Pamela Adams
Laboratory Manager / Technician

Phone: 315.787.2424
email: pma1@cornell.edu

Laboratory Manager: Oversees day to day operations of the research laboratory. Maintains lab ordering, equipment and computers.

Laboratory Technician: Experimentation in molecular biology for insect toxicology research. Research duties also include support for other lab personnel such as technicians, graduate students, and post-docs.

Hilda Collins
Technician

Phone: 315.787.2607
email: hlc6@cornell.edu

David Combs
Research Support Specialist

Phone: 315.787.2465
email: dbc10@cornell.edu

Working in the field of pesticide research and development there are a variety of duties that include both field and laboratory work. Experimental design, pesticide application, data collection and writing project reports take up a majority of the time.

Most of the research is centered on pome fruit, however trials on other tree fruits will often take place. This involves not only utilizing the research orchards available on the Geneva campus, but also doing off campus research on privately owed property. Working in conjunction with the growers of New York State, many of them allow trials to be conducted on their farms for the betterment of the New York fruit industry. Further explanations of these duties are:

• Experimental design and plot setup - Compose experiment pesticide treatment programs, as well as mapping, measuring and marking orchards for trial feasibility.
• Pesticide application and inventory — Responsible for all of the pesticide applications that are affiliated with the research group, which also includes proper storage and maintenance of the chemical inventory and application equipment.
• Data collection and entry — Accountable for all project data collection, entry and statistical analysis.
• Writing project reports and presenting data — Composing final summary reports on all projects and distributing them to the research community, as well as submitting them for publication. This also includes preparing presentations and speaking to select groups.
• Off campus work — Communicate, advise and assist growers when relevant to research projects. This also includes plot setup, pesticide application and data collection.
• Various other duties include: orchard maintenance, hiring and supervising of temporary employees, keeping current with NYS pesticide regulations, vehicle maintenance and basic troubleshooting of problems, laboratory research and inventory and insect colony maintenance.

Entomology and Horticultural Sciences Field Assistant

Phone: 845.691.2371
email: hg21@cornell.edu

As the Field Assistant at the Hudson Valley Lab in Highland I am responsible for the assistance, support and implementation of the research programs of both Peter Jentsch in Entomology and Steve Hoying in Horticultural Sciences.

My primary responsibilities are: conducting field, laboratory and greenhouse trials on pome and grape commodities, as well as onion research in Orange County. This includes the application of insecticide treatments and the collection and summarization of the data.

Carol Herring
Technician

Phone: 315.787.2606
email: cph6@cornell.edu

Stephen Hesler
Research Support Specialist

Phone: 315.787.2605
email: sph12@cornell.edu

Research Support Specialist for the grape and small fruit program managed by Greg Loeb.

The primary responsibility of the research support specialist in this program is to oversee the day to day operations in the laboratory and field. As the objectives of the program change from year to year, so too do the responsibilities of this position. At the present time some of these responsibilities include:

Execution of proposed experiments - As different research interests are proposed it is the responsibility of the research support specialist to design experiments to answer specific research questions. Once funding is established and protocols are set for a proposal, it is then their responsibility to coordinate the set-up and maintenance of these project as well as the data collection and entry. As data accumulates for multiple projects it is the research support specialist’s responsibility to keep the data records organized and accessible. Most of these projects involve a combination of laboratory, and fieldwork ranging from the processing of samples in the lab, to the year-round maintenance of plots in the field.

Supervision of lab employees - The lab presently employs one full-time and one part-time technician as well as several temporary employees during the field season to assist with insect colony maintenance, laboratory experiments and data collection.

Assisting principal investigator - When a new proposal is being compiled by the principal investigator, the research support specialist assists in various ways, such as conducting literature searches, conducting preliminary experiments, and assistance with data and graphics to be submitted in the proposal. Additional assistance is also provided for the preparation of research manuscripts and extension publications and presentations.

Assisting postdoctoral associates and visiting scientist - From time to time the research support specialist provides assistance to postdoctoral associates in the program, and visiting scientists with the coordination of their projects and research needs.

Phone: 315.787.2423
email: mlh5@cornell.edu

Research Projects- Field trial responsibility for PI, graduate students and visiting scientists which includes trial planting and maintenance, pesticide applications and data collecting (damage assessments, residue samples, yields). Laboratory responsibilities include conducting bioassays, insect rearing and greenhouse studies.

Managerial and Other Responsibilities - Supervision of summer assistants including hiring of, time card approval and daily working schedules. Coordinate and assist in research of fellow laboratory personnel by providing initial research set-up (materials for insect cage construction, sites for field experiments) and additional help from summer assistants when necessary (field trial maintenance) . This position is the entomology representative for Barton Lab Spray facilities. Provide problem solving and entomological support for Extension Agents, create and present information at grower, local and national meetings, and maintain communication with grower cooperators and chemical company representatives. Compile and submit data from research projects for publication, update and maintain pesticide records in accordance with Station and federal regulations.

David Kain

Phone: 315.787.2333
email: dpk1@cornell.edu

Here is what I’ve been working on:

1994-97 - Status and control of American plum borer infesting stone fruit trees in New York State

1994-present - Biology and management of mullein plant bug (Campylomma verbasci) in New York apple orchards

2000-present — Status and control of dogwood borer and American plum borer infesting burrknots in dwarf apple orchards in New York State

Recent publications:

Kain, D. P. and J. P. Nyrop. 1995. Predatory Mites. NYS IPM Insect Identification Sheet No. I23.

