James Kotcon
Division of Plant & Soil Sciences
G-105, South Agricultural Sciences Building
P. O. Box 6108 Morgantown ,
WV 26506-6108
Phone 304-293-8822
Fax 304-293-2960
E-mail: James.Kotcon@mail.wvu.edu
Educational Background:
EXPERIENCE
1996 - Present. Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, West Virginia University. 50 % research, 50 % teaching. Teach courses in plant science, environmental impact assessment, fruit pathology, and nematology. Advise graduate and undergraduate students.
Research on organic farming systems, agricultural pests of peach and apple, environmental impacts of pesticides on groundwater quality and on nontarget organisms, biological control of nematodes.
2005. Interim National Program Leader for Organic Agriculture. USDA-CSREES. Interagency Personnel Agreement with WVU. Manage organic agriculture research and education programs, do outreach to organic stakeholders, assess leadership needs, develop CSREES strategic plan.
May 1994-Dec. 1994. Environmental Consulting. Sciences International, Inc. Ecological risk assessment at SuperFund sites; field sampling, data analysis, report writing and regulatory compliance.
Jan. 1994-May 1995. Environmental Consulting. West Virginia Environmental Council and West Virginia Citizen Action Group. Conduct environmental policy analysis, lobbying, and organizing on environmental regulatory issues.
Sept. 1985-Dec. 1993: Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology, West Virginia University.
Sept. 1983-Sept. 1985: Research Associate, Dept. of Plant Pathology, Cornell Univ., Long Island Horticultural Research Lab. Research to assess ground water contamination by pesticides.
Aug. 1979-Aug. 1983: Research Assistant, Dept. of Plant Pathology, Univ. of Wisconsin. Research on potato diseases. Assist teaching 'Plant Nematology'.
Sept. 1977-June 1979: Research Assistant, Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Michigan State University. Research on ecology of plant-parasitic nematodes in vegetable crops.
Assist teaching 'Nematode Diseases of Economic Plants' and 'Biology of Nematodes'.
June 1977-Sept. 1977: Lab Assistant, Nematology Extension Lab, Michigan State University.
Aug. 1976-Dec. 1976: Research Intern, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Air pollution research.
EDUCATION
Ph. D. Aug. 1983. Dept. of Plant Pathology, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison. Dissertation: Root deterioration in the Potato Early Dying Syndrome. Major Advisor: Dr. Douglas I. Rouse. Minor: Soil Science.
M. S. June 1979. Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Michigan State Univ. Thesis: Studies on the ecology of nematodes associated with vegetables grown on organic soils. Major advisor: Dr. George W. Bird.
B. S. May 1976. Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Major: Biology (emphasis in Botany and Ecology) Minor: Chemistry