.
Assistant Professor in Global Change Ecology
The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech invites applicants for the position of assistant professor in global change ecology as part of a campus-wide hiring initiative focusing on the grand challenge of invasive species. We seek a candidate with interest and experience in invasion science through the lens of invasion ecology, ecosystem disturbance, and/or novelty in terrestrial ecosystems. This is a full-time, tenure-track, 9-month appointment with primary responsibilities in research and teaching. The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation is committed to building an inclusive community through programs and activities that are integrated into our research, education, and outreach efforts. We welcome applications from persons identifying with groups underrepresented within the discipline, including but not limited to, Black, Indigenous, people of color, first-generation, and underrepresented genders.
As part of a campus-wide cluster hire on invasive species, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and the Environment at Virginia Tech seeks applicants for a 9-month, tenure-track, research (60%), teaching (30%), and service (10%) position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank. The successful candidate will study fish or wildlife populations using cutting-edge genetic/genomic tools to improve detection, identification, rapid response, management, and/or eradication of invasive species. Possible areas of research could include the use of environmental DNA, metabarcoding, genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, gene editing, or related approaches for studying invasive species that affect fish or wildlife populations.
The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in their area of expertise in the department. Advising and mentoring both graduate and undergraduate students is required. Participation in departmental, college, and university affairs and collaboration with faculty both within the department and across the university is expected.
The Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire a Scientist (Water Ecology) I for a position with the Ecological Research and Assessment Section, Natural Resources Division, Watershed Protection Programs Directorate, located in Kingston, New York.
The Ecological Research and Assessment (ERA) Section provides an array of services to the Bureau of Water Supply and other bureaus in the fields of invasive species, wetlands, restoration, aquatic ecology, and project review. Through research and monitoring programs, ERA supports management of City lands, regulatory reviews, partnership programs and a wide range of watershed protection and management programs. Understanding and managing the wetlands, streams, lakes, ponds and reservoirs in the watershed and their relationship with the uplands is very important for assessing their condition and identifying and mitigating potential water quality threats.
Under supervision, of the Invasive Species Biologist, the Scientist (Water Ecology) I serve as Field Technician and will assist in performing field surveys, management activities, data collection and analysis, project reviews, and procurement-related and administrative tasks to support the completion of goals and tasks in the Ecological Research and Assessment Section. Specific duties include:
- Assisting in conducting routine field data collection and surveys in support of the Wetlands and Aquatic Ecology Program, Invasive Species Program, and Restoration Ecology Program
- Assisting in managing aquatic and terrestrial invasive species through mechanical means
Extension Program Assistant, 4-H Youth Development
This is a permanent part-time nonexempt position (24 hours/week) in the Calvert County Extension Office located in Prince Frederick, MD.
Under the daily supervision of the 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator, the 4-H Youth Development Program Assistant helps to implement a comprehensive youth education and development program that meets the needs of diverse youth and adult volunteers working with youth in Calvert County. Through the coordination and delivery of experiential learning programs and activities the Program Assistant facilitates acquisition of cognitive, social and life skills that create caring, competent, responsible individuals. In carrying out duties, the Program Assistant is responsible and accountable to both the 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator and the Area Extension Director.
Extension Program Assistant, Home Horticulture and Master Gardener
This position is located off-campus at the Harford County Extension office in Street, MD.
Under the general supervision of the County Extension Director, the Program Assistant performs a variety of duties including teaching activities for the University of Maryland Extension-Harford County in the program area of home horticulture. Work requires thorough knowledge of the organization and programs where assigned and involves moderate participation in the work of the supervisor.
The Program Coordinator will oversee the administrative management and coordination for the UME Associate Dean and Senior Admin Team. The responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to, management and oversight of statewide search processes for tenure track faculty and other state-level positions, managing and coordination of periodic reviews of administrators/unit directors, coordination of departmental/program reviews, coordination of UME events and functions, oversight of travel arrangements, budget management, and project management for the senior admin team. The coordinator will also manage the background check process for 7000+ UME volunteers. Other duties as assigned.
Forestry Technician 1 (Cortland, NY)
The DEC Division of Lands & Forests' Forest Health Program protects New York's diverse ecosystems from pests, diseases, and invasive species. This position involves the direct control of invasive species like giant hogweed, hemlock woolly adelgid, and spotted lanternfly, and active participation in forest health monitoring, forest stand improvement, restoration, and applied research. Some travel is required. Appropriate safety & equipment training is provided at the outset of employment. We are looking for qualified and enthusiastic individuals to join our team.
