Ann Hajek
Professor, Department of Entomology
Ann Hajek completed her PhD in Entomology at the University of California, Berkeley, and then moved to Ithaca and conducted research in the Boyce Thompson Institute on Cornell campus for 10 years. In 1994, she accepted a position as a professor, with the goal of conducting both research and teaching, in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University.
Dr. Hajek has authored or co-authored almost 300 publications, including 2 books that she’s written and 4 books she’s edited. Throughout her career, a plethora of diverse invasive insects have been attacking and threatening North American forests and Dr. Hajek has researched the associations of these insects with microbes, often working on understanding their interactions and population dynamics, toward developing methods for environmentally safe control. Dr. Hajek’s research has involved many international collaborations, especially including numerous years of research on Asian longhorned beetle in China and five years as a visiting professor at the University of Copenhagen.
Throughout her 27 years at Cornell, Dr. Hajek has been involved in training graduate students and teaching undergraduates, with more than 200 people having spent time as part of her research group.
Education
BS, MS and PhD University of California, Berkeley
Recent Research
- Research emphasis has focused on insect-microbial interactions, emphasizing entomopathogens but also investigating symbionts and vectored microbes
- Insect species researched have been diverse invasive species, with a goal of understanding these pests in introduced environments, toward potential identification of environmentally safe methods for control
- Studies have expanded knowledge about the biodiversity of pathogens infecting insects, including some that change the behavior of hosts
- We have emphasized learning about the ecology of diseases caused by insect pathogens, to improve understanding and predictability of disease outbreaks
Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications (2013-2022):
- Hajek, A.E., Diss-Torrance, A.L., Siegert, N.W., Liebhold, A.M. 2021. Inoculative releases and natural spread of the fungal pathogen, Entomophaga maimaiga (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae), into U.S. gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) populations. Environmental Entomology 50: 1007-1015.
- Clifton, E., Hajek, A.E., Jenkins, N.E., Roush, R.T., Rost, J.P., Biddinger, D.J. 2020. Applications of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) to control populations of spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), in semi-natural landscapes and on grapevines. Environmental Entomology 49: 854-864.
- Clifton, E.H., Castrillo, L.A., Gryganskyi, A., Hajek, A.E. 2019. A pair of native fungal pathogens drives decline of a new invasive herbivore. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA 116 (19): 9178-9180.
- Elkinton, J.S., Bittner, T.D., Pasquarella, V.J., Boettner, G.H., Liebhold, A.M., Gould, J.R., Faubert, H., Tewksbury, L., Broadley, H.J., Havill, N.P., Hajek, A.E. 2019. Relating aerial deposition of Entomophaga maimaiga conidia to mortality of gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) larvae and nearby defoliation. Environmental Entomology 48: 1214-1222.
- Hajek, A.E., Henry, J.C., Standley, C.R., Foelker, C.J. 2017. Comparing functional traits and abundance of invasive versus native woodwasps. Neobiota 36: 39-55.
- Hajek, A.E., van Nouhuys, S. 2016. Interactions among fatal diseases and parasitoids driven by density of a shared host. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 283: 20160154.
- Hajek, A.E., Hurley, B.P., Kenis, M., Garnas, J.R., Bush, S.J., Wingfield, M.J., van Lenteren, J.C., Cock, M.J.W. 2016. Exotic biological control agents: a solution or contribution to arthropod invasions? Biological Invasions 18: 953-969.
- Fisher, J.J., Hajek, A.E. 2015. Maternal exposure of a beetle to pathogens protects offspring against fungal disease. PLoS ONE 10(5): e0125197.
- Morris, E.E., Hajek A.E. 2014. Eat or be eaten: Fungus and nematode switch off as predator and prey. Fungal Ecology 11: 114-121.
- Hajek, A.E., Nielsen, C., Kepler, R., Long, S.J., Castrillo, L. 2013. Fidelity among Sirex woodwasps and their fungal symbionts. Microbial Ecology 65: 753-762.
Awards & Honors
2019 Outstanding Accomplishments in Research, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, (one research award is given by the college each year)
2018 Fellow, Entomological Society of America
2015 L. O. Howard Distinguished Achievement Award, Eastern Branch Entomological Society of America
2011 Distinguished Scientist Award, International Organization of Biological Control, Nearctic Regional Section
2011-16 Honorary Professor in Zoology, Department of Agriculture and Ecology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen
2011-12 Velux Visiting Professor 2 years, University of Copenhagen (supported by the Villum Foundation)
2004 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship
Courses Taught
- Bugs in Bugs: The World of Pathogens, Symbionts and Vectored Microbes
- Invasions: Trading Species in a Shrinking World
- Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease
- Invertebrate Pathology
- Natural Enemies: An Introduction to Biological Control
Ann in the news
News
The devastating spotted lanternfly’s spread to upstate and western New York is not a matter of if, but when, experts say – and Cornell is a key player in helping slow the infestation.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension
- New York State Integrated Pest Management
- Department of Entomology
News
The Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability has awarded seven Academic Venture Fund (AVF) interdisciplinary seed grants, totaling $1.1 million, for projects that engage faculty from eight Cornell colleges and 16 academic departments. In its...
- Cornell Atkinson
- Lab of Ornithology
- School of Integrative Plant Science