Nelson, Rebecca J.
Associate Professor
My interests and objectives pertain to plant pathology, plant breeding and international agriculture. I serve as scientific director for The McKnight Foundation`s Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP), a competitive grants program that funds agricultural research in developing countries. At Cornell, my affiliations are with the departments of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology and Plant Breeding and Genetics, as well as with International Agriculture and Rural Development and the Institute for Genomic Diversity. My own research program is focused on understanding the ways in which plants defend themselves against pathogen attack.
research
research and scholarship focus
My laboratory conducts research to understand the genetic, physiological and molecular basis of quantitative disease resistance in maize.
primary investigator of
- RESEARCH SUPPORT FOR CCRP PROGRAM | Research Grant
- TARGETED DISCOVERY OF SUPERIOR DISEASE QTL ALLELES IN THE MAIZE AND RICE GENOMES | Research Grant
research areas
- agricultural biotechnology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- biodiversity | collaborative research area (CALS)
- community development | collaborative research area (CALS)
- crop management or crop science | collaborative research area (CALS)
- disease control | collaborative research area (CALS)
- genetics | collaborative research area (CALS)
- genomics | collaborative research area (CALS)
- integrated crop management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- integrated pest management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- international agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- international development | collaborative research area (CALS)
- molecular genetics | collaborative research area (CALS)
- pathogens | collaborative research area (CALS)
- pest management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant biology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant breeding and genetics | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant pathology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- plant sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- rural development | collaborative research area (CALS)
- soil and crop science | collaborative research area (CALS)
- sustainable agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- sustainable development | collaborative research area (CALS)
international geographic focus
- Africa | continent
- Asia | continent
- Latin America | trans-national region
- West Africa | trans-national region
domestic geographic focus
- United States | country
submitted impact statement
- Understanding and improving quantitative disease resistance in the cereals | 2005 Impact statement
- Understanding and improving quantitative disease resistance in the cereals | 2004 Impact statement
- The McKnight Foundation Collaborative Crop Research Program | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
faculty appointment in
- Plant Breeding and Genetics (PB&G) | Cornell department
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology (PPPMB) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- International Agriculture and Rural Development | graduate field
- International Development | graduate field
- Plant Breeding | graduate field
- Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology | graduate field
other Cornell affiliations
- Center for the Environment (CFE) | former research center
- Institute for Genomic Diversity (IGD) | research institute
- International Programs (IP/CALS) | academic program office
teaching
teaching focus
I co-teach the gateway course of the IARD major (International Agriculture and Rural Development. The course, IARD300, is entitled "Perspectives in International Agriculture and Rural Development." It is a survey of the big issues in the field. Drs. Bob Herdt and Larry Harrington are my co-professors.
teaches
- IARD 2020 - Perspectives in International Agriculture and Rural Development (TR 08:40:AM-09:55:AM) | fall 2009 class
- PLBR 4970 - Individual Study in Plant Breeding (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLBR 4980 - Undergraduate Teaching (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLBR 4990 - Undergraduate Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLBR 5990 - Plant Breeding MPS Project Paper (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLBR 7900 - Graduate-Level Dissertation (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLBR 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- PLBR 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- 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
- PLBR 4970 - Individual Study in Plant Breeding (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLBR 4980 - Undergraduate Teaching (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLBR 4990 - Undergraduate Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLBR 7900 - Graduate-Level Dissertation (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLBR 8900 - Master's-Level Thesis Research (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- PLBR 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation 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
- IARD 2020 - Perspectives in International Agriculture and Rural Development (TR 08:40:AM-09:55:AM) | fall 2008 class
- PLBR 9900 - Doctoral-Level Dissertation Research (TBA -) | fall 2008 class
service
outreach focus
In my role as director of The McKnight Foundation Collaborative Crop Research Program, I have the opportunity to interact with researchers, development practitioners, farmers and funders in the field of international agriculture. My role is both supportive and activist.
current professional activities
- Program director, The McKnight Foundation's Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP)
event organizer
event participant
background
educational background
- Ph.D. University of Washington, 1988
- B.A. Swarthmore College, 1982
featured in
- $3.2 million NSF grant trains grad students to tackle food systems and poverty problems | Cornell Chronicle feature
publications
linked articles
speaker at Cornell event
Keywords: disease resistance, international agriculture, international agriculture., maize genetics, molecular genetics, plant defense, plant genetics., quantitative resistance