IPM News and Events Roundup 12/06/2024
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
2024 Northeast Integrated Pest Management Research Update Conference
December 10, 2024
This conference hosted by the Northeastern IPM Center (NEIPMC) will feature updates from active projects funded by the NEIPMC’s Partnership Grants Program. In addition, the online conference will have updates from IPM-related projects funded through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NESARE) Program and USDA-NIFA’s Applied Research and Development Program (ARDP) and Extension Implementation Program (EIP).
The rapid style conference will feature 5-minute pre-recorded presentations in which the speakers will discuss 1 or 2 highlights from their projects followed by a live Q and A. The purpose of the conference is to increase collaboration and awareness about current IPM-related research and extension in the Northeast in a fun way.
Anyone with an internet connection is invited to watch this exciting event hosted by the Northeastern IPM Center. Below is a list of projects that will be discussed during the 90-minute event. The conference will take place via Zoom and will be recorded for later viewing.
To participate in the conference, please register at this link:
cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qMpwTwZnTcmXdmZIwX6raA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing the final biological evaluation (BE), and associated response to comments, for 11 rodenticide active ingredients. The mitigation measures described in this final BE will also serve as the agency’s Rodenticide Strategy as outlined in EPA’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) Workplan.
EPA Makes Thousands of Records on the Agency’s Review of Studies on Pesticides Publicly Available
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it made available more than 4,500 Data Evaluation Records (DERs) in ChemView, a public portal that houses data and review of toxic chemicals. A DER is the documented EPA review of studies submitted during the request to register a pesticide or during the registration review process, and does not contain confidential business information. The studies may include product chemistry, toxicology, ecological effects, human exposure, spray drift, environmental fate, and residue chemistry.
EPA Updates Annual Pesticide Registration Maintenance Fee Materials for FY2025
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is notifying pesticide registrants that the agency has updated its annual pesticide registration maintenance fees webpage and fee tables. Registrants will need to access their product filing forms, pay maintenance fees, and return completed documents to EPA for processing by Jan. 15, 2025.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a proposed guidance document for antimicrobial pesticide registrants. The proposed guidance is intended to improve the efficiency of Endangered Species Act (ESA) considerations for new active ingredient, new use, and registration review actions for antimicrobial pesticides. This guidance, when finalized, fulfills requirements outlined in the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5) and furthers goals outlined in EPA’s 2022 ESA Workplan to protect listed species from exposure to pesticides. Although this document does not create new requirements for applicants, the recommendations in the guidance will help applicants address potential effects to listed species.
Using Fungi to Control Soybean Cyst Nematode
The soybean cyst nematode, an invasive parasite that attacks soybean roots – causes over $1 billion of damage each year in the United States. Harnessing beneficial fungi that target these nematodes could be a solution.
Research in the News
Automated lepidopteran pest developmental stages classification via transfer learning framework (academic.oup.com)
The maize crop is highly susceptible to damage caused by its primary pests, which poses considerable challenges in manually identifying and controlling them at various larval developmental stages. To mitigate this issue, we propose an automated classification system aimed at identifying the different larval developmental stages of 23 instars of 4 major lepidopteran pests: the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée; Lepidoptera: Crambidae), the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
Global environmental changes more frequently offset than intensify detrimental effects of biological invasions (pubs.usgs.gov)
Human-induced abiotic global environmental changes (GECs) and the spread of nonnative invasive species are rapidly altering ecosystems. Understanding the relative and interactive effects of invasion and GECs is critical for informing ecosystem adaptation and management, but this information has not been synthesized. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate effects of invasions, GECs, and their combined influences on native ecosystems. We found 458 cases from 95 published studies that reported individual and combined effects of invasions and a GEC stressor, which was most commonly warming, drought, or nitrogen addition. We calculated standardized effect sizes (Hedges’ d) for individual and combined treatments and classified interactions as additive (sum of individual treatment effects), antagonistic (smaller than expected), or synergistic (outside the expected range).
