John H. Andrews

Professor of Plant Pathology, UW-Madison
January 1976 – December 2010
john.andrews@wisc.edu

Research

• Phyllosphere microbial ecology
• Synthesis of ecology of microorganisms with ecology of macroorganisms
• Biological and integrated control of apple scab; microbial antagonism
• Microbial ecology, pathology, and biological control of nuisance aquatic plants and algae (Madison area lakes)

Administrative & Leadership

• Departmental Chair 1998-2004
• President of APS 2005-2006, APS Executive 2000-2006
• Director, Officer Education Program (UW-Madison ROTC) 2006-10

Teaching

• Undergraduate advisor for Plant Pathology undergrad major and for Biology major
• Courses Taught: Introd. Plant Path (PP300); Plant Pathol. Techniques (PP611); Comparative Ecology (PP/Bact525); Principles of Integr. Crop Pest Mgmt. (PP560); Diseases of Economic Plants (PP559); Ecol., Epidemiol. & Control of Plant Diseases
  (PP602); Introd. Seminar (PP923); “Survival Skills for Scientists”; Oceanography &
  Limnology Seminar; Introd. Biology (Biol151, labs)

Retirement Activities
Public service; travel; gardening; prairie restoration; fly fishing; skiing; hiking; reading;
writing; investing; grandchildren; ballroom dancing; cooking

Craig R. Grau

Professor of Plant Pathology and Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics Program
August 1976 to December 2008
clgrau@tds.net

Extension

Extension specialist – Field Crop Diseases

• Disease diagnosis
• Grower & industry staff education – ID & management of field crop diseases
• Interacted with colleagues in CALS
• Developed printed material & websites on field crop diseases

Research
Emphasis – pathogens & diseases of alfalfa & soybeans

• Mentored graduate students, research specialists, post-docs, undergrad students and visiting scientists
• Investigated the effects of crop management systems on field crop diseases and associated pathogens
• Investigated pathogen variation and host resistance
• Investigated fungi, oomycetes, viruses and nematodes pathogenic to alfalfa and soybeans
• Participated on regional and national research projects

Teaching

• CALS Farm & Industry Short Course, Plant Path 300, and Plant Path 559

Administration

• Department Chair 1991-1995; Departmental, CALS & University committees

Retirement

• Enjoying photography of natural & rural landscapes, and wildlife
• Spouse and I own 13 aces of land in Grant County and grow vegetables for home use and sale.

John P. Helgeson

Professor of Plant Pathology and Botany, UW Madison
and Research Plant Physiologist, USDA 1966-2003
jphelges@yahoo.com

Research Program

I led a lab of Graduate Students, Specialists and Postdocs focused on:

1. Chemistry & physiology of plant growth substances, especially cytokinins.
2. Plant tissue & cell culture as models for studying plant diseases.
3. Isolation & cultivation of individual leaf cells for regeneration of new plants.
4. Somatic hybridization of single cells from different plant species as a means for introducing new disease resistances.
5. Genetic analysis of disease resistances of new somatic hybrids.
6. Mapping, isolation & characterization of a gene from a somatic hybrid between potato and Solanum bulbocastanum that gives resistance to potato late blight.

Administrative Efforts

From 1991-2003, I was the Research Leader of the USDA Plant Disease Resistance Research unit located within the Dept. of Plant Pathology.

International Activities

In addition to study leaves in England and France, I hosted numerous visitors from France, Brazil, the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. I led research cooperation program with Germany and participated in efforts to test late blight resistances in Toluca, Mexico.

Retirement

During retirement we have enjoyed many trips – especially Road Scholar tours to South America, Italy, Spain and Central America. Also we have rented apartments in England, France, Italy, Holland and Germany.

Douglas P. Maxwell

Professor of Plant Pathology, UW-Madison, 1968-2000
Active in International Research, 2000-2014
douglas.maxwell08@gmail.com

Research Program

My research group of undergraduates, Ph. D. students, postdocs and visiting’s scientists participated in many diverse projects.

