From fhb at scabusa.org Tue Jan 6 06:05:14 2026 From: fhb at scabusa.org (USWBSI's general mailing list) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2026 08:05:14 -0600 Subject: [fhb] Welcome Andrew Friskop as USWBSI's New Researcher Co-Chair Message-ID: U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative Selects Andrew Friskop as Researcher Co-Chair The U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Andrew Friskop, extension plant pathologist and associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University, as its new Researcher Co-Chair, effective January 1, 2026. In this key leadership position, Dr. Friskop will provide scientific and strategic guidance for advancing USWBSI's national efforts to reduce the impacts of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) on wheat and barley. "Dr. Friskop's deep understanding of Fusarium Head Blight, combined with his ability to connect research with real-world application, made him an outstanding choice for this role," said Richard Magnusson, USWBSI Grower Co-Chair. "He brings a collaborative leadership style, strong communication skills, and a clear commitment to serving growers, researchers, and stakeholders across the wheat and barley value chain. The Executive Committee is confident he will build on our strong foundation and guide USWBSI forward." In his role as Researcher Co-Chair, Dr. Friskop will work closely with the Grower Co-Chair, Executive and Steering Committees, and the Networking & Facilitation Office to help guide research priorities, engage stakeholders, and foster collaboration across the FHB research community. "I have a strong passion for building relationships and communicating research that is meaningful and actionable to all agricultural communities," said Friskop. "I am honored to serve as Researcher Co-Chair and look forward to supporting the collaborative research and outreach efforts that are central to USWBSI's mission." At NDSU, Dr. Friskop's work focuses on developing and communicating practical disease management solutions for cereal crops, with a strong emphasis on Fusarium Head Blight and associated mycotoxins. Over the course of his career, Dr. Friskop's applied research program has resulted in an impressive number of impactful presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Additionally, he brings extensive leadership experience within USWBSI where he has served on the Steering Committee, as well as chair of the FHB Management Committee and the Durum Coordinated Project Committee, and as a member of the Forum Organizing Committee. He has also gained experience in significant leadership roles he has held with a variety of regional and national commodity and disease management organizations. USWBSI also extends its sincere appreciation to Dr. Ruth Dill-Macky, who concludes eight years of exemplary service as Researcher Co-Chair. Her leadership strengthened collaboration across disciplines, elevated national awareness of FHB research, and helped guide the Initiative through periods of significant challenges. ______ U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI) Networking & Facilitation Office (NFO) 495 Borlaug Hall | 1991 Upper Buford Circle | St. Paul, MN 55108 nfo at scabusa.org | 517.290.5023 | https://scabusa.org Twitter @USWBSI | Linkedin #uswbsi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 19960 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 5030 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image006.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 11053 bytes Desc: not available URL: