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Douglas G.
Pfeiffer Professor Department of Entomology 205C Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061-0319 Ph. (540) 231-4183 Fax (540) 231-9131 Departmental bio page dgpfeiff at vt.edu |
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Douglas G.
Pfeiffer Professor Department of Entomology 205C Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061-0319 Ph. (540) 231-4183 Fax (540) 231-9131 Departmental bio page dgpfeiff at vt.edu |
* Indicates graduate
student in Pfeiffer lab; ** indicates visiting international
scholar.
Corey
Riedel, M.S. (Entomology)
Thesis topic: Biological control in rice in Cambodia
Initiated studies:
August 2016
Pragya
Chalise, Ph.D. (Entomology)
Dissertation topic: Ecological aspects of mealybugs
in vineyards
Initiated studies:
Jan 2016
Damisi
Bailey,
On-line M.S.
Project
topic: Assessing IPM competence in pest control applicators
Initiated studies:
Sep 2014
Andrew
Dechaine, M.S. (Entomology;
co-chair with Tom Kuhar)
Thesis topic: Spotted lanternfly on forest perennials
Date of completion: February 2021
Emily Carmichael, on-line M.S.
Project
topic: Hop pest management
Ian
Sandum, M.S. (Entomology)
Project topic: African fig fly (Zaprionus
africanus Gupta) as a pest of caneberries
Date of completion: Jun 2019
Brittany
Willbrand, on-line M.S.
Project
title: Field survey of Drosophila suzukii(Matsumura) and Zaprionus indianus Gupta (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Maui, Hawaii
Date of
completion: Jun 2019
Meredith Shrader,
Ph.D. (Entomology)
Dissertation
title:
Drosophila suzukii
(Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae): Risk assessment for an
invasive vinegar fly in Virginia vineyards
Date
of
completion: April 2017
Jamie
Wahls,
M.S. (Entomology)
Thesis
title: Host-parasitoid interactions of two invasive
drosophilid species in Virginia fruit crops
Date
of
completion: Feb 2017
$500
Award
from Graduate Research Development Fund Dec 2014
Taliaferro
Trope,
M.S. (Entomology)
Project
title:
Trap-cropping and barrier crops for brown marmorated stink bug,
Halyomorpha halys (Stål)
(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in organic vegetable crop systems
Date
of
completion: June 2016
Assa
Balayara,
M.S. (Entomology)
Thesis
title:
An invasive fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis
(Tephritidae), on mango in Senegal: Impact on mango crop
production and value, marketing practices, and management.
Date
of
completion: May 2016
Dan
Nortman, on-line M.S.
Project topic: Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura)
(Diptera: Drosophilidae): Utilization of cherry tomato as a
host, and pest status in home gardens
Date of
Completion: Apr 2015.
Timothy Jordan,
Ph.D. (Entomology)
Dissertation
topic:
Surveillance of grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana
(Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in Virginia vineyards
Date
of
Completion: March 2014
Sanjay
Basnet,
M.S.
Thesis
topic: Brown marmorated stink bug on grapes and caneberries
Date of
Completion: January 2014
James
Struckmeyer, on-line M.S.
Project topic: To be
determined
Initiated
studies: Aug 2009.
Ahmed
Dieng
Tawer, M.S.
Project
topic: Benefits and risks of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) in agriculture
Date
of
Completion: June 2013.
Shana
Beirne,
M.S. (Co-chair with Rick Fell, Entomology)
Thesis
topic:
topic: Distribution of
carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) in different
geographic regions of Virginia
Initiated
studies: December 2012.
Robert
C.
Slaughter, M.S.
Project
topic: An ethnographic linear programming study of integrated
pest management in Haiti
Date of
completion: December 2011.
Laura
Maxey,
M.S.
Thesis
topic: Pest management of Japanese
beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and a study of stink bug
(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) injury on primocane-bearing
caneberries in Southwest Virginia
Date of
completion: February 2011.
Heather Andrews, M.S. (Co-chair with Tom Kuhar,
Entomology)
Thesis
topic: Monitoring
and management of thrips populations in vegetables, row crops,
and greenhouse crops in Virginia
Date of completion: 2011
Project
topic:
Evaluating options for Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor)
control in winter wheat for the Tidewater region of North
Carolina.
Date
of
completion: 2011
Anna
Wallingford,
M.S.
Thesis
title: Determining the threat to Virginia vineyards of Pierce's
disease; caused by the bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa,
and transmitted by sharpshooter leafhoppers (Hemiptera:
Cicadellidae).
Date
of
completion: July 2008.
Zhang
Xing,
Ph.D.
Dissertation
title:
Biogeography and
biosystematics of plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar
(Herbst)/Wolbachia
interactions
Date
of
completion: December 2006.
Michelle
McClanan,
M.S.
Thesis
title:
Biochemical separation of geographical strains of plum curculio,
Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera:
Curculionidae), and evaluation of olfactory attractants in
Virginia orchards.
Date
of
completion: April 2002.
Jessica
Metzger,
M.S.
Thesis
title:
Developing a low impact pest management system for spider mites
(Acari: Tetranychidae) in Virginia vineyards using the predatory
mite Neoseiulus fallacis
(Garman) (Acari: Phytoseiidae).
Date
of
completion: January 2001.
Katherine
L.
Knowles, M.S.
Thesis
title: Impact of
low-spray mating disruption programs on aphidophagous insect
populations in Virginia apple orchards.
Date
of
completion: May 1997.
Sean
M.
Malone, M.S.
Thesis
title: The
influence of pheromone dispenser release rates, trap height and
pheromone dispenser height on captures of leafrollers in apple
orchards.
Date
of
completion: May 1996.
Erik
K.
Gronning, M.S.
Thesis
title:
Mating disruption in apple orchards: Dispenser release rates,
generic blends and community impact.
Date
of
completion: December 1994.
Perian
L.
Dillon, Ph.D.
Dissertation
title:
Biological and ecological studies of Hydrotaea aenescens
(Weidemann) (Diptera: Muscidae), and other selected arthropods
of high rise deep-pit poultry houses.
Date
of
completion: January 1994
Walid
Kaakeh,
Ph.D.
Dissertation
title: The effect
of spirea aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) feeding and nitrogen
fertilization on the growth of young apple trees, with
comparisons to apple aphid.
Date
of
completion: June 1989.
Merrill
W.
Varn, Ph.D.
Dissertation
title:
The effects of aphids on the growth of young apple trees.
Date
of
completion: April 1987.
T.
Jude
Boucher, M.S.
Thesis
title:
Japanese beetle Popillia
japonica Newman: Foliar feeding on wine grapes in
Virginia.
Date
of
completion: July 1986.
Honor Societies