Plantopia

In this episode, Dr. Terence Mhora, Senior Global R&D Scientist at FMC Agricultural Solutions, joins host Matt Kasson for an insightful discussion on building an interdisciplinary career in plant pathology. Dr. Mhora shares how his upbringing in Zimbabwe sparked his passion for agriculture and led him down this path. The conversation delves into the critical balance between molecular research...

In this episode, Dr. Edel Pérez-López, Associate Professor of Phytopathology at Université Laval, joins host Matt Kasson for an engaging conversation about growing up in Cuba, taking risks and navigating language and cultural barriers in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, and the challenges of working with understudied obligate parasitic protists and Mollicutes. * Show notes * Université Laval Faculty P...

In this episode, Dr. Niklaus Grunwald, Research Plant Pathologist with the Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, joins host Matt Kasson for an engaging conversation about emerging phytophthora diseases, the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in addressing global agricultural challenges, and exciting develo...

In this episode, Dr. Romina Gazis, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology and Director of the Plant Diagnostic Clinic at the University of Florida, joins host Matt Kasson for an engaging conversation about growing up in Peru, her love of mycology and fungal diseases, and her tireless work to diagnose and manage tropical fruit diseases in Florida. Show notes University of Florida Tropical Research...

In this episode, Dr. Mannon Gallegly, centenarian and Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology at West Virginia University, joins host Matt Kasson for an engaging conversation about Mannon’s storied 80+ year career as a plant pathologist. Dr. Gallegly shares stories of working alongside Wood Food Prize recipient John S. Niederhauser and Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug in Mexico in the 1950s and 1960s....

In this episode, join host Matt Kasson as he engages in a conversation with Dr. Megan McCaghey, Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. McCaghey shares insights into her career journey shaped by agriculture, the deliberate choice to pursue a master's degree before a PhD, and her ongoing research on Southern blight and Phytopht...

In the season 4 premier of Plantopia, new host Matt Kasson, associate professor of forest pathology and mycology at West Virginia University, talks to Dr. Jim Bradeen, season 2 and 3 host of Plantopia, professor of plant pathology, and associate vice president at Colorado State University Spur Campus. The two discussed what interested Jim in plant sciences, what he's passionate about, the importan...

In this episode, Dr. Rubella Goswami, director for the Plant Protection Division at USDA’s-National Institute of Food and Agriculture, joins host Jim Bradeen to talk about her vast career in plant pathology, how a global perspective influenced her career, transitioning from academia to industry, the challenges for women in science, and advice for young professionals in the field. Show notes The fu...

In this episode, recorded live at the 12th International Congress of Plant Pathology in Lyon, France, Dr. Yong-Hwan Lee, president of the International Society for Plant Pathology, joins host Jim Bradeen to talk about global plant health, his career in plant pathology, opportunities and challenges facing the industry, academic leadership, international collaborations, and a preview of the next Int...

In this episode, recorded live at the 12th International Congress Of Plant Pathology in Lyon, France, Dr. Justin Pita, Executive Director for the West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) for Food Security, joins host Jim Bradeen to talk about plant health opportunities and challenges throughout the 10 countries represented by the WAVE, his career in plant pathology, the need to build or equip facili...

In this episode, Evelyn Planter Heidt, a masters student in both plant pathology and entomology at Iowa State University, joins host Jim Bradeen for a conversation about her passions, goals and impact in plant pathology. The two chat about her career journey in the field; her involvement in the World Food Prize; her ongoing research on mung beans, its importance to the U.S., and its genetic divers...

In this episode, recorded live at the 12th International Congress Of Plant Pathology in Lyon, France, Mathias Choquer, co-chair of ICCP23, joins host Jim Bradeen to talk about this year's event, the French Society of Plant Pathology, reasons why early career professionals should get involved in their societies, his research into the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea and vesicular trafficking, and...