Kain, D. P. and A. M. Agnello. 1997. American Plum Borer. NYS IPM Insect Identification Sheet No. I24.

Kain, D. P. and J. Kovach. 1998. Phytophagous Mirid Bugs. NYS IPM Insect Identification Sheet No. I25.

Kain, D. and A. Agnello. 1998. Mullein Plant Bug and Apple Brown Bug — "New" Apple Pests. New York Fruit Quarterly, NYS Hort. Soc. 6(1): 6-9.

Kain, D. 1999. Stone Fruit Insect Pests. New York Fruit Quarterly, NYS Hort. Soc. 7(2): 3-7.

Kain, D. P. and A. M. Agnello. 1999. Pest status of American plum borer (Lepidoptera:Pyralidae) and fruit tree borer control with synthetic insecticides and entomopathogenic nematodes in New York State. J. Econ. Entomol. 92(1): 193-200.

Wendy Kain
Research Support Specialist

Phone: 315.787.2476
email: wck2@cornell.edu

My role is to assist the principal investigator in planning, designing, implementing, conducting, and analyzing experiments, as well as to manage the day-to-day operations within the lab.

Recent projects have included:

• Isolation and characterization of biological compounds that have potential insecticidal qualities.
• Molecular analysis of transgenic plants for the presence and copy number of genes, and biological analysis of their effects on herbivorous insects.
• A survey of onion thrips resistance to pyrethroids across New York State.
• Screening and characterization of genomic DNA and cDNA libraries from different insect species

Callie Musto
Technician

Phone:315.787.2371
email: cjm20@cornell.edu

Kandi Nelson
Laboratory Technician

Phone: 315.787.2313
email: kln2@cornell.edu

Dan Olmstead
Research Support Specialist

Phone: 315.787.2334
email: dlo6@cornell.edu

Jason Plate

Phone: 315.787.2607
email: jdp23@cornell.edu

Education:
B.A. 2000 Sociology Minor: Environmental Studies
State University of New York at Geneseo

I am currently working in Dr. Anthony Shelton’s research program in the Entomology Department.  My major responsibility within the group is to help coordinate and conduct field studies. I conduct the program’s insecticide efficacy trials on vegetable crops, along with other projects that range from insecticide resistance management to trap cropping to seed treatment studies and beyond.  I perform most of the spraying and field preparation/maintenance for those working in our program.  I also have responsibilities in the lab and greenhouses.  It is my responsibility to assist our postdoctoral associates and other individuals within the group with their projects as needed.  Further duties include assisting in writing reports, designing PowerPoint presentations, and working with commodity groups.

Recently, I  have been given the responsibilities of managing and editing three websites that our group has on the World Wide Web through the Station's Entomology Department.  These websites are listed below:

Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol

The International Working Group for Diamondback Moth http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/dbm

Kathy Poole
Technician

Phone: 315.87.2371
email: krp1@cornell.edu

Our research group also collaborates with other universities on co-operative projects. To meet the needs of the Pheromone Research group I perform a variety of microsurgical techniques. At present, I have specialized the Antennal Transplant Technique used in transplantation of larval imaginal discs between moth species.

This procedure is currently being used in research studies with two Heliothine moth species, and two pheromone races of the European Corn Borer moth, to better understand olfactory processing of insect sex pheromones.

Nancy Reissig

Phone: 315.787.2323
Email: njs2@cornell.edu

I provide a full range of administrative support to the Department Chair, and Faculty in a department with research and extension responsibilities. This position is also responsible for managing the operations of this department.

Cynthia M. Smith
Technician

Phone: 315.787.2416
email: cms25@cornell.edu

Organize and maintain laboratory and greenhouse facilities for the research group.

Develop and conduct laboratory bioassays of insect and mite pests of apples, especially investigating susceptibility and resistance to chemical control agents.

Maintain colonies of obliquebanded leafroller (Choristoneura rosaceana) and apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella).

Supervise summer employees in data collection of pest management field tests, assessing populations of and damage by the many pests of apples.

Summarize and analyze laboratory and field results.

Bruce Wadhams
Technicial

Phone: 315.787.2415
email: bmw28@cornell.edu

My position here at NYSAES is a Technician for Andrew Landers in the Pesticide Application Technology Team. We are involved with area growers dealing with there spray deposition problems. We are trying to reduce drift of the pesticides from sprayers on the market today and for sprayers that growers have had for years. Two reasons for reducing drift is having less pesticides ruining our environment and also saving the growers money by hitting the target and not wasting any pesticides. Here at FRU we do various trials of our own to try new ways of reducing drift and to get better deposition in grapes, apples, potatoes, turf grass, snap beans, onions and various other vegetables. We do about 80% extension and 20% research. We travel all over the state of New York and parts of Pennsylvania. I assist with all aspects of the Spray Team.

Phone: 315.787.2606
email: ksw2@cornell.edu

Manage many of the research projects conducted in our laboratory. This includes developing first drafts of experimental designs and protocols; collecting data; making mite species identifications; and maintaining data and providing initial summaries and graphic analysis.

Maintain insect colonies.