Hudler, George William
Chair & Professor
Dr. George Hudler holds a B.S. Degree in Forest Management and an M.S. Degree in Plant Pathology from the University of Minnesota. He was awarded the Ph.D. From Colorado State University in 1976 and immediately thereafter joined the faculty at Cornell. He teaches two courses: Pathology of Trees and Shrubs and Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds. He also conducts active outreach and research programs in the area of tree pathology, including publication of a bi-weekly pest management newsletter, BRANCHING OUT. He has received the Award of Merit and the Distinguished Arborist Award from the NYS Arborists Association, the Innovative Teaching Award and the Professor of Merit Award from Cornell`s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Excellence in Teaching Award from the American Phytopathological Society, the SUNY Chancellor`s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the USDA Northeast Region Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Hudler is also the author of a book of the same title as his popular undergraduate course - Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds. In 2004, George became chair of Cornell`s Department of Plant Pathology and, in conjunction with that appointment, also became the director of the Northeast Regional Center for the National Plant Diagnostic Network.
research
research and scholarship focus
My research program is aimed at learning enough about the cause of lethal bleeding cankers on European beech to allow us to address issues related to prevention and therapy with a sound background on the biology of the pathogen(s).
primary investigator of
- ACQUISITION OF GOODS & SERVICES | Research Grant
- ACQUISITION OF GOODS & SERVICES | Research Grant
- ACQUISITION OF GOODS & SERVICES | Research Grant
- ACQUISITION OF GOODS & SERVICES: 2008-09 CARTINHOUR | Research Grant
- ACQUISITION OF GOODS & SERVICES: 2008-09 GIBSON | Research Grant
- NPDN, NORTHEAST REGION: CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF LEGUME PIPE | Research Grant
- PLANT PEST DIAGNOSIS AND IDENTIFICATION | Research Grant
- PLANT PEST DIAGNOSIS AND IDENTIFICATION | Research Grant
- REGIONAL CENTER PLANT DIAGNOSTIC FACILITY | Research Grant
research areas
- adult and extension education | collaborative research area (CALS)
- agroforestry | collaborative research area (CALS)
- disease control | collaborative research area (CALS)
- environmental sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- forest management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- integrated pest management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- landscape ecology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- natural resources | collaborative research area (CALS)
- pathogens | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant pathology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- urban environment | collaborative research area (CALS)
domestic geographic focus
- northeastern U.S. | sub-national region
submitted impact statement
- Bleeding Cankers of European Beech: Preserving the past, protecting the future | 2007 Impact statement
- A unique introduction to biology for non-biologists | 2006 Impact statement
- European beech decline: gathering clues and seeking cures | 2006 Impact statement
- European beech decline: gathering clues and seeking cures | 2005 Impact statement
- European beech decline: gathering clues and seeking cures | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
head of
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology (PPPMB) | Cornell department
faculty appointment in
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology (PPPMB) | Cornell department
administrative appointment
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology (PPPMB) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology | graduate field
- Plant Protection | graduate field
other Cornell affiliations
- Center for the Environment (CFE) | former research center
teaching
teaching focus
The focus of my classroom teaching efforts are to acquaint students with information about fungi in one course and about tree diseases in another course. In both cases, my goal is to have them leave the classes with a foundation upon which they can grow as the science grows and are comfortable with the notion that they can learn more on their own as lifelong learners.
teaches
- PLPA 4970 - Independent Study in Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLPA 4980 - Undergraduate Teaching Experience (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLPA 4990 - Undergraduate Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLPA 7980 - Graduate Teaching Experience (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLPA 7990 - Graduate-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLPA 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLPA 9900 - Doctoral-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLPA 2010 - Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds (TR 11:15:AM-12:05:PM) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 3201 - Mushrooms, Molds, and Molecules (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 4970 - Independent Study in Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 4980 - Undergraduate Teaching Experience (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 4990 - Undergraduate Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 7980 - Graduate Teaching Experience (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 7990 - Graduate-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 9900 - Doctoral-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLPA 4430 - Pathology of Trees and Shrubs (MW 11:15:AM-12:05:PM) | fall 2008 class
service
outreach focus
I conduct and participate in workshops intended to improve the abilities of tree care professionals (e.g. arborists, Christmas tree farmers, nurserymen) and Master Gardeners to identify the causes of tree diseases and make rational decisions about management strategies. Additionally, I publish a bi-weekly newsletter during the growing season, consult with Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory staff on troublesome specimens, and oversee the plant pathology contribution to the Cornell Pest Management Guidelines. In an completely different framework, I also make presentations to lay audiences throughout the nation, including many Cornell alumni, about my course “Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds” and because of the high visibility of that effort, am often quoted in the press with regard to mold/fungus related topics. Finally, I am the Director of the 12-state Northeast Region of the National Plant Diagnostic Network.
background
educational background
- Ph. D. Colorado State University, 1976
- M.S. University of Minnesota, 1973
- B.S. University of Minnesota, 1970
professional background
- 2004 -- Chair, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology
- 1997 - - Professor, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology
- 1984-1997 - - Associate Professor, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology
- 1978 - 1984 -- Assistant Professor, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology
- 1976-1978 - - Extension Associate, Cornell University, Department of Plant Pathology
awards and distinctions
- 2006.R.W. Harris Authors Citation, International Society of Arboriculture
- 2004 Distinguished Arborist Award. NYS Arborists’ Association, ISA Inc.
- 2003 Professor of Merit, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell
- 1998 Research Award, NYS Arborists Association
- 1997 Research Award, NYS Arborists Association
- 1996 State University of New York, Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Keywords: christmas tree culture, christmas trees, fungi, homeland security, integrated pest management, mushrooms, national plant diagnostic network, natural history of fungi, oomycetes, phytophthora, plant disease diagnosis, plant pathology, tree diseases