About John:
I am an applied insect ecologist specializing in managing crop pests and vector-borne plant pathogens, currently working as a postdoctoral research associate in Brian Nault’s vegetable entomology lab. I received my B.S. in Biology with a focus in Coastal Ecology from the College of Coastal Georgia, and obtained my M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology from Auburn University. During my M.S., I focused on managing the emerging cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) and its vector, the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii. This was done by quantifying imidacloprid resistance among cotton aphid populations in Alabama while taking a landscape ecology approach to assess the effects of landscape composition on observed LC50 values, along with investigating cultural and chemical control strategies to manage for CLRDV. My interest in landscape ecology and geographic information systems (GIS) then led me to obtain my Graduate Certificate in GISc at Auburn University. The overarching goal of my Ph.D. research was to assess the role of the aphid vector in the epidemiology of CLRDV. This was done by characterizing the spatiotemporal distribution, abundance, and seasonal dynamics of cotton-infesting aphids, investigating how different biotic and abiotic factors influenced CLRDV incidence and vector abundance in cotton fields, and by performing gut content analyses to determine the dietary history of the vector before colonizing cotton.
At Cornell, my current research centers on the ecology and management of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, in sweet corn. I am involved in monitoring moth populations to improve trapping methods, develop predictive models for corn earworm risk, and refine action thresholds based on trap captures. Additionally, I investigate chemical and cultural control strategies to optimize management efforts for lepidopteran pests, monitor pest susceptibility to Bt toxins and insecticides, and assess overwintering success and spring emergence timing of corn earworm populations. My career aspiration is to apply our understanding of crop pest ecology to develop sustainable management solutions, mentor and educate the next generation of scientists, and to develop economically sound solutions for today’s growers.