Dr. Kimberly Gwinn
Identifying Natural Biopesticides One Molecule at a Time
We are upset by the violent killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and others. We also recognize the difficulty of being #BlackInNature like Christian Cooper. We condemn all racism & brutality; and we will uplift, follow, & amplify the voices of the black community.
-the EPP Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Julian Cosner
The Office of Research & Engagement interviewed Julian Cosner. Check it out here: https://research.utk.edu/graduate-student-spotlight-julian-cosner/
Upcoming Events
UT CIRTL F.U.E.L. Seminar Series
Teaching & Learning Innovation will once again host their Facilitating Undergraduate Evidence-Based Learning (F.U.E.L.) Professional Development Seminar. This highly interactive, 6-session seminar will meet virtually each Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. beginning February 3, 2021, and concluding March 10, 2021.
Find out more »BHM Film Series: Moonlight
Moonlight highlights the life of a young Black man as he grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.
Find out more »
Scientific
The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology provides leadership in the generation and dissemination of knowledge on insects, related arthropods, and plant and animal diseases that affect the quality of life of all Tennesseans. Our Department is the only academic unit in Tennessee with the mission and responsibility to provide basic and applied information on questions of plant diseases and insect related problems affecting plants, animals, and humans. Successful fulfillment of the mission requires a diverse complement of disciplinary expertise working in a highly integrated environment of teaching, research, extension, and outreach. Departmental programs focus primarily on solving problems within Tennessee, yet draw on information generated worldwide and, in turn, provide information that is useful throughout the world.
academics
EPP students have the opportunities to study a range of topics related to plant pathology, entomology and bioinformatics.
extension & outreach
UT Extension works with communities to improve lives by addressing problems and issues at the local, state and national levels.
MISSION
The mission of the Entomology and Plant Pathology (EPP) Department is to advance scientific knowledge and to provide science-based information to improve the sustainability of food and fiber production, protect natural resources, and enhance the lives of all people in Tennessee and across the world.
VISION
Our vision is to be a recognized and innovative leader in discovery, education, development, and applications related to entomology and plant pathology.
DIVERSITY
We are committed to a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive environment. We welcome students, postdoctoral research associates, visiting scholars, and others regardless of age, appearance, disability status, gender, gender identity, geographic background, marital/partnered status, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, and all other characteristics that make each of us unique. We continually work to create an inclusive environment that reflects the diversity of society in general. We aim to cultivate an environment built on mentorship, encouragement, tolerance, and mutual respect. We believe diversity brings together a wide range of abilities, experiences, perspectives, and world views that are crucial to enriching experiences and addressing challenging research questions.
EPP News
BHM Weekly Highlight– Frederick McKinley Jones & Dr. Gladys West
This week, the Diversity and Inclusion committee is introducing two…
BHM Weekly Highlight– Henry Blair & John Wesley Boyd, Jr.
EPP is excited to celebrate Black History Month by recognizing…
On Valentine’s Day, Thank a No-See-Um
Our Department Head, Dr. DeWayne Shoemaker, was featured…
BHM Weekly Highlight– George Washington Carver & Dr. Michelle Samuel-Foo
EPP is excited to celebrate Black History Month by recognizing…
Dr. Alan Windham Featured in Wall Street Journal Article on Augusta National
In the latest article from the Wall Street Journal, titled…
Winners of 2nd Annual UT Creepy Crawly Photo Contest!!
It’s PHOTO TIME in TENNESSEE! ‘Bug’ photos, that is! Our…
Graduate Student Spotlight from the Office of Research and Engagement
Last week, the Office of Research and Engagement interviewed one…
TES Student Paper Winners!!
The Forty-seventh Annual Conference of the Tennessee Entomological Society…
2020 Awards for EPP Faculty & Staff
On August 21, 2020, the University of Tennessee Institute…
National Pollinator Week — Resources & Support
Help feed bees so they can help feed us! While…
National Pollinator Week — Bee Campus, USA
The University of TN, Knoxville was certified as a Bee…
National Pollinator Week — European Honey Bee
For #NationalPollinatorWeek, we would love to take a moment to bring…
National Pollinator Week — Chimney Bees
In lieu of National Pollinator Week, we would like to…
Congratulations for Meher Ony’s Publication
Meher Ony, M.S. student under the mentorship of Dr. Denita…
SARIF Summer GRA Award – Michelle Odoi
Congratulations, Michelle!! The 2020 Faculty Senate Research Council Summer Graduate…
4-H Outreach with our Insect Morphology Students!
Check out all the pictures that were taken at our…
Accomplishments From a Recent Graduate, Dr. Wanwan Liang
Dr. Wanwan Liang (class of 2019 and former EPP…
Amani Khalil Awarded “Judged Best Poster” from SSAWG Conference 2020!
Amani Khalil– Mani to her friends– recently won the poster…
Marlo Black Awarded Undergraduate National Conference on Urban Entomology (NCUE) Scholarship!