Disaster Plant Pathology: Smart Solutions for Threats to Global Plant Health from Natural and Human-Driven Disasters (apsjournals.apsnet.org)
Disaster plant pathology addresses how natural and human-driven disasters impact plant diseases and the requirements for smart management solutions. Local to global drivers of plant disease change in response to disasters, often creating environments more conducive to plant disease. Most disasters have indirect effects on plant health through factors such as disrupted supply chains and damaged infrastructure. There is also the potential for direct effects from disasters, such as pathogen or vector dispersal due to floods, hurricanes, and human migration driven by war. Pulse stressors such as hurricanes and war require rapid responses, whereas press stressors such as climate change leave more time for management adaptation but may ultimately cause broader challenges.
Cornell Tool: Visualizing Climate Change in the NE (climatesmartfarming.org)
This tool was developed to show how the climate has changed in the Northeast United States since 1950, and how it is projected to change over the next century. Maps and charts provide data at the county level.
This is the initial beta version of the tool and additional changes are forthcoming, including descriptive text and increased functionality. Current information about variables, datasets and methodology is accessible through the info button located in the lower-left corner of the tool. We welcome your feedback for suggestions and improvements.
News
Exclusive: Herbicide Synergy Gives “Trojan Horse” Attack on Resistant Weeds (agweb.com)
Herbidcide resistance in weeds isn’t going away, but researchers are still looking for ways to slow down the phenomenon. With new research, Vipan Kumar, associate professor of weed science at Cornell, documented a synergistic effect for greater control of kochia resistant to multiple herbicide classes.
“There aren’t many new herbicide modes of action coming into the market,” he says. “We need to rethink weed control strategies and plans, especially for herbicide-resistant biotypes, differently.”
Pest Talks (growertalks.com)
What the ... ?
More on Lewis Mites
Is it Resistance?
MSU Greenhouse Course
Survey on Propagation
November 2024 North Central Issue
Highlights:
- Webinar Recording: New Pesticide Mitigations, Labels, and Bulletins (Oh My!)
- US Environmental Protection Agency’s Rodenticide Strategy
- New Buckeye Turf Newsletter
- WildAg Podcast
Universities are teaching students to combat climate anxiety with action (npr.org)
Some universities, sensitive to student anxiety over climate change, are taking novel approaches to teaching the subject. AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
In upstate New York, college students are learning about climate change through food. It's a way to convey lessons about a subject many students feel anxious about. And as member station WSKG's Rebecca Redelmeier reports, it's one way universities are working to teach students about a warming world.
Our Changing Menu (ourchangingmenu)
This website reflects the contents of Our Changing Menu. The book is informative and science-based, providing greater detail on every topic than on this website. In addition, because the world around us and our food are changing quickly a “living” version of the book that could be kept up-to-date was deemed essential. This website also includes something not possible for a book—a searchable database of hundreds of foods and food ingredients and how each is changing.
Why Researchers are Seeking New Mosquito Repellents in Rancid Animal Fats (entomologytoday.org)
How did people deal with their local pesky mosquitoes before they could go to the store and buy bug spray? The nuisance of mosquitoes far predates the development and use of current “gold standard” repellent ingredients like DEET. Well, leave it to an experimental archeologist to do a deep dive into ancient mosquito repellents. Beginning in 2020, August “Gus” Costa, Ph.D., adjunct lecturer in anthropology at Rice University, gathered numerous historical accounts from expeditions to the New World from the 1700 and 1800s. These accounts describe Native Americans from various tribes using smelly animal fats rubbed onto their skin to protect from mosquitoes. The animal fats mentioned were from all types of animals, such as bear, shark, alligator, fish, and even hog.
We all eat. Let’s use the power of food to confront climate change (Guest Opinion by Mike Hoffmann) (syracuse.com)
Regardless of who we are, what we do, where we live, or what we believe, we have one thing in common — we all eat. And for good reason — food is essential for life. It’s also deeply imbedded in our cultures and family histories. It’s emotive and gives us a sense of well-being, and it’s personal. Let’s face it, we love it. As George Bernard Shaw said, “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”
Newly featured survey
The NYS Capital Region PRISM would like to share the great work our partners have been executing in invasive species prevention and management. Please consider taking the time (5-10 minutes for minimal answers, 20-30 for in-depth) to complete the following survey to report the invasive species work actions (e.g., detection, management, prevention, etc.) accomplished by your organization in 2024. Your reporting of data relating to invasive species work actions helps to highlight the importance of such management efforts in the Capital Region.
Webinars, seminars, meetings, and more
Dr. Michelle Franklin,
Research Scientist, Berry Entomology
Dr. Paul Abrams,
Research Scientist, Biological Control of Insect Pests
‘Biovigilance’ is a framework that can help to guide research supporting the development of IPM programs through various stages. Ongoing research on surveillance and control of two invasive insect pest species in British Columbia, Canada (the strawberry blossom weevil and Japanese Beetle) will be presented as case studies. These examples illustrate how research on IPM of invasive insect species can integrate diverse interdisciplinary research approaches and pest management tools and modalities to leverage understanding of insect biology and ecology in order to develop IPM programs for invasive pests.
December 17, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. CST
Do the Right Sting: Stinging Insect Identification, Management, and Safety
Stinging insects play critical ecological roles, preying on pest insects, serving as key pollinators and cycling nutrients. However, we tend to notice them more when they are being a nuisance, or for some individuals, posing life-threatening health risks. It’s for the latter reasons that pest management professionals who control stinging insects are important public health protectors. Join Mark VanderWerp, manager of education & training, Rose Pest Solutions, on Dec. 18 for the webinar “Do the Right Sting: Stinging Insect Identification, Management, and Safety.” VanderWerp will review identification tips and the lifecycles of commonly encountered stinging insects; effective management strategies; staying safe on the job; working in public spaces; and case studies.
Date: December 18, 2024
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Previously featured
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!
December 6th: Feed the Birds | Repurposing a Holiday Tree
The webinar will be held December 12 from 2 to 4 PM Eastern. Topics will include:
? Introduction of EXCITE H5N1 team
? Update regarding known prevalence and geographic profile
? Critical research updates
? Key aspects of prevention and early intervention
? Key resources which can be shared with clientele
? Invitation to future monthly H5N1 professional development offerings
? Next steps for support and funded partners
The Zoom link for registration is included below:
https://extension.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsceusrTMtGtWbGvjbswnDKzXIPQjjz2XE
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:
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
For more than four decades, the NOFA-NY Winter Conference has convened farmers, food system professionals, educators, advocates, homesteaders, and gardeners who are passionate about building a better food system. Mutual support and the generous exchange of knowledge is a hallmark of the NOFA-NY community as we remain true to our vision of a just and resilient farming system grounded in a diverse community now and for future generations.
Saturday, January 18, 2025 at SUNY Morrisville
2025 30-HOUR PESTICIDE CERTIFICATION COURSE
January 22, 2025; January 24, 2025; January 27, 2025; January 29, 2025; January 31, 2025
This program is designed and approved by the DEC to meet the requirements to become a Commercial Pesticide Technician in category 3a,3b,or 25 after passing the exam. We will cover many topics including how to read a pesticide label, personal protective equipment, integrated pest management, common pests and disease in turf and ornamentals as well as vertebrate pests.
Flyer and registration: 30_hour_course_final_with_25-9-18-24.pdf
IR-4 2025 Industry Technology Session
The 2025 Industry Technology Session (ITS) will be held virtually (via Zoom) on Thursday, February 20. We anticipate a schedule of 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, but exact timing is subject to change. This annual event invites companies to present updates on products already in IR-4 research, as well as new technologies designed to meet the pest management needs of specialty crop producers. We have shifted the ITS to occur earlier in the year (February rather than July) to better accommodate stakeholders’ busy summer schedules and allow more time before the Project Clearance Request submission deadline of July 1, 2025.
CERTIFIED TREE STEWARD TRAINING 2025
April 22, 2025; April 23, 2025; April 25, 2025; April 28, 2025; April 30, 2025; May 2, 2025
The Tree Steward Program is a comprehensive workshop dealing with arboriculture. Through both classroom learning and outdoor exercises, the participants will learn all about tree biology, identification, pruning, planting, rigging and much more. Personal protection as well as tree protection will be emphasized.
Flyer and registration: 2025 Westchester County Tree Steward Training
Registration is now open for the 11th International IPM Symposium!
Register Now, be sure to register soon to secure the best deal.
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- Full Conference or Single-Day Attendance: Whether you plan to join us for the entire symposium or just a day, we have flexible registration options to suit your schedule.
