Oklahoma State University

Graduate Studies in Entomology & Plant Pathology




Oklahoma State University, a state-supported land-grant university founded in 1890, emphasizes a liberal and practical education. The University has an enrollment of approximately 23,000 students, including over 4,700 graduate students.

The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology is housed in the Noble Research Center. The facilities of the Noble Research Center represent the finest available and give the department excellent resources to accomplish it's mission of teaching, research, and extension. Graduate students have access to student offices, WI-FI, laboratories for teaching and research, and controlled environment chambers. The department's faculty includes scientists who have received national and international recognition.

Oklahoma State is a national leader in several areas of technology. The University pioneered the use of satelites for distance learning and videoconferencing. Facilities are available for biochemical and physiological studies (HPLC, UV-spec, radioisotope). Scanning and transmission electron microscopes are available for student use at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Medical/veterinary research is also conducted in the Medical Entomology and EFAW field laboratories. Facilities for research on vegetable pests are available at the Wes Watkins Agricultural Research and Extension Center in southeastern Oklahoma. A large laboratory and greenhouse research facility, housing the USDA plant sciences program, is also available for cooperative research.

Graduate Research Assistantships are periodically made available for MS and Ph.D. students in the department. Our faculty focus their nationally recognized research programs in many diverse areas. Prospective students with an interest in a particular specialty are encouraged to correspond directly with the faculty member:

  • Dr. Carol Bender..... molecular plant-microbe interactions

  • Dr. Ken Conway..... mycology, biological control, seed priming and horticultural pathology

  • Dr. John Damicone..... diseases of peanuts and vegetable crops

  • Dr. Jack Dillwith..... insect biochemistry emphasizing metabolomics and lipid metabolism

  • Dr. Jacque Fletcher..... plant and food biosecurity, microbial forensics, and phytobacteriology

  • Dr. Carla Garzón..... population biology, epidemiology, and management of soilborne plant pathogens

  • Dr. Kris Giles..... integrated pest management in agricultural systems

  • Dr. Carmen Greenwood..... insect ecology and behavior, entomopathogens, soil and riparian interactions

  • Dr. Bob Hunger..... wheat pathology and development of disease resistant wheat

  • Dr. Deborah Jaworski ..... tick-host interactions

  • Dr. Haobo Jiang ..... biochemistry and molecular biology of arthropod innate immune responses

  • Dr. Brad Kard ..... structure damaging and urban insect pests

  • Dr. Li Ma ..... food safety and agricultural biosecurity

  • Dr. Stephen Marek ..... biology and functional genomics of plant pathogenic fungi

  • Dr. Francisco Ochoa-Corona..... agricultural biosecurity-bioforensics-plant virology

  • Dr. George Opit..... biology, behavior, ecology, and management of stored-product arthropod pests

  • Dr. Erik Rebek..... ornamental and turfgrass integrated pest management

  • Dr. Michael Reiskind ..... medical and veterinary entomology, mosquito ecology

  • Dr. Tom Royer..... integrated pest management and field crops entomology

  • Dr. Damon Smith ..... turfgrass and horticulture crops pathology and epidemiology

  • Dr. Justin Talley ..... management of arthropod pests associated with livestock production

  • Dr. JeanMarie Verchot-Lubicz..... macromolecular transport in plants

  • Dr. Nathan Walker..... turfgrass ipm/turfgrass pathology

  • Dr. Astri Wayandande..... insect vectors of plant and human pathogens; hemipteran feeding behavior

    Incoming students are appointed as research assistants with yearly stipends of $17,510 (Ph.D.) and $16,583 (MS). In-state and out-of-state tuition equal to 12 credit hours per year is waived.

    For more information about graduate programs in Entomology and Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University, please contact:

    Dr. Brad Kard
     Graduate Coordinator
    Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
    Oklahoma State University
    127 NRC
    Stillwater OK 74078 USA
    Telephone: 405-744-2142
    FAX: 405-744-6039
    • Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources