About the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology

This fund provides support to bring in expert professionals from academia and industry. Since 2009, the Graduate Student Association of the Department of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology has had the opportunity to select a guest speaker for our spring departmental seminar series. All students have an opportunity to nominate possible speakers, and the graduate students make their selection based on their discussions of the candidate’s academic and professional experience.

The program was initiated to give graduate students an opportunity to interact with professionals outside of our department, to broaden their educational experiences, broaden their research knowledge, develop professional relationships and provide them with a personal network for potential job opportunities. This activity has been very successful, but funding for this program is limited.

While the Department receives monetary support for core research/extension/teaching programs, these funds alone are not sufficient to provide the resources to move our programs to the next level of performance. This fund will provide additional support to help promote and maintain excellence in diverse ways.

Funds will be used flexibly to support graduate student travel to professional meetings and special technical training seminars; supplement graduate student assistantships; promote interactions among the faculty, staff and students at LSU, as well as with other universities and institutions; develop brochures and web-based information; and offset the purchase of needed equipment.

Established in 1965 by two of Dr. Edgerton’s sisters, this fund provides awards for outstanding performances by Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology graduate students who are in their last year of their M. S. or Ph. D. degree program. A student may be chosen from each discipline to receive the award, and all faculty members participate in the selection process.

The award consists of 1) recognition of outstanding performance, 2) an appropriate certificate, and 3) a monetary reward. Since 1999, 12 students have won the Edgerton Award and it has become a truly prestigious award.

This endowed fellowship fund was established to support graduate student education in the Department of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology in honor and memory of Dr. Weston J. Martin.

The Martin Fellowship allows the department to supplement existing resources and compete with other Universities for applicants with outstanding credentials to the graduate program. The endowment currently has $55,525.00, and we would like to raise it to $100,000.

Dr. Rush was a rice pathologist who trained and educated over 27 M.S. and Ph.D. students, so that they may obtain both basic and applied understanding of plant pathology and agriculture. Many of his students went on to fill critical positions in academia, industry and other agriculture enterprises in the U.S. and around the world. To continue this great tradition and honor Dr. Rush’s memory, the M. C. “Chuck” Rush Plant Pathology Teaching Laboratory Fund has been established by his family.

The objective of the fund will be to remodel and equip the plant pathology teaching laboratory into a state-of-the-art facility to further and better enhance student’s fundamental and hands-on learning experiences. We are asking for donations to help make this dream come true.

Dr. Don Ferrin, was an Extension Plant Pathologist with commodity responsibilities for all horticultural crops in Louisiana. Dr. Ferrin excelled in the diagnostics and delivery of plant disease management information. He also deeply valued his interactions with graduate students.

This fund was created in honor and memory of Dr. Ferrin by his family to support primarily graduate students in the following areas: assistantships, travel to meetings, specialized training and other academic/professional pursuits.