Plantopia – Details, episodes & analysis

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 and fieldwork in plant pathology, the importance of collaboration with specialized labs for federal approvals, and the challenges and opportunities within the industry. They also explore how publications, patents, and networking play pivotal roles in advancing a career in this field.

Show notes

Plantopia is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Terence Mhora.

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 Profile here: https://www.ibis.ulaval.ca/en/research/research-teams/edel-perez-lopez-en/#1533234462662-d003f18e-51c6

Seed World Feature on Dr. Perez Lopez: https://www.seedworld.com/canada/2024/02/14/redefining-success-edel-perez-lopezs-approach-to-science-and-well-being/

2024 MPMI article on Protist Effectors: https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/full/10.1094/MPMI-11-23-0196-CR

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Edel Perez Lopez.

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 diversity; and the use of AI in agriculture.

Show notes

The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2tdvyu5c

You can find her on LinkedIn @Evelyn Planter Heidt

Publication: Batzer, J.C., Sing, A., Platner, E., Kandel, Y. and Mueller, D.S. 2022. Screening Mungbean Accession for Susceptibility to Soybean Fungal Diseases in Iowa. Plant Health Progress Volume 23:456-465.

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Evelyn Planter Heidt.

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 his passion for education.

Show notes

The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2ec4c6v9

French Society of Plant Pathology: https://www.sfp-asso.org/presentation-in-english

International Congress of Plant Pathology: https://www.icpp2023.org

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Mathias Choquer.

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 some of the biggest opportunities available for agriculture.

Show notes

The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/3vkr3as9

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Prasanna Kankanala.

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 leadership roles in the American Phytopathological Society and the Mycology Society of America, and the importance of getting involved.

Show notes

The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/yv2zp5mp

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Mary Palm.

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 professionals wanting to have a career in seed pathology.

Show notes

The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/PlantopiaS3E5

For more information on the American Seed Trade Association, visit https://www.betterseed.org

For more information on APS courses, visit https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/resources/Courses/Pages/default.aspx

For more information on APS' Professional Development for Educators, visit https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/resources/Courses/Pages/default.aspx

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Ric Dunkle, PhD.

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 the National Plant Diagnostic Network.

Show notes

The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3n2AaQF

Visit Carrie Harmon's Twitter at @flplantdr

Lapaire Harmon, C. et al. (2023) Standards of Diagnostic Validation: Recommendations for Reference Collections PhytoFrontiers https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/epdf/10.1094/PHYTOFR-05-22-0050-FI

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Carrie Harmon.

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 episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3lX1ZJn

Visit Febina Mathew's Twitter at @febina_m

LinkedIn: Febina Mathew

Natalia Ingebretsen Kucirkova (2023) Academia’s culture of overwork almost broke me, so I’m working to undo it. Nature. 614:9 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00241-8

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Febina Mathew.

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, environmental management strategies, and insights for early career scientists who are interested in plant pathology.

Show notes

The full transcript for this episode can be found here: https://bit.ly/3EAuoLB

Visit Dr. Smith's Twitter at @ForestPathLab

Kobziar, L.N., M.R.A. Pingree, H. Larson, T.J. Dreaden, S. Green, and J.A. Smith. (2018) Pyroaerobiology: the aerosolization and transport of viable microbial life by wildland fire. Ecosphere 9:e02507 https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.2507

This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

Special Guest: Jason Smith.