Patty Alder is the Director and Training Coordinator for the NCSU Structural Pest Management Training Facility where she develops and conducts training programs for pest management professionals and other target groups, including extension agents, environmental health specialists, health care professionals, and NC public school employees.

Her regularly occurring programs include a 1-1/2 day Termite Technician Program and several Pest ID & Management Workshops that cover ants, cockroaches, stored product pests, wood-destroying insects, and flies. Patty also offers a Specimen Review each month for individuals preparing to take the NC pest control license exam. All programs include both classroom and hands-on training. In addition, she offers pest management short courses online.

Patty also works closely with the North Carolina Pest Management Association to offer a variety of training opportunities, including both local and regional workshops. She conducts the Pesticide Applicator Certification training in structural pest control for pest management professionals and non-commercial applicators in the household pests and wood-destroying pests categories. In addition, Patty provides pest control training as part of the Centralized Internal Training for environmental health specialists. She also provides support for Cooperative Extension Service programs including ServSafe®, NC Safe Plates®, Healthy Homes®, and IPM for NC Schools and Child Care Centers. 

Although she does not have a formal teaching appointment, Patty teaches ENT132 – Urban Pest Management, an Agricultural Institute course in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She is also a faculty member of the NC Agromedicine Institute.

Patty works collaboratively with other Urban Entomology department members, such as Sydney Crawley and Mike Waldvogel to co-develop new programs and workshops for the pest management industry and related target groups.