MSU researcher named American Phytopathological Society fellow
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EmailMSU AgBioResearch scientist Mary Hausbeck has been named a fellow of the American Phytopathological Society (APS), the nation's premier society of innovative plant pathology research.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University (MSU) AgBioResearch scientist Mary Hausbeck has been named a fellow of the American Phytopathological Society (APS), the nation’s premier society of innovative plant pathology research.
The APS is a diverse, global community of scientists that provides credible information related to plant health; advocates and participates in the exchange of knowledge with the public, policymakers and the larger scientific community; and promotes opportunities for scientific communication, career preparation and professional development for its participants.
The society was founded in 1908 and has members from nearly 100 countries.
“I didn’t know I had been nominated for the fellowship, so I was very surprised when I received a call from the APS President,” Hausbeck explained. “I was expecting him to talk with me about vegetable diseases and control!”
Hausbeck, a professor and MSU Extension specialist in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, is internationally recognized for her research and Extension efforts, which focus on furthering the biological understanding, management and epidemiology of vegetable, ginseng and greenhouse ornamental diseases. Throughout the course of her career, Hausbeck has secured more than $12 million in competitive funds, published more than 100 papers, and spoken at more than 350 outreach events in Michigan, neighboring states and countries abroad.
Hausbeck is also internationally recognized for her work with cucurbit downy mildew. After confirming its presence in Michigan, she quickly deployed scientists in her research program to evaluate fungicides for efficacy in combating the destructive disease, a foe that Michigan’s pickling cucumber growers had never encountered. Her scouting and reporting system allowed her to communicate disease threats and make informed recommendations to growers. She is credited with preserving the state’s cucumber and pickle industry, which has an annual value of more than $107 million dollars.
“It’s a privilege to be named a fellow,” she concluded. “I greatly value my partnership with Michigan ag producers, county Extension educators and my dedicated graduate students.”
MSU AgBioResearch engages in innovative, leading-edge research that combines scientific expertise with practical experience to generate economic prosperity, sustain natural resources, and enhance the quality of life in Michigan, the nation and the world. It encompasses the work of more than 300 scientists in seven MSU colleges – Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arts and Letters, Communication Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Natural Science, Social Science and Veterinary Medicine – and has a network of 13 research centers across the state.
