About
Originally from California’s Salinas Valley, Jack earned his Bachelor’s degree at the University of San Diego. He completed his Master’s degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in collaboration with the Cal Poly Strawberry Center, where his research focused on Verticillium wilt management in strawberry production. Jack later taught agricultural science as a Lecturer at California State University, Monterey Bay, instructing courses such as Plant Pathology, Agricultural Entomology, and Integrated Pest Management. He also served as a Research Assistant with UC Cooperative Extension in Salinas, supporting applied plant pathology research and disease diagnostics. Jack is currently a Ph.D. student at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, working under the supervision of Drs. Marcus Marin and Natalia Peres.
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Education
M.S., Agriculture (Plant Protection Sciences), with distinction — Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 2022
B.A., Biology — University of San Diego, 2020
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Research
Jack’s research focuses on the development and application of novel diagnostic methods for strawberry pathosystems, with an emphasis on Neopestalotiopsis and other economically important pathogens. His work integrates applied plant pathology, disease diagnostics, and field-based research to improve diagnostic tools and support informed disease management decisions for the Florida strawberry industry.
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