By Joe Kertzman, Managing Editor, Badger Common’Tater
“My path into plant pathology began on a small direct-market vegetable farm on the eastern end of Long Island. As a kid, I loved being outdoors and was eager to be involved in every part of the operation, from planting and weeding to harvesting and interacting with customers,” fondly recalls Dr. Amanda Gevens, Professor & Extension Specialist, UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology.
“What surprised me was how fascinated I became by the diseases and pests that threatened the crops,” she adds.
“That interest only grew during my college summers working as an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) scout with Cornell Cooperative Extension,” Gevens relates, “where I spent my days in growers’ fields learning firsthand about the challenges of crop production.”
Those early experiences sparked a lifelong interest for Gevens in helping growers solve problems and ultimately led her to pursue a career in applied plant pathology and Extension, combining her passion for agriculture, science, service, and the outdoors.
With a Master of Science Degree in Plant Pathology from Purdue University, a Ph.D. from Michigan State University, and a two-year stint as an assistant professor at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Dr. Gevens embarked on a career as a Professor and Extension plant pathologist at UW-Madison, in 2009.