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- Attend over 100 presentations, panels, and workshops: Engage in conversation with top experts on cutting-edge IPM research and innovation covering hot topics including Agriculture, Public Health, Built Environments, Landscape, and Forest/Conservation.
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- Field Trips: Sign up for one of our three excursions and explore the IPM practices of the Port of San Diego, the Midway Naval Museum, or UC San Diego.
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- Professional Development Workshops: Expand your expertise with our Thursday afternoon IPM Evaluation Workshop or Rodent Short Course!
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- Student Discounts: We are pleased to offer discounted registration rates and exclusive activities for students.
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- Visit our website for more detailed information about our program, speakers, webinars, travel.
If you have any questions or you’d like to get involved, contact us at ipmsymposium@ipminstitute.org.
Employment Opportunities
- Develops and implements the Fort Cavazos Pest Management Program.
- Serves as the expert on all pest management matters.
- Oversees the planning, development, and execution of an effective pest management program for all facilities at Fort Cavazos.
- Serves as Installation Pest Management Coordinator (IPMC).
- Performs the full range of program administration for pest management services on installation property.
- Assists pest management, veterinary, golf course, agronomist, and fish and wildlife personnel with questions and problems.
- Collaborates with National, Federal, State, local and private organizations to facilitate timely detection of disease transmission and to integrate and evaluate controls to reduce disease transmission.
CCE of Saratoga County Aquatic Invasive Species Program Manager – Ballston Spa, NY
The Capital Region Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (CR-PRISM) hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County is seeking a motivated and qualified Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program Manager. The Aquatic Invasive Species Program Manager deploys conservation-based practices to protect our water resources, slow the spread of invasive species, and deliver strategic initiatives. The Program Manager deploys a watercraft inspection steward prevention program and provides early detection and response strategies to control aquatic invasive species. All applications must be received online by 11:59 pm on December 18, 2024.
Previously featured
The College of Science at Virginia Tech seeks applicants for a 9-month research and teaching tenure-track position at any rank in the area of environmental data science as part of a campus-wide Invasive Species cluster hire located at the Blacksburg, VA campus. The position will concentrate on understanding the complex factors that shape invasive species spread, occurrence, and persistence to inform early detection, rapid response, and long-term management of invasive species. The focus of the position is to develop an innovative research program in retrospective and predictive modeling of invasive species at any organismal scale that reconstructs or predicts invasive species risk, spread, and impacts.
Assistant Professor-Tenure System
The Department of Horticulture in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University invites applications for a full-time 12-month tenure-system Assistant Professor position (with a 50% Research, 40% Extension, and 10% Teaching assignment) to lead an internationally recognized, innovative and competitively funded research and extension program in weed science and ecology to support Michigan’s fruit and vegetable industries. The position start date is anticipated to be August 16, 2025.
Senior Program Coordinator - Veg IPM
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Senior Program Coordinator – Veg IPM for the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension (RCE) within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. This position will be housed at an NJAES Research Farm facility, campus, or county office (TBD).
Within the senior program coordinator duties, the candidate will be responsible for making pest management recommendations to growers and making diagnostic field visits, often on a last-minute and ‘on-demand’ basis, which often matches the demands of weather, pest development, and other biological conditions, as well as any developing market factors. The training of seasonal employees may also be partly determined by unplanned biological, weather, and market factors; thus necessitating weekend and evening work hours, and will also include the preparation for, attendance at, and presentations at evening grower meetings and state and regional conferences. The preparation and coordination of IPM information for online and printed newsletter publications is also a required duty of this position.
The Volunteer Coordinator will manage volunteer engagement for several key Catskill
Center programs, including the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership
(CRISP), a regional effort addressing invasive species in partnership with the New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The role also supports
volunteer staffing and coordination at the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills
Visitor Center (CVC), which offers interpretive exhibits, accessible nature trails, a gift
shop, a fire tower, and year-round events. Additionally, the Volunteer Coordinator will
oversee volunteers involved in the Catskill Fire Tower Project in partnership with the
DEC. This project ensures public access and interpretation of the six fire towers in
Catskill Park, working closely with more than 100 active volunteers who staff the
towers during the summer months. To learn more about these programs, visit:
Assistant Professor Field Crops Entomology
Location: Ithaca, NY, USA. The academic home for this position is the Department of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, housed on the Ithaca campus of Cornell University.
