Congratulations to Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM) Professor Rodrigo Almeida on being named a California Academy of Sciences Fellow.
Nominated by peers and elected by the Academy’s Board of Trustees, Academy Fellows are chosen for their notable contributions to the natural sciences and science communication. Almeida joins a community of more than 500 distinguished scientists and leaders who aid the Academy’s public engagement, education, and collaborative research efforts.
Almeida was nominated by ESPM Professor Stephanie Carlson and Professor Emeritus Sandy Purcell in recognition of his experimental and modeling work on the ecology, evolution, and management of insect-transmitted plant pathogens. His research integrates methods and approaches from entomology, microbiology, ecology, genomics, and other disciplines to explore new ways to limit the impacts of emerging plant diseases.
Dedicated to translating scientific knowledge and findings into practical solutions, Almeida has collaborated with colleagues around the world on studies of the plant pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. X. fastidiosa is transmitted by insects that feed on xylem sap, the tiny tubes that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. X. fastidiosa causes disease in grapevines, almonds, citrus, and olive crops grown in California and other Mediterranean climates, in addition to tropical areas of the Americas. As part of his work, Almeida collaborates with extension specialists in California—as well as researchers and policymakers across the globe—to develop disease management strategies.
Almeida is also recognized as a skilled educator who guides students through innovative research and supports them at every stage of their academic and professional development. He has mentored a large number of junior scientists, providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all, and was named one of three recipients of the UC Berkeley Graduate Assembly’s Faculty Mentor Award last year.