Congratulations are in order for young Marlo Black who recently…
New Paper on Relative Attractiveness of Ornamental Cultivars to Pollinators
Ornamental plants are generally considered to be less attractive to…
New Paper on the Effects of Experimental Warming on Pollen Nutrition
In this paper, Dr. Laura Russo shows that experimental warming…
EPP STUDENTS EXCELLED at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting; Nov. 17-20, 2019
ESA Meeting 2019 Faculty, post-docs, staff, and students from the…
Passing of Former EPP Faculty Charles Russel Patrick III
It is with deep sorrow we announce that we lost…
Grant to Support Dr. Trout Fryxell’s Research on the Asian Longhorned Tick
Congratulations! Dr. Rebecca Trout Fryxell has just been awarded a…
Shelly Pate: What Being First-Generation Means to Me
National First-Generation College Student Celebration Being First-Generation is beautiful and…
Extension Publications from Dr. Zachariah Hansen
Dr. Zachariah Hansen, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, has recently…
EPP at TVA&I Fair in Knoxville
The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology is represented well…
EPP Graduate Student Honored as Tennessee Doctoral Fellow
Julian Cosner, a Ph.D. student in EPP, is one of five…
Nourolah Soltani receives the Myron K. Brakke Student Travel Award from APS
The American Phytopathological Society (APS) announces that Nourolah Soltani received…
Nourolah Soltani Poster Featured in Pendergrass Library
The poster created by Nourolah Soltani was chosen for display…
New Study on Pollinator Nutrition by Dr. Russo
Dr. Laura Russo recently published a manuscript showing bee preference…
National Pollinator Week: June 17-June 23
National Pollinator Week is a time to celebrate pollinators of…
Dr. Russo Awarded Early Career Robert May Prize from British Ecological Society
The Methods in Ecology and Evolution (MEE) Robert May early…
Three Students Working in EPP Win at EUReCA Competition!
Congratulations to all the Herbert winners at the Exhibit of…
Joint Evolution of Asexuality and Queen Number in an Ant
A recent paper in Current Biology by DeWayne Shoemaker and…
Dr. Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes: Researcher and Tango Teacher
Check out the recent article about Dr. Jurat-Fuentes at: https://news.utk.edu/2019/04/05/jurat-fuentes-destroying-insects-from-the-inside-out/ Also, see…
Dr. Frank Hale’s ‘Traveling Elixir of Ornamental Ailments’ comes to UTIA
This exhibit showcases the variety of insects that damage ornamental…
Dr. Mark Windham Selected for Rose Jury Position at Biltmore Estate
Since 2011, Biltmore Estate has run international rose trials where…
Remembering Dr. Carroll Southards
The Entomology and Plant Pathology Department was saddened by the…
Graduate Student Ratnasri Mallipeddi Wins Award at ESA, ESC, and ESBC Joint Annual Meeting
Ratnasri Mallipeddi took first place in the student competition for…
UTIA Scientists Publish Paper on Role of Citizen Science in Addressing Agricultural Challenges
Dr. Sean Ryan, a postdoctoral researcher in the EPP Department,…
Be on the Lookout for Grapevine Leaf Rust in Tennessee
Dr. Zach Hansen published an article in the November 2018…
EPP Undergraduate Recognized as Top Junior in Herbert College
Emily Camfield is an undergraduate in Herbert College and works…
EPP Researchers Discuss Rose Rosette Disease
Dr. Frank Hale, Alan Windham, and Mark Windham recently weighed…
Drs. Alan and Mark Windham Lead Rose Tour at the Plateau Research and Education Center
The Cookeville Rose Society and Cumberland County Master Gardeners took…
Tennessee Tick Survey by Dr. Trout Fryxell and David Theuret
A tick survey study in Tennessee by Dr. Trout Fryxell…
Dr. Hale and Dr. A. Windham Invited Speakers for UTIA Turf and Ornamental Field Day
Frank Hale and Alan Windham attended UT Turf and Ornamental Field…
Dr. Bernard Receives 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan State University!
Dr. Ernest Bernard is the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Alumni…
Dr. Hale and Dr. A. Windham Invited Speakers for U.S. Ornamental Pesticide Dealers
Frank Hale and Alan Windham updated horticultural pesticide dealers from…
Development of Novel DNA-Based Methods for Detection of Bt Resistant Fall Armyworms
During the past 22 years, pest control efficacy and the…
Congratulations to Dr. Denita Hadziabdic Guerry – Fulbright Scholar!
Several indigenous crop species have the potential to become foods…
Congratulations to Dr. Bonnie Ownley!
Dr. Bonnie Ownley was selected as the 2018 UT Notable…
[OLD] EPP Searching for New Faculty Member – Assistant Professor of Apiculture
This position has been filled. The Department of Entomology and Plant…
Amy Michael – Exit Seminar
EPP graduate student Amy Michael will present her exit seminar entitled…
New Extension Publication – Grasshoppers in Soybean
EPP graduate students Clay Perkins and Scott Graham recently published a…
Satyendra Pothula – Exit Seminar
EPP graduate student Satyendra Pothula will present his exit seminar entitled…
Recent Article: Sociometry of Solenopsis Geminata Reveals Variation in Colony-Level Phenotypes in Fire Ants
Abstract: In social insects, natural selection operates at the level…
New Genetic Study Reveals Cryptic Diversity in the Native North American Fire Ants
The native North American fire ants (Solenopsis Westwood) comprise a…
EPP Faculty Develop Disease-Resistant Dogwoods for the Nursery Industry
Three current Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology faculty, Dr. Trigiano,…
Ratnasri Mallipeddi – Exit Seminar
EPP graduate student Ratnasri Mallipeddi will present her exit seminar…
Nick Strange & Swati Mishra – Proposal Seminar
EPP graduate students Nick Strange and Swati Mishra will present their…
Living Collection Collaboration Project
Read about collaboration studying dogwoods between the Arboretum and the University…
Mosquito-Borne Virus in Appalachia
UTIA Assistant Professor Rebecca Trout Fryxell discusses the rise of…
Mechanism of Field-Evolved Resistance to Bt Corn Identified
UTIA Professor Juan Jurat-Fuentes and colleagues publish results of a…