Diversity in EEB Seminar Series: Dr. Esther Ngumbi

The Syracuse University Diversity in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Seminar Series is hosting a virtual talk by Dr. Esther Ngumbi from the University of Illinois.

Title: Untangling Chemical-mediated and Microbe-driven Plant and Insect Interactions

About the speaker: Dr. Ngumbi is an author, researcher, educator, mentor, speaker and a champion for change around the issues of hunger, gender, education, youth activism, agriculture, sustainability, and public service. She works as an Assistant Professor, Entomology and African-American Department, at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. She is the founder of organizations that empower farmers and youth in Kenya, and she’s served as a mentor for entities like the Clinton Global University Initiative and President Obama’s Young Leadership Program.

Research in her lab is aimed at understanding the multifaceted uses of chemical signals (both volatile and non-volatile) by herbivores, natural enemies, plants and their associated microorganisms and insects. The overarching goals are to decipher many of these complex chemical-mediated conversations, whose outcomes are important with relevance to agriculture, insect pest management and the functioning of ecosystems. Results obtained from her research can open avenues for integrated management of pests and disease vectors and for the rapid detection of plant stress.

About the series: Graduate students and faculty from the ecology labs at Syracuse University have been working towards a virtual seminar series focused on greater inclusion of scientists from underrepresented backgrounds in ecology and the environmental sciences. This seminar series, in addition to showcasing current research in the field, will also provide an opportunity for the student population to interact with scientists from diverse backgrounds.

For Zoom link, please email biology@syr.edu