Facility Operations Assistant 2 (Cortland, NY)
The DEC Division of Lands & Forests' Forest Health Program protects New York's diverse ecosystems from pests, diseases, and invasive species. This position entails the supervision of field crews directly managing species like giant hogweed, hemlock woolly adelgid, and spotted lanternfly. Additionally, field crews actively participate in forest health monitoring, forest stand improvement, restoration, and applied research. Some travel is required. Appropriate safety & equipment training is provided at the outset of employment. We are looking for qualified and enthusiastic individuals to join our team.
Previously featured
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the College of Science (COS) at Virginia Tech are inviting applications for a 9-month (academic year) tenure-track research and teaching position at the Associate or Full Professor level in applied economics with a focus on invasive and other harmful species. This broadly encompasses any species that pose threats to terrestrial and / or aquatic ecosystems, impact markets, economic decision-making and outcomes. The academic home for this position will be either the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (in CALS), the Department of Economics (in COS), or a joint appointment in both. The position also carries expectations for funding summer activities through external grants, teaching, or other mechanisms. The successful candidate will have proficiency in theoretical, analytical, and quantitative tools and methods to tackle complex problems as part of a campus-wide invasive species cluster hire.
The Specialist will be part of College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (AGNR) and University of Maryland Extension (UME), and work closely with the Environment and Natural Resource team, to provide leadership for natural resource and environmental management related programs. It is the responsibility of the Specialist to be self-motivated and work intentionally and collaboratively with partners to increase the visibility and reach of Extension programs that are specifically designed to meet the needs of diverse audiences. The Specialist will use a variety of delivery and communication strategies appropriate for the intended target audience, including but not limited to conferences, workshops, classes, demonstration projects, websites, webinars, social media, publications, and mass media. The faculty member will be on track for tenure and promotion to a higher rank in accordance with UMD policy and UME tenure guidelines within the timeframe defined and will perform teaching, scholarship, and service requirements of a University of Maryland faculty member. In carrying out these duties, the individual reports to the Program Leader & Assistant Director, Environmental, Natural Resources, and Sea Grant Program.
The Specialist will report to the Assistant Director and Program Leader of the Environmental and Natural Resource Program.
Statewide Coordinator (Nutrient Management Advisor)
University of Maryland Extension (UME) Agriculture and Food Systems (AgFS) Program seeks candidates for a 12-month Agricultural Nutrient Management Program (ANMP) Nutrient Management Advisor. ANMP Nutrient Management Advisors develop nutrient management plans for agricultural producers to balance nutrient inputs with crop requirements, thus optimizing production potential, improving farm profitability, reducing excess nutrient inputs into the Chesapeake Bay and enabling producers to comply with the State of Maryland’s Water Quality Improvement Act of 1998.
Facility Manager Position at University of Maryland college of AGNR
Under the general supervision of the Center Director, establishes the operations and management of a 35-acre facility which is home to turf grass research and education which is located at the northern edge of the University of Maryland College Park campus. Works directly with researchers and their staff to implement projects, assist with research and educational programs related to turf grass. Provide support as outlined by the Center Director. This position requires a knowledge of turf grass production and maintenance and the willingness to be a working manager, performing tasks in the daily operations alongside facility employees as well as provide supervision and training.
Head Grower - Le Jardin de Rabelais, Avoine, France.
Le Jardin de Rabelais is a family-owned company, growing high-quality tomatoes for more than 30 years. We are members of “Demain la Terre”, a group of growers gathered around a common project of sustainable development.
We have currently 20 ha of glasshouse, including 11,5 ha semi closed greenhouse. We grow year round and have 17 ha LED light.
Le Jardin de Rabelais is looking for a Head Grower to the technical team in good horticultural practices and techniques for hydroponic tomatoes greenhouse(s) operation.
SARE Seeks Web Services Developer
Through the activities described below, the Web Services Developer will help develop, manage and maintain the IT systems for national SARE programs.
The Web Services Developer will assist the national SARE program to maintain web-based IT systems that support online content management and the creation of modern educational resources for SARE grantees, grant managers, communication specialists and outside stakeholders by enhancing the functionality and usability of online content and maintaining system security. The position will be employed through UMD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, at College Park, Md. They will report to the SARE Associate Director and work under the guidance of SARE’s IT Director to collaboratively support all NRCCO colleagues and SARE’s national partners. The Web Services Developer will also be responsible for providing IT support to SARE’s Food Loss and Waste National Grant and Training and Technical Assistance (FLW) program. This is a new, temporary program that requires similar IT support and focus to all SARE grant and outreach programs, but with specific needs required by the USDA NIFA to uphold its FLW program priorities.
Overall, the Web Services Developer will improve SARE’s ability to advance our digital outreach capacity, efficiency and effectiveness to SARE regional partners, national stakeholders and the public.
