Professional experiences

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Feb. 2018 - Present                                 Biologist / Environmental Scientist,

                                                                 U.S. Food & Drug Administration

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Sep 2017 - Feb 2018                                Research Associate,

                                                                  Dept. of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

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Sept. 2015 - Aug 2017                              AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow,

                                                                  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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Jun 2014 - Aug 2015                                Post-Doctoral Research Associate,

                                                                  Dept. of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Aug 2009 - Jun 2014                                Graduate Research Assistant,

                                                                  Dept. of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Mar 2008 - Jun 2009                                 Assistant Engineer,

                                                                  Dept. of Ecology, Institut Français de Pondichéry, Pondicherry, India

Jan 2007 - Dec 2007                                Research Associate,

                                                                  Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy & Learning, Pondicherry, India

Nov 2005 - Jan 2007                                Research Associate,

                                                                  Group for Nature Preservation & Education,Chennai, India
 

Jan 2003 - Nov 2005                                Research Associate,

                                                                  Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy & Learning, Pondicherry, India

Feb 2002 - Dec 2003                                Technical Assistant,

                                                                  Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, India

 

Sep 2001 - Dec 2001                                Research Ecologist (Consultant),

                                                                  Khandige Investments Private Limited, Chennai, India

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Dec 2000 - Apr 2001                                Research Associate,

                                                                  Wildlife Conservation Society - India, Bangalore, India

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Feb 1999 - Jun 1999                                 Research Assistant,

                                                                  Wildlife Conservation Society - India, Bangalore, India

Oct 1995 - Mar 1999                                Volunteer,

                                                                  Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network and

                                                                  Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Chennai, India

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Awards

International Integrated Pest Management Award of Recognition - StopBMSB program.

Excellence in Extension and Outreach Award - Dept. of Entomology, Univ. of Maryland.

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Academic training
 

Doctor of Philosophy             Entomology                                     University of Maryland, College Park, USA

Master of Science                 Ecology                                           Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India

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Bachelor of Science              Major - Zoology
                                              Ancillaries - Botany, Chemistry       University of Madras, Chennai, India

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Academic activities and affiliations

Academic referee - National Academy of Sciences U.S.- Egypt Science & Technology Joint Fund 

                               (Climate change & agriculture, Food safety & security), Scientific Reports, PLoS ONE, Journal

                               of Economic Entomology, Environmental Entomology, Journal of Pest Science, HortScience,

                               Bulletin of Entomological Research, Insect Science

Member, American Association for Advancement of Science (2015-)

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Member, Transportation Research Board (2015-)

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Member, Society for Freshwater Science (2017-)

Student Representative, Entomology Faculty Advisory Committee (2010-2011)

Member, Search committee for Asst. Prof. Sustainable Agriculture in Entomology, UMD (2014)

Member, Brown Marmorated Stink bug Working Group (2011-)

Member, Entomological Society of America (2012-)

Member, Ecological Society of America (2010)

Member, Association for Tropical Biologists (2001 & 2008)

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Research grants

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2015-2016         Co-PI - USDA-NIFA North east regional IPM grant with PI Dr. Kelly Hamby, Co-PI Dr.

                         Cerruti Hooks and collaborators (Joanne Whalen - University of Delaware; Edward Masler -

                         USDA). Multitasking marigold to strengthen organic IPM in lima bean and other bean crops

                         ($25,000).

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2014-2016         Co-Project Director - USDA-Speciality Crop Initiative with institutional leader Dr. Cerruti

                         Hooks (UMD) and Project Director Dr. Tracy Leskey (USDA-ARS), Biology, ecology, and

                         management of the brown marmorated stink bug ($750,000 UMD award from overall

                         ($2,705,308).

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2013-2015         United Soybean Board. Galen Dively (PI), C.R.R. Hooks, A.D. Herbert, J. Whalen & P.D.

                         Venugopal (collaborator). Biology, Distribution, and Management of the Brown Marmorated

                         Stink bug in soybean ($272,669).

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2013                 USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education - Graduate Student Grant. Dilip

                         Venugopal (PI), William Lamp and Galen Dively. Spatial pattern of infestation risk and

                         management of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug in soybeans ($14,956).

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2013                 Maryland Soybean Board grant. P.D. Venugopal (collaborator) with principal investigator Dr.

                         Galen Dively. Refinement of a visual scouting method and threshold trigger for perimeter

                         treatments to control the brown marmorated stink bug on soybean ($7,566)

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2012                 Cosmos Club Grant, Dilip Venugopal (PI). Spatio-temporal heterogeneity and management

                         of an invasive agricultural pest ($1,250).

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2005-2006         Group for Nature Preservation and Education, Chennai, India. Dilip Venugopal (PI) & N. M

                         Ishwar. Determinants of reptilian diversity in the Anamalai Hills of Western Ghats, India

                         (₹ 233,566).

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2000                 Wildlife Conservation Society – India, Small grants program. Dilip Venugopal (PI). Basking

                         behaviour and survey of marsh crocodiles Crocodylus palustris in Ranganthittu Bird

                         Sanctuary, Karnataka, India (INR 25,000).

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2012-2013         Arthur B. Gahan Fellowship, Dept. of Entomology, Univ. of Maryland ($20,080)

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2013                 Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Grant. University of Maryland ($400)

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2011                 Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowship, University of Maryland ($5000)

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2010                 Entomology Student Association Travel Grant, University of Maryland ($250)

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Teaching and Mentorship
 

Guest Lecture                                           Introduction to R, University of Maryland, Fall 2010

                                                                  Integrated Pest Management, Spr 2016  
 

Teaching Assistant,                                   BSCI105 Principles of Biology, Spring 2012 & Spring2013

University of Maryland                              BSCI361 Principles of Ecology, Fall 2011

                                                                  BSCI222 Principles of Genetics, Fall 2010

                                                                  BSCI106 Principles of Biology, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011 & Fall2012

Graduate mentee and project
 

2017 Peter Coffey,                                     “Effects of cover crops on biological control”

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2017 Becca Wilson,                                  "Spatial distribution, habitat preference, and societal impact of the nuisance black fly,

                                                                   Simulium jenningsi"

2015 Erik Bergmann                                  “Patterns of host use by brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys

                                                                    (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in woody ornamental trees and shrubs”

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Undergraduate mentee and project

2013 Alec Arditti, University of Maryland, MD “Using remotely sensed temperature data for predicting regional stink bug abundance”

2007 Genna Huston, Juniata College PA, “The eect of tides, salinity, pH, nutrients, and soil on mangrove growth”

2007 Caitlin Eger, Juniata College PA, “Comparing disturbed and undisturbed tropical dry evergreen forest characteristics”

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High school mentee and project (Poolesville High School, MD)

Lalitha Cheruvu 2013 “Degree-day calculations for brown marmorated stink bugs”

Aashil Chawla 2012 “Chlorophyll levels in fleld crops as indicator of resource quality influencing stink bugs”

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Languages

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Tamil, English, Hindi, Kannada (Professional proficiency)

Malayalam, Sanskrit (Limited proficiency)

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