It was announced earlier this week that Dr. Sarah Pethybridge will be joining the Station faculty as assistant professor of plant pathology and plant-microbe biology. Pethybridge comes to Cornell from Down Under, where she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Tasmania, Australia in 2000. Since then, she has held positions as Agricultural Research, Development and Extension Manager for Botanical Resources Australia Pty, and served as Science Group Leader (Field Crops) at The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research.
Dr. Pethybridge has made substantial contributions in the epidemiology and management of virus diseases in the hop plant, an essential ingredient in beer production. She has received numerous awards, including the American Phytopathological Society’s Syngenta Award, the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology’s Agri-Industry Award, and the University of Tasmania’s Foundation Award for Outstanding Graduates.
Her research and extension program at the Station will focus on understanding and managing diseases of vegetable crops.