Dr. Michelle Samuel-Foo

Michelle Samuel-Foo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
Alabama State University

Email: Mfoo@alasu.edu
Phone: 334-229-8451

Education:

  • Ph.D. Entomology, University of Georgia, 2008
  • M.S. Agronomy, University of Georgia, 2003
  • B.A. Biology (summa cum laude), Brewton Parker College, 2000

Dr. Michelle Samuel-Foo Joined the Biology program at Alabama State University (ASU) in January 2018 as an assistant professor, where she is engaged in teaching both undergraduate and graduate classes. Dr. Samuel-Foo attended the University of Georgia in Athens, GA for graduate school where she completed her PhD in entomology as well as her MS degree in Agronomy (crop science and genetics). She also earned a B.A. in Biology from Brewton Parker College in Vidalia GA.

After graduate school, Dr. Samuel-Foo joined the University of Florida (UF) as a faculty member in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. At UF, she spent 10 years working in specialty crop pest management, and served as the regional coordinator for the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) federally funded IR-4 minor use program. At UF, the IR-4 program field program had jurisdiction over 13 Southern states plus the territory of Puerto Rico. The mission of IR-4 program is to procure sustainable pest management tools for growers of specialty crops.

In terms of professional service, Dr. Samuel-Foo has served as the president of the International Association of Black entomologists (IABE, 2015-2017), has been a member of the Southern Integrated Pest Management center (SIPM) advisory council (2009-2017) and has served on several committees for the South Eastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America as well as the national Entomological Society of America (ESA).

As a faculty member within the Department of Biology at ASU, Dr. Samuel-Foo plans to develop a research program that focuses on pest management, specialty crops and organic agriculture. Training of graduate students and exposing undergraduate students to research will also be a major component of her research program.

Selected Publications:

  • Smith, H.A., C. A. Nagle, M. Samuel-Foo and G. E. Vallad. Managing Macrosteles near severini (Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) and Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Florida watercress. Florida Entomologist. Vol 99, No. 4: 624-628. 2016
  • Razze, J. M., O.E. Liburd, G. S. Nuessly and M. Samuel-Foo. Evaluation of Bioinsecticides for Management of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and the Effect on the Whitefly Predator Delphastus catalinae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Organic Squash. Journal of Economic Entomology. Aug 109 (4); 1766-71. 2016.
  • Riddick, E.W., M. Samuel-Foo, W. Bryan and A. Simmons. Memoirs of Black Entomologists. Entomological Society of America, Thomas Say Publication.
  • 2015. Chen, Y., R.N Story, and M. Samuel-Foo. Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization Affect Western Flower Thrips Population Level and Injury on Susceptible and Resistant Impatiens. Adv Crop Sci Tech 2:145, 2014.
  • Samuel-Foo, M. and P. Dittmar. How the IR-4 Project helps Florida Specialty Crop Growers. Berry/Vegetable Times. University of Florida, IFAS Extension. Summer 2014 ed, pp 6-8.
  • Samuel-Foo, M. K. Homa and J.H. Crane. IR-4’s Effort to Combat “Laurel Wilt’: A Threat to the Florida Avocado Growers. The IR-4 Project Newsletter. Spring 2014 Vol 45 No. 2, pp 6-7.
  • Samuel-Foo, M., J.N. All and H. R. Boerma. Evaluation of Pest Vulnerability of ‘Benning’ Soybean Value Added and Insect Resistant Near Isogenic Lines. Journal of Economic Entomology.06 (2): 830-836. 2013.
  • Marble, C., C. H. Gilliam, G. R. Wehtje, and M. Samuel-Foo. Early Postemergence Control of Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta) with Residual Herbicides. Weed Technology, 27(2):347-351.
  • 2013 Robles, W., L.E. Almodovar, R. Olszack, M. Samuel-Foo, N. Vargas and J. Arocho. Label Revision of The Herbicide Diquat (Reglone®) on Banana as part of the IR-4 Project. International Association of the Cooperation of Bananas and Plantains Conference Proceedings. Sept 2013.
  • Samuel-Foo, M. A look at the Field Research Center at the University of Puerto Rico. Fall 2013 issue. Vol 44 No 4. pp 14-15.
  • Chong, J.H., G.S. Hodges and M. Samuel-Foo. First Record and Management of the Armored Scale, Melanaspis deklei Dietz & Davidson, in South Carolina. Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology. 26(2): 63–75 (April 2009).