Virginia Tech invasive species experts available to speak on environment, human health, biosecurity, and policy, and economics
As part of National Invasive Species Awareness Week, celebrated Feb.24-28, the Invasive Species Collaborative at Virginia Tech has several experts to speak on invasive species, the threat that they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread.
The Invasive Species Collaborative integrates invasion science with the policy, management, and social demands associated with confronting this global crisis. The group brings together biologists, resource managers, social scientists, policy experts, and other stakeholders to facilitate new local, regional, and global partnerships.
Virginia Tech has a number of invasive species experts who can offer insights on the different impacts of invasive species:
Environmental impacts
Stacy Endriss, assistant professor in the Department of Entomology, is an evolutionary ecologist with a passion for understanding the evolution, ecology, and impacts of introduced plants, especially in the context of species invasion and dispersal.
Human health
Chloé Lahondère, associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry, researches the thermal biology, eco-physiology, and neuroethology of disease vector insects and ticks.
Department of Entomology Associate Professor Warren Booth's research explores how organisms adapt and evolve within urban environments, using invasive indoor urban pest insects, most notably bed bugs, as model systems of study.
Biosecurity
David Haak, associate professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, and Tom Kuhar, professor in the Department of Entomology, can speak on the impact of invasive crop pests. Haak's research is focused on identifying genomic regions of plants and microbes that can be used to improve plant health to promote a sustainable and secure food supply.
Kuhar has experience working on various invasive species of agricultural importance including: brown marmorated stink bug, kudzu bug, spotted lanternfly, Asian jumping worm, Asian longhorned tick, and others.
Policy and economics impact
Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Associate Professor Kelly Coburn's research involves integrating biological models of pest dynamics with economic models of human decision making to understand what factors drive the spread of invasive species and what policy instruments effectively and efficiently slow or halt spread.
Todd Schenk, associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs, can speak on his research interests which include collaborative governance at the science-policy interface, wicked sustainability challenges, and civil discourse to better build empathy and understanding.
Additional resources
According to the Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and Their Control, 60 percent of global extinctions have been caused, solely or alongside other drivers, by invasive species.
Schedule an interview
To schedule an interview, please contact Margaret Ashburn, mkashburn@vt.edu, 540-529-0814.
