University of Arizona Community Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Leadership Team
This multi-disciplinary group has expertise in diverse fields relevant to implementation of
effective and sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs for housing, school, and
community environments. This unique program aims to provide stakeholders with a ‘one-stop expert
advice system’ to establish sustainable IPM programs for indoor and outdoor environments; an
approach which is widely appreciated by stakeholders.
Dawn H. Gouge, Community IPM entomologist, focuses on public health pests. Research efforts
focus on pest ecology and reduced-hazard management. Al Fournier, IPM and evaluation specialist
of the Arizona Pest Management Center at the University of Arizona, works with team members to
evaluate adoption and impact of Community IPM programs. Mike R. Wierda, Environmental
Toxicologist, Assistant in Extension for Pesticide Safety Education, chairs the Pesticide Safety
Education Program Improvement and Modernization Initiative for the state of Arizona and Tribal
lands, and is also Member of PSEP National Stakeholder Team. David Kopec, Extension Specialist
in Turfgrass Management, provides education and outreach on diverse cultural management practices
unique to semi-arid climates. Applied research efforts include weed control, species and variety
adaptation, overseeding and spring transition, and new species development for low maintenance
turfs. Ursula Schuch, Environmental Horticulture specialist. Research focuses on horticultural
practices that keep landscape plants healthy and functional with minimal input. Specific projects
include irrigation management of landscape trees, irrigation to optimize establishment of plants after
transplanting, and salinity
tolerance of landscape
plants. Kai Umeda,
Extension Agent for
Turfgrass Science,
develops and conducts
educational extension
programs to assist
professional turfgrass
managers in solving
priority problems using
research based information
and technology. He has
specific expertise in weed
control and pest
management. Peter L.
Warren is the Pima
County Urban Horticulture
Agent and focuses on
landscape entomology and
IPM in the Tucson metropolitan area primarily and elsewhere as needed. Shaku Nair, Assistant in
Extension and Community IPM Team coordinator works with team members to develop and
implement priority extension programs for Community Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
statewide. Shujuan (Lucy) Li, Assistant in Extension for Public Health IPM, helps in all aspects of
program development for the Community IPM programs.
Contact: Dawn Gouge, (520) 381-2223, dhgouge@email.arizona.edu
Shaku Nair, (520) 840-9429, nairs@email.arizona.edu