2023-2024 Seminars

How international experiences contribute to a role in IPM Education - Thomas Jima, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Educator at the Oregon IPM Center

Bio: In 2023, Thomas A. Jima joined Oregon State University – Oregon IPM Center as an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Educator. Thomas holds an M.S. in Plant Biology specializing in Plant Pathology and M.S. in Entomology, with a B.S. in Plant Sciences. Thomas has over 10+ years of international experience as a specialist advisor focused on agricultural development, research, project management, capacity building, and clientele management with an emphasis on Plant Protection and IPM. Thomas enjoys learning new things, seeking new opportunities, and becoming proficient at his job. Thomas works independently but gets motivated by teamwork. In his free time, Thomas enjoys being outdoors with his kids hiking and playing sports.

High-throughput plant phenotyping technologies towards improving crop breeding efficiency - Dr. Jing Zhou, Assistant Professor of Precision Agriculture - OSU

Bio: Jing is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Science at the Oregon State University. Jing earned his Ph.D. degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Jing worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Digital Agriculture Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jing’s research focuses on providing solutions for forming a sustainable food and agricultural system with emerging technological and computational resources.

EPSPS Copy Number Variation is Correlated with Glyphosate Resistance in an Italian Ryegrass Population - Victor Ribeiro, Crop Science PhD student - OSU

Bio: Victor's early passion for weed research led him to join Oregon State University for a Doctoral Degree in Weed Science. Currently, Victor is a Ph.D. candidate in the Crop Science graduate program under Drs. Carol Mallory-Smith and Judit Barroso, and his research is focused on herbicide resistance in downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.) in wheat production systems in Eastern Oregon. Victor's interests in Weed Science are very broad, ranging from applied weed research, where he is interested in understanding growers’ practices and factors affecting their decisions, to basic research including weed biology and ecology and, molecular mechanisms of herbicide resistance in weeds.

Integrating unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery with ground-based spot spray application technology - Dr. Pete Berry, Assistant Professor of Weed Science - OSU

Bio: Pete's journey has come full circle, starting with the completion of his PhD at Oregon State University under Dr. Carol Malloy-Smith. He then ventured to Central Illinois, where he worked for Syngenta as a field scientist. In the fall of 2022 Pete returned to OSU as an assistant professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Science. Pete's program focuses on integrating GIS technologies into weed science. His current projects span mapping resistant weed populations across the PNW, quantifying weed populations using drone imagery, employing image classification for weed recognition in Oregon cropping systems, investigating spectral variation among weeds and crops and utilizing spot spray technology.

My journey as a seed scientist and other tales - Dr. Thomas Chastain, Department Head and Professor of Seed Crop Physiology and Ecology - OSU

Bio: Thomas Chastain is Department Head and Professor of Seed Crop Physiology and Ecology in the Department of Crop and Soil Science at Oregon State University.  He earned a B.A. in Biological Sciences from California State University, Chico, and M.S. and Ph.D. in Crop Science from OSU.  Dr. Chastain’s research and teaching efforts over the past 35 years at OSU have focused on the physiology, ecology, and management of seed crops. 

Investigations into the Influence of Essential Oils on the Inhibition of Seed Germination Rate, Seedling Height, and Radical Length in Barley and Wheat - Luluh Aljayan, Crop Science MS student - OSU

Bio: Luluh is a masters student in crop science with a background in public health. She is passionate about combining sustainable farming and health to find natural solutions for agricultural problems. She is especially interested in how plants and essential oils can help crops grow better and fight pests in a way that's good for the environment and our health.

Toxicity of essential oils to the pests Arion circumscriptus (Gastropoda) in laboratory and greenhouse trials - Fares Alzahrani, Crop Science PhD student - OSU

Bio: Fares Alzahrani is from Saudi Arabia, with an undergraduate degree in zoology and a Master’s in Crop Science with an entomology focus from Oregon State University, obtained in 2019. This spring, he is completing his Ph.D. in the same field, guided by Dr. Rory McDonnell. His research targets the control of slugs and moth pests with essential oils, aiming to offer sustainable pest management solutions.

The Impact of Pacific Northwest Soil Properties on N Mineralization of Dairy Manure - Ryan Auld, Soil Science MS student - OSU

Bio: Ryan is a graduate student working towards a master’s degree in Soil Science. After completing an undergraduate thesis focused on in-situ nitrate monitoring, Ryan knew he wanted to focus on nitrogen in his academic career. As a graduate student, Ryan has focused on extension research, including his thesis which investigates the relationship between soil properties and nitrogen mineralization of dairy manure in the Pacific Northwest. Outside of the nitrogen cycle, Ryan is also very passionate about laboratory analyses and loves learning new techniques he can apply to his research. After earning his master’s degree, Ryan hopes to continue onto a Ph.D. program in Soil Science with the eventual goal of becoming a professor.

Do soil properties control N-cycling in forest stands of the Pacific Northwest? - Dandan Zhang, Soil Science PhD student - OSU

Bio: Dandan’s interests in soil microbiology led her to join Oregon State University for a Doctoral Degree in Soil Science. Dandan used to be a Ph.D. candidate in the Soil Science graduate program under Dr. David Myrold and is currently under Dr. Markus Kleber.  Her research is focused on protease activity in soil under N-fixing tree species vs non-N-fixing tree species in forest ecosystems. She also is interested in metagenomic sequencing and data analysis.

Ammonia Volatilization Potential from Surface-applied Anaerobically Digested Dairy Manure - Corinne Butler, Soil Science MS student - OSU

Bio: Corinne’s love for soil was discovered during her undergraduate career at UC Davis. This led her to pursue her master’s degree at Oregon State University. Corinne is currently working with Dr. Amber Moore in the Soil Science graduate program. Her research is focused on ammonia volatilization from surface-applied anaerobically digested dairy manure in a lab setting. Corinne has many interests in Soil Science and Agronomy, including soil fertility, nutrient management, crop production, and applied agricultural research that will directly help growers in real-time.

Susceptibility of Endemic Snails Vespericola columbianus and Ancotrema sportella to Parasitic Nematode Phasmarhabditis californica - Indira Kulkarni, Crop Science MS student - OSU

Bio: Indira is a Crop Science Master’s student studying the non-target effects of novel biological control on endemic terrestrial gastropods in the Pacific Northwest with Prof. Rory McDonnell. She is originally from Wappingers Falls, NY and attended the University of Vermont for her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience. She became interested both in ecology and conservation when she moved out to Oregon and led a crew for the Northwest Youth Conservation Corps, working and living outside. She decided to return to graduate school to pursue her interests in gastropod and insect species preservation and has enjoyed learning about the many facets of this field since diving in.