In this episode, Dr. Prasanna Kankanala, director of research and development at Trace Genomics, joins host Jim Bradeen for a conversation about her career in plant pathology. The two chat about her career journey in the field, the advantages of having a career in industry, some of the most common misperceptions of industry careers in plant pathology, the importance of mentorship, microbiomes, and...

In this episode, Dr. Mary Palm, former National Mycologist with USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine, joins host Jim Bradeen for a conversation about her career in mycology. The two chat about her career journey in mycology, her passion for fungi, her impactful career with USDA APHIS and the influential people she met along the way, the skills needed to be a national mycologist, her leadersh...

In this episode, Ric Dunkle, PhD, Senior Director of Seed Health and Trade for the American Seed Trade Association, joins host Jim Bradeen for an engaging conversation about seed quality and research. The two chat about Ric's career journey in seed pathology, seed pathogens and microbes, international seed trade, the importance of the American Seed Trade Association, and advice for young professio...

In this episode, Dr. Carrie Harmon, an extension specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, joins host Jim Bradeen for a fun conversation about plant diagnostics. The two chat about recommended standards of diagnostic validation for reference collections, how she got her start in plant pathology, desktop diagnoses, and...

In this episode, Febina Mathew, an associate professor of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University, joins host Jim Bradeen for a conversation about her career in plant pathology. The two chat about her journey, the importance of practical research, making research decisions, the future of plant pathology, mentorship, and even some dance pointers! Show notes The full transcript for this epi...

In this episode, Dr. Jason Smith, Professor of Forest Pathology at the School of Forest, Fisheries & Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida, joins host Jim Bradeen for an engaging conversation about Pyroaerobiology - the aerosolization and transport of viable microbial life by wildland fire. The two chat about his research in the field, his study of laurel wilt and valley fever, envir...

In this episode, Dr. Jan Leach, the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture and a University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University, joins host Jim Bradeen for an engaging conversation about careers in plant pathology. The two chat about the importance of mentorship, working internationally, research, and how to get involved in various societies within the plant pat...

In this episode, Gary Chastagner, a professor of plant pathology and an extension specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology at Washington State University, joins host Jim Bradeen for a timely conversation about the science behind Christmas trees. The two chat about his initial interests in plant pathology, his research specific to Christmas trees and diseases impacting them, genetically modi...

In this episode, Dr. Karen Ferreira da Silva, Field Scientist at Corteva Agrisciences, joins host Jim Bradeen for a candid conversation about her perspectives in plant pathology. The two chat about her career journey to plant pathology, her unique PhD research on plant responses to biotic challenges and her experimental approach, and leadership development opportunities for graduate students in pl...

In this episode, Dr. Hanareia Ehau-Taumaunu, postdoctoral scientist at Bioprotection Aotearoa and Plant and Food Research, joins host Jim Bradeen for a conversation about her perspectives as an Indigenous woman and a scientist. The two chat about Indigenous ways of knowing, what shaped her career path, and her research on phyllosphere composition. Show notes The full transcript for this episode ca...

In this episode, Juliana Gonzalez-Tobon from Cornell University, joins host Jim Bradeen to talk about her research on small non-coding RNAs and the role they play in regulating plant pathogen interactions. The two also discuss her social media presence and what she's doing to fight COVID misinformation and raise the profile of science communication. Show notes The full transcript for this episode...

In this episode, recorded live at Plant Health 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Leonor Leandro professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at the Iowa State University, joins host Jim Bradeen to talk about her passion for teaching, her unique approach to the classroom and team-based learning (TBL), and her insights in plant pathology education. Show notes The full transcri...

In this episode, Sara García Figuera , agricultural engineer, plant pathologist and agri-business consultant for Prospero & Partners, joins host Jim Bradeen for a conversation about social sciences and its impact on plant health. The two chat about her career path, her research on Huanglongbing, collective action, and the importance of mentorship. Show notes The full transcript for this episod...