Beer, Steven Vincent

Cornell Faculty Member

Positions

Professor, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology (PPPMB), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)

I have expertise in plant pathology, particularly diseases of plants caused by bacteria, especially fire blight of apple, pear and related plants and bacterial diseases of onions. I have functioned broadly in these respects, in teaching, reseach and extension. My research activity has covered epidemiology and control, molecular genetics, genomics and proteomics. Much of my recent activity has been fundamental in nature, however, application of fundamental knowledge to applied problems is a strong motivation. I advise others informaly concerning bacterial diseases and the identification and manipulation of the pathogens.

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member of graduate field

outreach overview

An innovative outreach project aimed primarily at secondary school biology students in New York State is underway. It`s a collaboration with Cornell`s Institute for Biology Teaching (CIBT), which is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the New York State Center for Advanced Technology. A DVD and a study guide were produced aimed at introducing secondary school students and their teachers to several important concepts: that bacteria can cause disease in plants; techniques for safe handling of bacterial plant pathogens; that specific genes are needed for disease-causing ability; bioinformatics strategies useful for annotation of a genome sequence, and the use of reverse genetics laboratory tests to assess gene function. The program was presented to a group of secondary school science teachers, who will test the materials and possibly suggest changes to the project for use in classrooms. The materials also will be made available on the internet. The secondary school outreach project is being revised and expanded for presentation to the agricultural community, especially Cooperative Extension Educators in the field and fruit growers. One of the major objectives is to foster better understanding by the target audiences of fundamental molecular biological research as applied to fruit crops and their pests and pathogens. Greater understanding of the relevance of molecular biological research, and its possible future benefit, likely will result in enhanced appreciation by the agricultural community and the general public.
Since becoming involved in research on bacterial problems in onions, I have also functioned as an extension resource for the topic. For example, I address onion growers and others in meetings to provide research updates and address questions relative to onion diseases. I also visit farms and examine problems, make diagnoses, and advise growers and CCE staff on bacterial problems.

service to the profession

Sigma Xi
Organizing Committee, Fallen Leaf Lake Conference on Bacterial Virulence Mechanisms Committee Member - 1992
Fire Blight Working Group Chairperson 1986 - 1989
Organizing Committee, Fallen Leaf Lake Conference on Molecular Biology of Bacterial Plant Pathogens Committee Member - 1989
Organizing Committee, Fallen Leaf Lake Conference on Erwinia Committee Member - 1987
Biological Control Committee Committee Member 1984 - 1986
Fire Blight Working Group Officer, Secretary 1983 - 1986
Bacteriology Committee Committee Member 1977 - 1983
Bacteriology Committee Chairperson 1980 - 1981
Public Relations Committee Committee Member 1976 - 1979
Mycotoxicology and Post-Harvest Pathology Committee Committee Member 1975 - 1978
Executive Committee Committee Member 1972 - 1976
Executive Committee Chairperson 1972 - 1976

reviewer or editor for

U.S. Federal Competitive Grant Programs, USDA and NSF proposals

VIVO: Cornell Research & Scholarship

Beer, Steven Vincent

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