December 15, 2022
 

IGC Alumnus Dr. Max Ragozzino, exercised his science communication skills recently by talking about the invasive brown marmorated stink bug with YouTube content creator, Tom Scott and Orgeon Public Radio. 

Dr. Ragozzino completed his PhD working with GCC faculty affiliate Dr. Scott Salom in May 2020. At Virginia Tech, his research was focused on the invasive Emerald Ash Borer and biological control methods. Dr. Ragozzino now works as a Biological Control Entomologist with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The brown marmorated stink bug population has exploded in the northwest US over the past several years and is wreaking havoc for Oregon hazelnut and fruit tree growers. Dr. Ragozzino speaks about the biological control methods, such as the predator samurai wasp, that researchers are deploying to reduce the pests' negative and costly impacts. 

You can check out his recent interviews at the links below. 

Oregon fruit, hazelnut farmers struggling with invasive stink bugs
The US government is giving out free wasps
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