North Florida Research and Education Center
155 Research Road
Quincy, FL 32351-5677
Phone: (850) 875-7156 
Fax: (850) 875-7188
Email: RFMizell@ufl.edu
 

Russell (Russ)F. Mizell III

Extension Specialist, Entomology

Professor of Entomology

Education:

           B.S. Juniata College, Biology  1970
           M.S. Mississippi State University, Entomology  1977

           Ph.D.  Mississippi State University, Entomology  1980

Appointment:
              35% Research
              15% Extension
              50% Administration

Research Activities: Conduct research on arthropod pests of deciduous fruit, pecan, woody ornamentals/landscapes and other problems as needed with the objective of developing integrated pest management systems for these crops. This includes investigating the behavior, bionomics, phenology and population dynamics of pest species and their natural enemies and the determination of economic impacts. All aspects of management including chemical, biological and cultural tactics are investigated in reference to a total management system.

Biography:  Dr. Mizell is currently Professor of Entomology with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. He received a B.S. in Biology from Juniata College and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in entomology from Mississippi State University. He is located at the North Florida Research and Education Center-Quincy. Dr. Mizell has research and extension responsibilities for deciduous fruits, pecan, and woody landscape plants with focus on the development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems. He has authored or coauthored over 200 publications concerned with IPM programs including pest biology, biological and chemical control, host plant resistance, population dynamics and insect-plant-disease interactions. His current research focuses on methods of evaluating and enhancing biological control agents (predators and nematodes), monitoring methods for weevils (fruit, citrus, forestry), stink bugs (patent pending), and the natural enemies, nutrition and behavioral ecology of the leafhopper vectors of Pierce=s disease. With colleagues, he developed the CD-ROM and web-based program "WOODYBUG", a computer knowledge-base system covering IPM for woody landscape plants. Dr. Mizell has received competitive and industry grant funds of approximately $6 million dollars to support his program and won several research awards. He has also served in various capacities on UF/IFAS committees, task forces and teams. He served as the first UF/IFAS IPM Coordinator (halftime 1997-2000). He is also active professionally at the regional and national levels serving in various leadership and advisory capacities addressing IPM issues and policy development. Dr. Mizell is a member of the glassy-winged sharpshooter-Pierce’s disease scientific advisory panel of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Dr. Mizell has some minor international experience in Brazil, Cameroon, China, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Thailand. Dr. Mizell is a certified facilitator of Concept Mapping (http://www.conceptsystems.com) and has mentored about 25 minority and under-privileged high school science students.