William Rodney Cooper   University of Kentucky Department of Entomology S-203 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY  40546 wcooper@uky.edu

• M.S. Entomology. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR, 2004
• Biological Lab Technician, USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station (AFRS) in Kerneysville, WV under Dr. Gary Puterka. Jan. 2001 to Aug. 2002
• Biological Research Aid, USDA-ARS-AFRS under Dr. Mark Brown. May 2000 to Dec. 2000
• Undergraduate intern research project, WVU Fruit Research and Education Station, Kerneysville, WV, May 1999 to Oct. 1999
• B.S. Biology/Environmental Science. Shepherd College, Shepherdstown WV, 2000

Expertise and Research Interests Forest Entomology, Plant/Insect Interactions

Current Research:

The overall goal of my project is to evaluate interactions between chestnut blight resistance and susceptibility to exotic insect pests in order to proactively face challenges threatening restoration of American chestnut. My specific objectives are to:

1. characterize insect resistance mechanisms, and evaluate the compatibility of these defenses with blight resistance.

2. characterize the biological and ecological implications of insect resistance in chestnuts.

3. evaluate the interactions between chestnut trees and the newly introduced exotic chestnut gall wasp in the context to blight resistance.

Future Research

(to be determined)

Expected Graduation

Fall 2007