The primary responsibility of the incumbent is for Extension and research in grape and small fruit plant pathology and disease management in support of the Mid-Atlantic Fruit Consortium which supports the industry in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The incumbent, in order to attain tenure in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, must be able to make significant contributions to University of Maryland Extension programming for grape and small fruit pathology and to Agricultural Experiment Station research.
Extension
· Diagnose and address acute commercial grape and small fruit disease problems that negatively impact the profitability and sustainability of the industry. Develop and disseminate to target audiences and stakeholders annual disease management recommendations and educational programming that addresses these disease problems using diverse and innovative techniques, including traditional printed and on-line methods.
· Develop opportunities to participate in regional team objectives and shared educational programming with grape and small fruit Extension personnel and field faculty within the Consortium.
· Work closely with county Extension educators and allied Extension specialists within the Consortium to plan and develop effective in-service programs to train county or regionally-based Extension staff in relevant areas of grape and small fruit disease management.
· Report research results in university publications and websites, industry publications, and scientific journals, as appropriate.
· Assess the outcomes (improved knowledge and/or disease management skills, etc.) and impacts (economic, environmental and/or social) resulting from Extension programming.
Research
· Develop an extramural-funded research program to support the applied and/or basic research programs that will be conducted to solve grape and small fruit disease problems of economic importance in the region. Research programming may focus on: pathogen detection and disease diagnostics, pathogen and disease management (IPM), mechanisms of pesticide resistance, host plant genetic resistance to pathogens, sustainable disease management technologies, and organic production practices.
· Contribute to the education and mentoring of graduate students and post-doctoral scholars.
Minimum Qualifications:
Required–
· The incumbent must have a Ph.D. in Life Sciences.
Preferred–
· Expertise in plant disease management, pathogen ecology and epidemiology, or host plant resistance.
· A strong background in grape and small fruit pathology, excellent communication and outreach teaching skills, and some experience in web-based Extension programming are desired.
Additional Information: Faculty members are expected to serve the professional community through review of publications and participation on competitive grant panels, in national and international professional meetings, and other activities. It is also expected that this individual will participate in other duties and committees as required by the department, college, and university, and interact with educational organizations representing commercial horticulture in the state and region.