Tennessee State University - Interim Associate Dean of Research

Fulya Baysal-Gurel is an Interim Associate Dean of Research at the College of Agriculture and Associate Professor at Tennessee State University (TSU), Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center, holding tenured position. The primary research focus of her program is on the development of sustainable, environmentally friendly and economical management practices for woody ornamental diseases. As woody ornamental plant pathologist, she interacts directly with nursery producers, TSU/University of Tennessee extension agents and Tennessee Department of Agriculture regulatory officials to provide diagnoses of biotic and abiotic problems and management recommendations to support sustainable nursery production in Tennessee. In performing her job, she recognizes the critical importance of collaborating with commodity boards, industry, state and federal governments, agricultural leaders and stakeholders, as well as research and extension faculty. She received the outstanding early career award from the TSU College of Agriculture in 2017. She has received a total of 79 contracts or grants that, together with her collaborators, has procured over $16.24 million in extramural funding, which has provided full or partial support for 16 personnel and several undergraduate students during last seven years. She has advised/mentored a total of 32 personnel in her lab, including 11 undergraduate students, 4 Ph.D. students, 8 M.S. students, 2 post-doctoral researchers, and 4 research technologists, in addition to being a Co-advisor (committee member) for one Ph.D. (International student funded by TUBITAK) and 6 M.S. students advised by others.  Her graduate students have won scholarships and awards including American Phyto Pathological Society (APS) Foundation student travel award, S-APS travel awards, SNA travel awards. She has been a member of APS since 2005 and has served as chair of the APS Diseases of Ornamentals Subject Matter Committee and she is serving as Past-President of the Southern Division of the APS; a member on the board of the Office of Public Relations and Outreach of the APS and the Office of International Programs (OIP) of the APS. She serves as senior editor of Plant Disease, associate editor of Phytopathology, editor of Phyto Frontiers, section editor of PDMR editorial board which all are APS Journals.

Areas of Interest:

1. Plant Pathology
2. Sustainable Agriculture