Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association

The Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association (PPGSA) is a departmental organization developed to act as a liaison between the graduate students and faculty, to assist in departmental functions, and to offer suggestions to the department head concerning the improvement of policies and procedures.

Special interests of the PPGSA are recruitment and orientation of new graduate students, improvement of facilities and curriculum, development of activities to improve the cohesiveness of the graduate student body within the department, and outreach to community groups. To address these objectives, the PPGSA is very involved in departmental events such as seminar and symposia speaker selection, hosting students recruited by the department, coordinating departmental academic and social events, and implementing programs to educate growers, extension agents, master gardeners, and students of all ages.

Rosie Perez Seminar

The Rosie Perez Seminar is an annual symposium hosted by the Plant Pathology Graduate Student Association (PPGSA), honoring the life and legacy of Rosie Perez, a former graduate student in our department who passed away from cancer in 1993. Each year, the organization invites a distinguished scientist in plant pathology or a related field to share their research. Past speakers have included renowned experts such as Dr. Mary Hausbeck (Michigan State University, 2015) and Dr. Bonnie Bassler (Princeton University, 2013).

Rosie Perez was a native of Weslaco, Texas, and earned her B.A. in Biology from Rice University in 1991. Her passion for plant pathology and virology was sparked by summer research at the Texas A&M Agricultural Experiment Station, where she worked on developing virus resistance in pepper. Rosie joined our department to pursue graduate studies in plant virology, focusing her research on engineering resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). A brilliant scientist and dedicated student leader, Rosie also championed biotechnology initiatives and mentored young Hispanic students. Her compassion, curiosity, and commitment to service left a lasting impact on all who knew her, and her research laid the foundation for advancements in plant resistance strategies. The seminar held in her name continues to celebrate her spirit and dedication to science.

2024-2025 Graduate Student Association Officers

President: Peyton Labonte
Vice President: Emma Morris
Treasurer: Sarah Cates
Outreach Coordinator: Bryna Haile
Seminar Chair: Jake Seiter
Social Media & Social Chair: Bryna Haile
UGSA Representative: Kimberly Montalban

PPGSA Outreach Committee

The PPGSA outreach committee’s goal is to increase awareness of challenges in food production. We are dedicated to informing the community about agriculture, plant sciences, and tools we use to provide good food for all. We have presented information on plants and the pathogens that infect them to master gardeners, growers, and students of all ages. We also organize students to participate in BugFest and Triangle SciTech Expo at the Raleigh Museum of Natural Science. The outreach group was formed as a service to the community and to give current graduate students an opportunity to share their discipline with others.