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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Cornell University professor has been selected as chair of the University of Florida’s plant pathology department, UF officials announced today.

Rosemary Loria, a plant pathology professor at Cornell University, was named to chair the department by Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. She begins Aug. 19 and will also be a plant pathology professor.

Loria has been a faculty member at Cornell for more than 30 years and served as chair of Cornell’s plant pathology department for five years.

Loria brings her experience as an outstanding scientist and chair at Cornell to her new position at UF, Payne said.

“Coming from Cornell, a well-known land-grant university, Dr. Loria understands the importance and the integration of the three legs of the land-grant mission — learning, discovery and engagement,” he said.

Loria said she is eager to work with the talented faculty in the department to meet the needs of Florida agriculture and to address the threat of imported plant pathogens.

“Novel and sustainable plant disease management strategies are critical to the continued viability of Florida agriculture, as are well-trained agricultural specialists,” she said.

The plant pathology department is part of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and includes faculty in Gainesville and at research and education centers across the state. The department focuses on research, teaching and extension efforts related to crop diseases.

The department is involved with innovative programs that include plant medicine, plant molecular and cellular biology, astrobiology, the Southern Plant Diagnostics Network and UF’s Emerging Pathogens Institute.

Loria attended Michigan State University where she received her doctorate in 1980, her master’s degree in plant pathology in 1977, and her bachelor’s degree in botany in 1974.

In 2010, she was part of a team at Cornell that received the Partnership Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture for work on enhancing the security of the nation’s crops.

Also in 2010, she was honored with the Ruth Allen Award for outstanding research from the American Phytopathological Society.

Loria succeeds Eric Triplett, plant pathology interim chair since August 2010.

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Contacts

Writer: Robert H. Wells, 352-273-3569, rhwells@ufl.edu

Source: Jack Payne, 352-392-1971, jackpayne@ufl.edu

Rosemary Loria, a plant pathology professor at Cornell University, was named to chair the UF plant pathology department by Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. She begins Aug. 19 and will also be a plant pathology professor.

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