Monday, August 7 • 8:00 - 9:15 a.m.

Organizer: Janna Beckerman, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

It’s definitely a hot topic. Get the latest information about diseases of Cannabis as well as the challenges associated with serving this growing industry.

• Regulatory and legal issues in identifying pests on Cannabis
  Mitchell Yergert, Colorado Department of Agriculture
• Hemp Disease Risks, Myths, and Blurred Lines
  Nicole W. Gauthier, Extension Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, U.S.A.
• Industrial Hemp: The Inside Dope
  Janna Backerman, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, U.S.A.

Monday, August 7 • 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.

Organizers: Jim Bradeen and Dylan VanBoxtel, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.

As scientists, educators, and communicators we have all heard the adage “we should be telling our story and educating people about science”. But for some, storytelling (especially when it is about our research) seems daunting. Who is the audience? How can I make my science accessible without ‘dumbing it down’? How can I get my message out there? Come to this session to learn what research tells us about how to craft narratives to increase comprehension, interest, and engagement. You will learn about and work with one framework for translating plant pathology research into stories for nonexpert audiences. You will walk away from this session with quick and easy ideas about how you can tell effective plant pathology research stories that align with your personal brand.

• Jim Bradeen, Professor & Head, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
• Dylan VanBoxtel, Communications Coordinator, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.

Tuesday, August 8 • 10:15 – 11:30 a.m.

Organizer: Ismael E. Badillo-Vargas, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Weslaco, TX, U.S.A

Moderators: Ismael E. Badillo-Vargas, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Weslaco, TX, U.S.A.;
Derek Schneweis, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, U.S.A

More than 250 plant-infecting viruses known to date are transmitted from plant-to-plant by insect vectors. The least common modes of transmission among these vector-borne plant-infecting viruses are the persistent-circulative and persistent-propagative; both of which involve the internalization and dissemination of virus particles inside the insect’s body for transmission to occur. Currently, sequencing strategies are being exploited to understand the interactions between plant-infecting viruses with their insect vectors to not only further our knowledge of these complex interactions but also devise novel control strategies to deter the population increase of these little foes and transmission of these ugly, microscopic pathogens to increase good plant health and production. In this session, we will hear from four early career professionals on how they are tackling different problems within this hot topic in plant pathology and insect vector biology.

• Understanding whitefly-virus interactions through genome sequencing and transcriptome analyses
  Daniel K. Hasegawa, USDA-ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC, U.S.A.
• Applying viral metagenomics to discover new viruses of insect vectors of plant pathogens: the Asian citrus psyllid
  Shahideh Nouri, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, U.S.A.

Tuesday, August 8 • 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.

Organizers: Paul Vincelli, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A.

Lessons learned from experienced plant pathologists about engaging the public in controversial issues.

• Scientific Responsibilities: Standing UP When You’d Rather Crawl Under a Rock
  Juliet M. Marshall, University of Idaho, Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S.A.
• Restoring Civil Discourse to the Topic of Fungicide Use in Field Crops
  Kiersten A. Wise, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A.
• Engaging the Public on Genetically Engineered Crops
  Paul Vincelli, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A.