Dr. Adam Dale

Featured in: DPM Newsletter Summer 2017

Dr. Adam Dale (see above photo left) is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of turf and ornamental entomology in the UF Entomology and Nematology Department. He has been with the department a year and a half. Dr. Dale received his B.S. in biology and his Ph.D. in Entomology with a minor in horticulture from North Carolina State University. When asked what got him interested in entomology, Dr. Dale shared the following, “I began college interested in human biology and was working towards a clinical research or medical career. Towards the end of college, I began working for an entomologist out of desperation for a job, which ended up redirecting my interests towards entomology and ecology. That position turned into a multiple year job and me going to graduate school to study entomology.”

Dr. Dale’s research is focused on the ecology of insects in urban landscapes. In the past his research focused mainly on investigating the effects of abiotic conditions on plant parasitic insects on urban trees. Currently his lab investigates plant-insect-environment interactions in urban landscapes on several different types of landscapes, landscape plants, and insects.

Dr. Dale also runs an extension program which disseminates his lab’s research findings to turf and ornamental industry professionals and county extension agents throughout Florida.

This typically includes golf course superintendents, landscape maintenance professionals, pest control operators, urban foresters, sod farmers, nursery growers, master gardeners, and others. Dr. Dale’s lab uses multiple formats to get out information including web-based resources, printed publications, and in-person workshops and presentations. Dr. Dale coordinates events and collaborates with other faculty to organize extension trainings and short courses. He is currently organizing a statewide annual workshop directed at arthropods and their associated pests of ornamental plants in Florida. Dr. Dale encourages his students to be involved in his extension program and he has had students author extension publications as well as give extension presentations.

Dr. Dale is offering a new course in the Fall 2017 semester, Turf & Ornamental Entomology (ENY3510/ENY5516). This course is designed for undergraduate and graduate students studying entomology, environmental horticulture, or any other related field. During the course, students can expect to learn about the identification, biology, ecology, and management of insects relevant to horticulture.
When asked what he enjoys most about his job, Dr. Dale replied, “I most enjoy the ability to ask interesting or important questions and design ways to answer them. I also love that I have the opportunity to develop and provide solutions or pest management strategies that can improve people’s quality of life and the quality of our environment where the most people live.”

Dr. Dale is supportive of the DPM program and currently serves as the chair and advisor of DPM student Matt Borden. Dr. Dale stated that when he started at UF he was excited to become involved with the DPM program and appreciates the interdisciplinary nature of the degree, given that he also has interdisciplinary training. He thinks that a multidisciplinary knowledge base and skill set is not only necessary to tackle today’s challenges, but also gives individuals a great advantage. When asked how the DPM degree is beneficial for students Dr. Dale shared the following, “I think DPM students are able to come in and hit the ground running in a position that would often require others to learn and get up to speed before moving forward.”

Dr. Dale was asked to share some words of advice to our student readers. Dr. Dale encourages students to:

“Get outside of your comfort zone and take advantage of new opportunities. You may think you are busy now or that you have a solid plan, but you will only get busier and plans will change. Trying things that aren’t necessarily in your current plan allows you to be exposed to new types of people and new opportunities that can benefit you greatly down the road.”