The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University is seeking a Plant Synthetic Biologist, whose research is centered on synthetic biology involving photosynthetic organisms, including land plants, algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms, and their microbial communities. Plant synthetic biology is an emerging field that combines engineering principles with plant biology. Plant synthetic biology will play an important role in the future of agriculture for crop improvement, in enabling synthesis of novel products of nutritional, pharmaceutical or other values, as well as in fundamental understanding of plant and plant-microbe community biological processes. The position will leverage advances in nuclear and plastome plant transformation and genome editing technologies that make plant synthetic biology feasible in a way, and on a scale, that is unprecedented. Areas of research may include, but are not limited to: (1) Engineering genetic circuits to program predictable crop plant behaviors and traits; (2) Generating novel plant traits, improved properties, or biosynthetic capacities; (3) Converting land plants, cyanobacteria, algae, or diatoms into platforms that synthesize chemicals and complex biomolecules by reconfiguring existing biosynthetic pathways, introducing pathways from other organisms, or incorporating newly designed pathways; (4) Designing in planta biosensors for rapid detection of, and response to, environmental cues, such as temperature, pathogens, nutrients, chemicals, and toxins; (5) Engineering the growth and developmental trajectories of model plants and crops; and (6) Characterizing and designing microbes or microbial communities at the plant surface, within the plant, or in the soil, and their interactions with the plant.
Extension Entomologists (2 positions)
The Department of Biology at Utah State University (USU) seeks applicants for two tenure track faculty positions (Assistant Professor rank) in entomology. One position will focus on insect pests in horticultural crops of Utah (fruit, vegetables and nursery) and the other in agronomic crops (alfalfa, small grains, corn) and turf. The successful candidates will be expected to establish Extension and research programs related to insect pests in horticultural and agronomic crop production systems in UT reflecting USU’s land grant mission. The positions will have a role assignment of 50% Extension, 45% Research, and 5% Service. There is no teaching expectation for these positions, and they are not eligible for remote work. The successful candidates have the option to secure an additional one-month salary from external funding such as grant awards. Review of applicants will begin October 1, 2024, and will continue until the positions are filled, with a tentative start of August 1, 2025.
Cohort Hire: Revolutionizing Controlled Environment Agriculture, Focus: Crop Physiology
The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University invites applications for a tenure-track position in Crop Physiology (Controlled Environment Agriculture; CEA) at the Assistant Professor level. Our new colleague will join a Cohort Faculty Hire in Revolutionizing Controlled Environment Agriculture. In addition to this advertised hire, the cohort will include an insect ecologist, a plant pathologist, a CEA engineer, and a food systems economist. The new faculty hires will play an integral role in the design of a planned CALS investment in new CEA facilities.
Greenhouse Grower S05 -Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station (2 positions)
These S05 Greenhouse Grower positions will assist the Greenhouse Supervisor with the daily operations of the CALS Greenhouses by providing excellent care for high value plants, closely following direction provided, including watering and fertilizing of plants. Maintain greenhouses and work areas in a clean, sanitary and orderly condition. Pay close attention to detail and adhere to high standards of reliability and timeliness.
Invasive Species Technicians Temporary Hourly Fort Drum, NY
Invasive species technicians (3) are needed to assist with early detection rapid response (EDRR)
and treatment efforts of priority invasive plant species in Fort Drum, New York. Incumbents
will be employed by Colorado State University’s Center for Environmental Management of
Military Lands (CSU CEMML)
(email crystal.e.wixon.ctr@army.mil)
Assistant Professor - Applied Honey Bee Entomology
North Dakota State University
The School of Natural Resource Sciences (SNRS) at North Dakota State University is seeking an outstanding individual for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in the area of applied honey bee entomology. North Dakota is the top honey-producing state in the U.S., with 800,000+ honey bee colonies, with most transported cross country for commercial pollination services (https://www.ndda.nd.gov/divisions/plant-industries/apiary-honey-bees). Duties of the successful candidate include: conducting research in the area of applied honey bee entomology, which could include (but is not limited to) bee behavior, bee health, ecology and resource use, integrated pest management, or hive/apiary management; developing a nationally recognized research program; securing funding through external sources; producing peer-reviewed publications and other relevant research and Extension outputs; mentoring graduate and undergraduate students; providing leadership and conducting Extension programming for the state related to honey bees and apiaries; and serving on SNRS, College, and University committees. Research and Extension efforts should help support relevant North Dakota stakeholders (e.g. industry, land managers) and the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-research/ag-research) including maintaining or improving bee and apiary resources.