The Department of Entomology at Cornell University is seeking applications for a 9-month, full-time, tenure-track position in the area of Field Crops Entomology. The successful candidate will develop an internationally recognized research and extension program focused on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of grain and forage crops, including corn (>1 million acres in New York State), alfalfa hay (500,000 acres), soybeans (350,000 acres), wheat (150,000 acres), and other small grains. We seek a highly collaborative scientist who will build trust and communicate effectively with field crop farmers and other stakeholders, and will interact extensively with colleagues at Cornell to achieve its Land Grant mission. In this position, research and extension will focus on novel practices that use biological, chemical, physical, and/or cultural control methods to manage pressing insect pest issues currently affecting field crop growers. Research should combine insights from field trials with other approaches, potentially ranging from lab-based analyses to modeling to landscape-scale observational studies, to devise pest management strategies that enhance productivity while minimizing environmental impacts.
Assistant Director-Finance and Business Services
The Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture seeks to fill the Assistant Director of Finance & Administration position. The candidate will work in the Departmental Business Office team to oversee the day-to-day management of Sponsored Awards, in coordination with the Program Management Specialist.
The candidate will administer requests for new hires/positions for contractual positions funded on Sponsored Research projects and Lecturer contracts. The incumbent will also coordinate with the Business Office team to support departmental budget reports, ensuring the department’s financial integrity and maintaining long-term financial planning and projections.
This position will also be a backup reviewer/approver for travel requests and departmental inventory tracking. The Assistant Director will report directly to the Director of Financial Services and will work closely with the Department Chair, staff, and faculty (and necessary Departmental stakeholders), College-level administrative officers, and administrative personnel across campus to successfully execute the duties of this position.
JIFSAN, a joint program of the University of Maryland and the U.S. FDA, is seeking a full-time Post-Doctoral Associate position within the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). The incumbent will participate in applied regulatory research studying the potential for marine and freshwater natural toxin contamination in FDA-regulated products. The primary focus will be on freshwater cyanotoxins in products that either include cyanobacteria or extracts of cyanobacteria (e.g., foods and dietary supplements), or are exposed to cyanobacteria or cyanotoxin-contaminated waters during their production (e.g., seafood and produce).
Successful candidates for this research position will be responsible for utilizing biological, chemical, and/or toxicological knowledge and experience to inform scientific and regulatory decisions regarding the safety of FDA-regulated products from contamination with marine and freshwater natural toxins. The primary focus of this research opportunity will be on products containing freshwater cyanobacteria or extracts of cyanobacteria directly or are exposed to cyanobacteria or cyanotoxin-contaminated waters during their production. Additional opportunities to participate in research related to marine natural toxins (i.e. saxitoxin, domoic acid, okadaic acid, etc.) will also be possible. Specific duties will include method development and validation, as well as potential
product screening in a range of FDA-regulated products. Candidates will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of state and Federal agencies within their area of study.
Bioresource Soil Science and Management
The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University welcomes applications for a 9-month, full-time tenure-track position in Bioresource Soil Science and Management at the assistant professor level. The primary production that sustains human life begins and ends with the soil. Yet, degradation of soil health caused by emerging contaminants and agricultural intensification threaten the sustainability of our production systems. Biomass residual resources, such as food waste, human and animal waste, and other plant and animal materials, are often decoupled from production sites, resulting in degradation of soil health and reliance on chemical fertilizers to maintain fertility. Moreover, this decoupling generates waste streams that promote eutrophication of inland and coastal waters. As we reduce fossil fuel usage and increase the circularity of materials flows, there is a demand for research and education related to the management of bioresources in agricultural systems. Relevant research topics include: the effect of organic residuals on soil health and fertility, assessing and mitigating risks caused by the presence of emerging contaminants in residuals applied to soil, developing strategies for improving organics recycling and reuse. This position will serve as a bridge between bioresource producers and consumers, while safeguarding our land, water, and air from the hazard of legacy contaminants and associated toxicological concerns.
