I continue to work and give talks on the epidemiology of diseases of plants caused the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. It is now considered to be the most dangerous bacterial plant pathogen in the world, affecting a variety of crop plants and forest trees, with recent detections in southern Europe.
My research interests cover the intersection of insects with bacterial parasites of plants (see Annu. Rev. Phytopathology, 2013; 51:339–56). My teaching background was general entomology, plant disease epidemiology/management. I have independent current research underway on campus and collaborate with faculty, and I assist graduate students in their research. I've been invited several times a year to give lectures at conferences. I'd love to collaborate with a fluid dynamics engineer or a plant physiologist who might collaborate on studies on fluid dynamics of plant sap feeding by sucking insects. I'm also interested in exploring for bacteria specialized for feeding on plant xylem (water-conduction system) fluid with the help or collaboration of a microbiologist interested in microbial diversity or ecology. I'm open to other collaborations.
