This coming August, I will be leaving the Canadian Forest Service to join the Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota as an Assistant Professor in Forest Entomology. The goals of my research program, such as conducting research of importance to the forest industry and society with a strong training platform for talented students, will not change.
A variety of factors play into the decision to return to the American midwest: research/training/collaborative potential, proximity to family, and so on. I hesitate to move away from so many fantastic colleagues on the west coast, but I expect that many collaborations will continue. And, there are very good people in the Great Lakes region too.
I am excited to be joining the Department of Entomology in St. Paul, and am looking forward to helping out where we can with the variety of insect challenges facing the state of Minnesota. I expect that we'll be trading mountain pine beetle for emerald ash borer, for example.
If you are interested in exploring research, training, or collaborative opportunities as we re-establish a research program in Minnesota this fall, please .