Assistant Professor, Tenure Track
The School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University is seeking a plant-microbe interactions scientist, whose research takes a systems approach to fill key knowledge gaps in plant-microbe interaction biology in the context of a changing climate. The successful candidate’s research will show strong promise of establishing predictive principles and foundational knowledge key to innovating for sustainable plant health. Example areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to: (a) the dynamic effects of changing abiotic stresses (heat, drought, flooding, cold, extreme weather events), agricultural and landscape management practices, and plant genetics on plant-associated microbial communities; (b) effects of the environment (micro- to macro-) on detection, signaling, and responses in plant-microbe and plant-microbe-microbe interactions; (c) structural and functional diversity at the molecular interface between plants and microbes across populations, genotypes, and environments over space and time, to understand specificity and evolution of pathogenic and beneficial associations; (d) impacts of microbes on plant physiology, biochemistry, development, and immunity and in turn on plant and soil microbiomes and how those impacts affect resilience of individual plants, populations, or ecosystems; and (e) mechanisms by which plant-associated microbial communities alter plant productivity, nutrition, metabolite production, and/or tolerance to biotic (pathogen, insect) and/or abiotic (climate, nutrient, pollution) stressors. The successful candidate will integrate cutting-edge approaches, such as metagenomics, multi-OMICs, single cell technologies, genome editing of plants and microbial communities, advanced imaging and other non-destructive sensing, systems modeling, machine learning, and others, at any spatial or temporal scale, ranging from molecules and cells to populations and ecosystems, nanoseconds to decades. They will collaborate broadly, across disciplines, to support translation of findings to pressing challenges in applied plant and agricultural sciences. In addition to their research program, the individual in this position will enhance course offerings by incorporating climate change into plant health- and plant microbiome-centered topics. In that role, the person will be expected both to develop new courses and to collaborate to enrich the content of existing courses.
Tenure-Track: Assistant Professor in Acarology
The Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Entomology in Acarology. This is a nine-month, full-time, tenure-track appointment specialization in Acarology, located on the Texas A&M campus in College Station, TX. This position has duties in Research, Teaching, and Service with approximately a 60%, 30%, and 10% distribution of effort, respectively. However, the appointment may change in accordance with Departmental needs. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2025.
This position is located within the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Northeast Area (NEA), at the Food Systems Research Unit in Burlington, VT.
In this position, you will help to improve the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of Northeast food systems while enhancing human nutrition.
Instructional Assistant Professor/Lecturer
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .
This is a 12-month, non-tenure-accruing, Instructional Assistant Professor/Lecturer track faculty position that will be 100% teaching housed in the Entomology and Nematology Department within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida. A successful candidate with a Ph.D. degree would be eligible to use the ‘Instructional Assistant Professor’ working title.
Faculty Specialist (Risk Analysis Program Director)
The successful candidate will serve as the Risk Analysis Program Director for the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN). This position is primarily responsible for overseeing and advancing the JIFSAN Risk Analysis Program, which offers a wide array of educational, outreach, and research opportunities tailored to food safety professionals, students, and faculty across diverse disciplines. The JIFSAN Risk Analysis Program integrates several interrelated initiatives, including the Summer Integrated Program in Food Safety Risk Analysis, Professional Development Training via Distance Learning, and Customized Training in Food Safety Risk Analysis. Key responsibilities for this role include providing strategic direction, managing day-to-day operations, and ensuring the successful implementation of all program activities. Additionally, the Director will be expected to teach at least one Food Safety Risk Analysis Professional Development course, contributing directly to the professional growth of participants in the field.
Assistant Professor - Urban and Managed Landscapes
The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is seeking talented candidates for a 9-month, full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position. This role will have a distribution of effort comprising 40% Research, 40% Teaching, and 20% Service, focusing on urban managed landscapes. Under exceptional circumstances, highly qualified candidates at other ranks may receive consideration. Massachusetts is the third most densely populated state in the US, and there is increasing demand for accessible greenspaces and recreational areas in urban areas. Turfgrasses are an important component of urban greenspaces, with the turf and related urban landscape industry representing a prominent economic engine for Massachusetts.
The faculty member is expected to develop an interdisciplinary, nationally recognized, integrated program focused on sustainable urban landscape management. Areas of emphasis may include emerging technologies that enable precise water and nutrient management, incorporating resilient turfgrass and ornamental plants in urban green spaces, turfgrass-soil interactions, and weed biology and management.