• Breeding for disease resistance in forage crops, dry beans and tomatoes
• Ultrastructure of fungi – microbodies
• Application of molecular approaches to taxonomy of Phytophthora sp.
• Molecular characterization of geminiviruses associated with beans and tomatoes
• Developed transgenic beans using particle gun technology
• Managed large international research projects in the Middle East and Central America on virus detection methods and breeding tomatoes for resistance to geminivirus designed molecular markers for resistance genes
• Participated in starting a vegetable seed company, Semillas Tropicales, in Guatemala

Teaching

Intro. PlPath, IntroGradCourse, DisPhysiol, Plant Virology, Int’l Field Trip, Honors course for CALS undergraduates, organized Quest Fellowship program for CALS undergraduates – a four-year scholarship program

Administration

Dept Chair (1980-1990), Interim positions in CALS Administration: Executive Associate Dean, Assist. Academic Dean, Director of CIAS, Co-Director: Potato Certification Program

Retirement

Co-managed Food Pantry in Verona, Supervisor for Town of Verona

Walter R. Stevenson

Professor – Extension & Research Program
Potato & Vegetable Crop Pathology
1972-79 Purdue Univ.; 1979-2008 UW Madison
walter.stevenson@wisc.edu

Key Staff

• Vaughan James
• Bob Rand
• Zahi Atallah
• Jana Stewart

Career Focus

• Graduate student training
• Etiology & Epidemiology – Key potato & veg. pathogens
• Integrated management strategies for in-season & post harvest diseases, pesticide resistance mgt
• Grower education & grower involvement in research
• Improved technology to predict & manage plant diseases of potato and vegetable crops
• Reduced pesticide use, Replacing high risk pesticides with low risk alternatives and organic solutions
• Determination of pathogen presence, load and risk on potato tubers prior to harvest
• Co-Editor – APS Compendium of Potato Diseases

Retirement

• Continued interaction with the potato and vegetable industry
• Grant & scholarship review
• Assistance & guidance to industry: grower meetings, trade shows, long term relationship between
  industry and UW-Madison
• Family, travel, fishing, fly tying, gardening, photography, wood working, winters in southern Arizona

Paul H. Williams

Professor of UW Plant Pathology, 1962 – 1997
Graduate Research Assistant, UW Plant Pathology, 1959 – 1962
Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, 1994 – 1997
phwillia@wisc.edu

Research

• Highly capable support personnel
• Undergrads, graduate students, postdocs, & visiting scientists
• Breeding for multiple disease resistance in brassicas, radish, cucumbers & carrots.
• Genetics of pathogen variation
• Physiology & cytology of host-parasite relations
• Development of rapid cycling Brassica species as model system for research & teaching

Outreach, Administration, Publications

• Founder or cofounder – Plant Path Colloquium Council (1962) now SAPS
• UW Plant Breeding & Plant Genetics Grad Program
• Director – UW Center for Biology Education (now WISCIENCE (1988)
• Crucifer Genetics Workshop (1984)
• RCBC (Rapid Cycling Brassica Collection) URL
• Editor/co-Editor – numerous books including One Foot in the Furrow & Physiological Plant Pathology
• Wisconsin Fast Plant Program – 1984
• Bottle Biology URL w/ books & manuals in several languages
• Science Education Advisory Comm. incl. Bill Nye the Science Guy & NASA Collab. Ukranian Expt.

Teaching

• Diseases of Vegetable Crops, Physiology of HostPathogen Relations, BioCore, Organismal Biology (1970 – 2020)

Retirement

• Active in my home lab
• Developing new stocks of rapid cycling brassicas
• Support educational initiatives at UW – Plant Path, BioCore, Biology
• Reading history and biography
• Gardening, Trout Fishing

Gayle L. Worf

County Agricultural Extension Agent, Kansas,1955-1958
Extension Plant Pathologist, Iowa State Univ.,1961-1963
Extension Plant Pathologist, UW Madison – Agronomic Crops, Urban Forestry, Turf & Ornamentals, 1963-76
Corn, Turf, Urban Forestry, & Ornamentals, 1976-92
glworf@wisc.edu

Extension and Research Programs

• Integrated and interdisciplinary efforts
• Educational programs for county agents, grower groups and the public.
• Research supported extension programs to determine & provide current critical information on disease situations through etiology, epidemiology and control, emphasizing best management practices.
• Examples include Dutch Elm Disease, yellow leaf blight, eyespot, southern leaf blight & aflatoxin of corn, commercial
  potted plant and nursery problems, and turf necrotic ring spot & Poa annua decline.
• Chair of APS Extension & Common Names of Plant Disease committees for many years.
• Application of science to extension agriculture programs in general.
• Member of the CALS Agricultural Extension Development Program, served on many study groups and chaired several related committees including the Environmental Quality & Urban Horticulture programs.
• I served as SE WI Extension District Ag Program Coordinator & interim CALS Associate Dean for Extension, 1990-1992.

Retirement

• Family, travel, fly fishing, camping. Our favorite pastime was to find a spot along an isolated stream in Colorado, Montana or Wyoming, and set up camping for a week or more of fishing and tying flies then move somewhere else!
• I’m now content at the Oakwood West Retirement Village where I chair our nineacre Nature Preserve Committee!