The Graduate School of the College of Agriculture and Related Sciences organized a webinar titled “Ecological Rice Pest Management” on April 24, 2021, via the Zoom platform. The invited speaker was Dr. Ravindra C. Joshi, senior consultant of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and mentor of the Meryl Williams Fellowship, ACIAR, Australia. The webinar was attended by participants from USeP, CLSU, MSU, VSU, DOSCST, DSSC, CVSC, DA, LGU in the region, and other institutions in the Philippines and abroad.

Dr. Joshi’s presentation focused on the current status of the global rice production systems; ecological management of invasive rice pests, specifically the rice planthopper, rice field rat, and invasive (Golden) Apple snail; and ecological engineering. He shared his experiences with various organizations, most notably the PhilRice, where he worked for many years and in different stages of his life. Further, he shared specific opportunities such as research problems, collaborative partnerships, and scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate students and faculty members.