For more details on qualifications and application instructions, click HERE.
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 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.
Funding Opportunities
WNY PRISM Crew Assistance Program
WNY PRISM’s Crew Assistance Program was established to help improve invasive species management across the region by assisting partners with priority projects involving invasive species surveys, removal, and habitat restoration. It offers valuable opportunities for partners to work alongside WNY PRISM’s experienced staff and trained seasonal crew to learn about invasive species management and gain experience implementing management strategies and using removal methods and equipment. Since 2016, WNY PRISM has worked with 36 different partners to complete 111 projects.
WNY PRISM is currently accepting proposals for the 2025 Crew Assistance Program! To learn more about the Crew Assistance Program including proposal requirements, eligibility, priorities and review criteria, please view the full WNY PRISM Crew Assistance Program 2025 Request for Proposals (RFP). Be sure to read through the entire RFP as it provides necessary information and instructions to support your proposal. We ask that partners reach out with any questions before the finalized project proposal is submitted. Applications that do not include all the required proposal components may not be considered. For more information, see the WNY PRISM Crew Assistance Program Frequently Asked Questions. You can also read about some of our past projects below! Questions may be submitted to Brittany Hernon, Terrestrial Program Manager at hernonba@buffalostate.edu. Proposals must be received by 5:00 PM on Friday, January 31, 2025.
The Capital Region PRISM is seeking Request for Proposals (RFP's) for the 2025 calendar year. The PRISM has a dedicated amount of funding for partner organizations throughout the Capital Region for invasive species related projects. Awarded projects must be located or serving areas within the ?boundary of the CR-PRISM. The CR-PRISM is hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County and funded through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) via the Environmental Protection Fund. As part of the agreement with the NYS DEC, we are pleased to announce another round of funds to be released for contract on behalf of the CR-PRISM. The CR-PRISM Steering Committee has requested that the proposals align with the CR-PRISMs Five Year Strategic Plan 2023-2027 Goals, Objectives, and Priority Actions. For more information visit our website.
- Application Posting: December 2nd, 2024, at 9:00am
- Application Deadline Closes: January 15th, 2025, at 9:00am
- Tentative Award Notification: March 7th, 2025
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Nationwide Equity and Accessibility Funding Opportunities
Nationwide Equity and Accessibility
The four Regional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Centers champion the development and adoption of integrated pest management, the science of managing pests, while protecting people, the environment and economy. To help increase equity and accessibility within the IPM community, the Regional IPM Centers are providing two funding opportunities: Equity and Accessibility Grants and Equity and Accessibility Mini-Grants.
These Equity and Accessibility funding opportunities will be awarded to projects that allow recipients to make progress towards IPM goals, while prioritizing equity and access to IPM tools and resources.
Examples of equity and accessibility projects that have been funded are available. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your ideas for this grant prior to applying, please contact Dr. Katie Hartmann: hartm783@crk.umn.edu.
Equity and Accessibility Grants
The Equity and Accessibility Grant program actively supports equity and accessibility initiatives by offering assistance to organizations and communities led by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including, but not limited to: Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, migrants, neurodiverse individuals, Veterans, beginning and women farmers, and members of the disability community, as well as faculty, staff, and students. This grant program also welcomes proposals related to training, education, and collaborations promoting equity and inclusion. Proposals should:
- · Focus on IPM
- · Deliver benefits to communities and stakeholders
- · Enhance the cultural competency of staff
- · Identify gaps in IPM resources and propose ways to improve access
- · Conduct needs assessments for the communities being served.
Funding Available: $80,000 with awards of up to $20,000 each
Period of Performance: End date no later than 9/17/25
Application deadline: Open until funds are depleted
Download the Equity and Accessibility Grant RFA
Equity and Accessibility Mini-Grants
The Equity and Accessibility Mini-Grants program is a smaller-scale funding opportunity for individuals or groups who have innovative ideas but require a smaller budget to execute their projects.
Funding Available: Awards of up to $5,000 each
Period of Performance: End date no later than 9/17/25
Application deadline: Open until funds are depleted
Download the Equity and Accessibility Mini-Grants RFA