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Alison Gerken
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Dr. Alison Gerken
Research Quantitative Ecologist

USDA-ARS-CGAHR-SPIERU
ATTN: Alison Gerken
1515 College Avenue
Manhattan, KS  66502

alison.gerken@usda.gov
Telephone: 785.537.5503
www.ars.usda.gov/pa/cgahr/spieru/gerken

    Dr. Alison Gerken
EDUCATION
B.S., Psychology, University of South Dakota
M.S., Biology, University of South Dakota
Ph.D., Biology, Kansas State University

RESEARCH INTERESTS
Alison Gerken is a Research Quantitative Ecologist with the USDA-ARS at the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research in Manhattan, KS. She received her Ph.D. in biology from Kansas State University in 2014 and was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florida from 2014 to 2016. Her research interests focus on understanding the phenotypic and genetic plasticity responses to stress using behavioral, thermal, and life-history bioassays. She is also working closely with engineers to develop low-cost sensor detection systems coupled with machine learning and artificial intelligence for more timely detection and treatment of stored product insect pests.

More Information       ORCID
ALL PUBLICATIONS
via Google Scholar
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
• Cold exposure restricts Rhyzopertha dominica F. (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) population growth across host grains and exposure durations - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Christensen, D., Park, Y., Rusch, T.W., Scully, E.D., Gerken, A.R. 2026. Cold exposure restricts Rhyzopertha dominica F. (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) population growth across host grains and exposure durations. Journal of Stored Products Research. Vol119;103103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2026.103103.
• Tribolium flour beetles are strongly attracted to decomposing wood, their putative historical habitat, over flour - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Rosenberger, D.W., Chung, H., Elsen, S., Leys, C., Pastoor, I., Petno, J., Plankeel, L., Gerken, A.R. 2026. Tribolium flour beetles are strongly attracted to decomposing wood, their putative historical habitat, over flour. Scientific Reports. 16:14642. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45364-w.
• AI-Based bread quality assessment using image processing techniques and the developed BQe-CNN - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Serfa Juan, R., Kaufman, R.C., Bean, S.R., Chen, Y., Sutton, T.L., Abacan, S.F., Gerken, A.R., Tilley, M. 2026. AI-Based bread quality assessment using image processing techniques and the developed BQe-CNN. International Journal of Food Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijfood/vvag010.
• Electronic nose for agricultural grain pest detection, identification, and monitoring: A review - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Badgujar, C.M., Swaminathan, S., Gerken, A.R. 2025. Electronic nose for agricultural grain pest detection, identification, and monitoring: A review. Journal of Stored Products Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2025.102840.
• AI-Based Image Profiling and Detection for the Beetle Byte Quintet using Vision Transformer (ViT) in Advanced Stored Product Infestation Monitoring - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Serfa, R.O., Pordesimo, L.O., Campbell, J.F., Armstrong, P.R., Gerken, A.R. 2025. AI-Based Image Profiling and Detection for the Beetle Byte Quintet using Vision Transformer (ViT) in Advanced Stored Product Infestation Monitoring. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70018.
• Biosurveillance for an invasive pest of maize, Prostephanus truncatus, across North America and in Greece - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Quellhorst, H.E., Sakka, M.K., Odjo, S., Ludwick, D.C., Bingham, G.V., Roeder, K.A., Hesler, L.S., Hanley, R.M., Zhu, J.J., Wilkins, R.V., Ponce Jr, M.A., Athanassiou, C.G., Zhu, K., Gerken, A.R., Morrison III, W.R. 2025. Biosurveillance for an invasive pest of maize, Prostephanus truncatus, across North America and in Greece. Journal of Applied Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.70016.
• Increasing global risk of khapra beetle invasion forecasted under projected environmental conditions - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Harmon, R.R., Morrison III, W.R., Altunc, Y.E., Athanassiou, C.G., Gerken, A.R. 2025. Increasing global risk of khapra beetle invasion forecasted under projected environmental conditions. Scientific Reports. 15. Article number 26064.. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11690-8.
• Impacts of food, temperature, and humidity on recovery in Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) after exposure to a contact pyrethroid insecticide - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Gerken, A.R., Scott, R.L., Khosla, S.N., Markley, A.L., Mueller, C.E., Scheff, D.S. 2025. Impacts of food, temperature, and humidity on recovery in Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) after exposure to a contact pyrethroid insecticide. Insect Science. 25(2). Article 4. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieaf021.
• Using microencapsulated liquid pheromone for the control of Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) in a retail environment - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Lindenmayer, J.C., Campbell, J.F., Miller, J.F., Gerken, A.R. 2025. Using microencapsulated liquid pheromone for the control of Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) in a retail environment. Journal of Economic Entomology. 110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2024.102479.
• Predicted range expansion of the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), under projected climate change scenarios - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Harman, R.R., Morrison III, W.R., Ludwick, D.C., Gerken, A.R. 2024. Predicted range expansion of the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), under projected climate change scenarios. Journal of Economic Entomology. 117(4):1686-1700. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae085.