About Us

Funding was provided by the Northeastern IPM Center to form a working group in summer of 2018 with Penn State as the lead institution. The working group met several times and submitted a successful proposal to the USDA-NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative in December 2018 to study the biology, ecology, and management of spotted lanternfly. The goals for this project are to develop efficacious tactics for managing the invasive spotted lanternfly (SLF, Lycorma delicatula) on vulnerable specialty crops to reduce the risk of widespread, catastrophic damage and to develop strategies for long-term SLF management. Our partnership includes seven universities, USDA-ARS, and APHIS, and will be advised by an engaged and thoughtful stakeholder advisory panel. Findings and recommendations will be disseminated through university Extension, StopSLF.org, the private sector and commodity organizations. In this Coordinated Agriculture Project, our objectives are to:

  1. Quantify SLF impact on at-risk specialty crops and immediately develop management tactics to reduce the damage in areas where SLF is established.
  2. Perform essential fundamental research on SLF basic biology, ecology, behavior and biological control tactics contributing to long-term sustainable solutions.
  3. Deliver immediate SLF management solutions to specialty crop stakeholders and the general public via the Extension networks of the partnering land-grant universities, USDA agencies, and the Northeastern IPM Center.

Project Team

Directors

Julie Urban, project director, guides our interdisciplinary team of researchers.

  • Julie Urban – Penn State

In addition, the project has seven co-directors from the region and the USDA.

  • Charles Bartlett – University of Delaware
  • David Biddinger – Penn State
  • Brian Eshenaur – Cornell University
  • Deb Grantham – Cornell University/Northeastern IPM Center
  • Tracy Leskey – USDA-ARS
  • Dorothea Tholl – Virginia Tech

Project Co-Investigators

  • Thomas Baker – Penn State
  • Jocelyn Behm – Temple University
  • Michela Centinari – Penn State
  • Rodney Cooper – USDA-ARS
  • Miriam Cooperband – USDA
  • Eric Day – Virginia Polytechnic Institute
  • Ann Hajek – Cornell University
  • George Hamilton – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • Kim Hoelmer – USDA-APHIS
  • Kelli Hoover – Penn State
  • Greg Krawczyk – Penn State
  • Tom Kuhar – Virginia Polytechnic Institute
  • Julie Lockwood – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • James O’Connell – Cornell University
  • Dan Olmstead – Cornell University
  • Doug Pfeiffer – Virginia Polytechnic Institute
  • Cristina Rosa – Penn State
  • Scott Salom – Virginia Polytechnic Institute
  • Sampurna Sattar – Penn State
  • Benjamin Siebold – Temple University
  • Fang Zhu – Penn State

Other Collaborators

  • Jayson Harper – Penn State
  • Megan Muehlbauer – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • Dean Polk – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • Rafael Valentin – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • Theresa Dellinger – Virginia Tech
  • Emelie Swackhamer – Penn State
  • Sarah Wurzbacher – Penn State
  • Jon Elmquist – Penn State (grad student)
  • Tyler Hagerty – University of Delaware (grad student)
  • Anne Johnson – Penn State (grad student)
  • Andrew Harner – Penn State (grad student)
  • Erica Smyers – Penn State (grad student)
  • Mariam Taleb – Penn State (grad student)
  • Brian Ruether – Virginia Tech (grad student)
  • Matthew Helmus – Temple University
  • Anne Nielsen – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • Lisa Tewksbury – University of Rhode Island
  • Nadege Belouard – Temple University (postdoc)
  • Seba De Bona – Temple University (postdoc)
  • Joe Keller – Penn State (postdoc)
  • Stephanie Lewkiewicz – Temple University (postdoc)
  • Holly Shugart – Penn State (postdoc)
  • Osariyekemwen Uyi – Penn State (postdoc)
  • Alex Baranowski – University of Rhode Island
  • Hannah Broadley – USDA APHIS Otis lab
  • Francesc Gomez Maro – UC Riverside, Hoddle lab
  • Nina Jenkins – Penn State
  • Joe Kaser – USDA ARS
  • Donnie Peterson – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • Alana Russell – University of Rhode Island
  • Lauren Briggs – Penn State
  • Ju-Che (Peter) Lo – Penn State
  • David Long – Penn State
  • Donald Smith – Penn State
  • Liz Deecher – Penn State
  • Sarah Henderson – Penn State (undergrad)
  • Kevin Judd – Cornell University (website admin)
  • Crosley Kudla-Williams – Penn State
  • Mark Sutphin – Virginia Tech

Stakeholder Advisory Panel

  • Parker Dhan – Philadelphia Parks and Recreation
  • Gregg Eschleman – VP, Christmas Tree Growers Association
  • Mark Hoddle – UC-Riverside
  • Bruce Hollabaugh – Hollabaugh Brothers Fruit Farms
  • Diane Kearns – Fruit Hill Orchard
  • Doo-Hyung Lee – Gachon University
  • Bill Lingren – Trece, Inc.
  • Mario Mazza – Chairman, PA Wine Marketing and Research Board
  • Clayton Myers – USDA OPMP
  • Sharko Nic – Alba Vineyard, NJ
  • Greg Parra – USDA APHIS PPQ
  • Mike Reinke – Michigan State University
  • Mark Seetin – U.S. Apple
  • Rob Smith – National Grape Cooperative/Welch’s
  • Sven-Erik Spichiger – Washington Department of Agriculture
  • David Beck – Crawford Beck Vineyard, Oregon Wine Board