University of Maryland Extension (UME) is seeking an Extension Educator responsible for organizing, developing, implementing and evaluating educational programs for youth, families and communities. The Educator would work with volunteers and youth development agencies to provide experiential learning opportunities for youth, leading to the development of life skills for youth. The educator is also responsible for developing an active, ongoing recruitment campaign to involve new volunteers and youth. As a tenure- track faculty member, the Educator will be responsible for providing leadership to develop focused youth development programs in cooperation with colleagues across the county and Capital Maryland cluster. The faculty member will be on track for tenure and promotion to a higher rank in accordance with University policy and UME tenure guidelines within a timeframe defined.
This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service, Southeast Area, Crop Science Research Laboratory, Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit in Mississippi State, MS.
In this position, you will be responsible for implementing modern molecular breeding tools, high-throughput phenotyping methods, and statistical tools to develop maize germplasm with resistance to fall armyworm, and pre-harvest resistance to Aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin accumulation.
Agent, Regional Watershed Restoration Specialist
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) is a leading Land-Grant institution providing teaching, research, and Extension programs through University of Maryland Extension (UME) to a diverse clientele in the State of Maryland and beyond. UME seeks to fill a 12-month, tenure-track faculty position in watershed-based education with a particular focus on green infrastructure and nature-based solutions at individual and community landscape levels. The Regional Watershed Specialist for the Capital Cluster will work in the Anne Arundel, Charles, and Prince George’s counties of Maryland as well as statewide to provide non-formal education and technical assistance to stakeholders, including local and county governments, watershed groups, communities, and individuals. Education programming will focus on practices that improve water quality and quantity at the local level that lead to quantifiable reductions in non-point sources of pollution as well as improvement of water quantity/quality issues in the face of changing climate, increasing catastrophic weather events and intensities in a rapidly urbanizing region and state. The educator will be a member of the University of Maryland Extension’s Watershed Protection and Restoration Program (WPRP), consisting of faculty members with similar education responsibilities in other regions of the state. The educator will work closely with the Maryland Sea Grant Program (MDSG) to assist with implementing strategic Sea Grant initiatives that emphasize environmental justice and climate resiliency.
Funding Opportunities
Previously featured
NOAA announces $600,000 citizen science competitive grant opportunity
The Biden-Harris Administration is announcing a $600,000 funding opportunity for members of the public to conduct science that helps fisheries and fishing communities prepare for climate change. As the lead for this project, NOAA Fisheries will accept proposals for citizen science projects that help improve stock assessments or contribute to our understanding of how our fisheries and fishing communities may be impacted by changing environmental conditions.
NOAA seeks to strengthen its ability to provide science-based management and conservation of our nation’s living marine resources under a changing climate, including investing in innovative data collection approaches like citizen science. Citizen science typically involves members of the general public participating in the scientific process alongside researchers to answer real-world questions.
The citizen science project proposals should address the following priorities:
- Support and improve federal fishery stock assessments using innovative approaches that address data gaps related to catch, size or age, composition, life history, or stock identification and definition.
- Work to better understand how fish species may be impacted by changing environmental conditions.
- Understand how fishing communities, whose livelihoods and lifestyles often rely on sustainably managed marine resources, will be impacted by climate change.
This funding will support three to eight different projects at approximately $75,000 to $200,000 per project from fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Proposals are required and are due by November 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants are also asked to submit an optional Letter of Intent by September 5, 2024 to aid in planning the review panels.
Please visit NOAA Fisheries Open Funding Opportunities for details on how to apply or see the full funding announcement on grants.gov.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Cooperative Weed Management
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was launched in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world — the Great Lakes. As one of the initiative’s 16 regional working group members, the U.S. Forest Service uses GLRI resources to strategically target the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem and accelerate progress toward long-term restoration goals for this important ecosystem.
Who May Apply
GLRI funding is available to Cooperative Weed Management Areas (and similar organizations, e.g., Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas and Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management) that work within the Great Lakes Basin of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs) and similar groups are organized partnerships of Federal, State, and local government agencies, Tribes, individuals, and various interested groups that manage invasive plants within a defined area, generally a county or larger in size.
Applications may include work on all land ownerships within the Great Lakes watershed of the United States. See the RFA Instructions document for more information on eligibility requirements.
Important Dates
- ??Applications Due: September 18th, 2024-- Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 6:00 p.m. Eastern/5:00 p.m. Central.
- To add your organization to the GLRI mailing list for updates, please send a request to SM.FS.glri@usda.gov.
- Fiscal Year 2024 GLRI CWMA Request for Application Instructions
- Fiscal Year 2024 GLRI CWMA Project Narrative Form (required for all applications)