Sandra W Woolfolk

Research Entomologist

 

Sandra Woolfolk

Research Entomologist and insectary lab manager for the USDA ARS Crop Science Research Laboratory at Mississippi State.

 

Education

• Ph.D., Life Sciences (emphasis in entomology and plant pathology), Mississippi State University, 2010
• M.S., Entomology (Insect Microbiology/Pathology), MSU, 2003
• M.A. (non-thesis master in Entomology), North Carolina State University, 1998
• B.S. (Agriculture), Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 1989

 

Certification

Six Sigma Green Belt, North Iowa Area Community College, 2019

 

Experience

2020 – present	Research Entomologist, USDA-ARS Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit, Mississippi State, MS
2013 – 2020	Entomology Specialist, Quality Control Laboratory, Valent BioSciences LLC, Osage, Iowa
2010 – 2013	Postdoctoral Research Associate, Mississippi State University
1999 – 2009	Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University
1990 – 1996	Entomologist, Indonesian Atomic Energy Agency, Jakarta, Indonesia

 

Accomplishments

• Collaboratively developed and continuously improved an insect rearing facility with proper traffic flow and quality control monitoring to minimize contamination in the insectary that was built directly adjacent to Bt manufacturing facility.
• Collaboratively developed special dispenser system for green lacewing eggs placement in their larval rearing unit. The new system greatly improved egg distribution efficiency in comparison to salt-shaker method.  Using the new system the percentage eggs containing the desired number of eggs per cell was significantly increased.  This system also significantly reduced the labor and time involved in the process.

 

Past Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Woolfolk, S., Stokes, C.E., Watson, C., Brown, R., and R. Baird. 2016. Bacteria Associated with Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta) from Mounds in Mississippi. Southeastern Naturalist 15 (1): 83-101.
• Woolfolk, S., Stokes, C.E., Watson, C., Baker, G., Brown, R., and R. Baird. 2016. Fungi Associated with Solenopsis invicta Buren (Red Imported Fire Ant, Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Mounds in Mississippi. Southeastern Naturalist 15 (2): 220-234.
• Six, D.L., Stone, W.D., de Beer, Z.W. and S.W. Woolfolk. 2009. Ambrosiella beaveri, sp. nov., associated with an exotic ambrosia beetle, Xylosandrus mutilatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), in Mississippi, USA. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 96(1): 17-29.
• Baird, R. E., Woolfolk, S.W., and C. E. Watson. 2009. Microfungi of forest litter from healthy American beech, fraser fir, and eastern hemlock stands in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Southeastern Naturalist 8: 609-630.
• Baird, R. E., Woolfolk, S.W., and C. E. Watson. 2007. Survey of bacterial and fungal associates of black/hybrid imported fire ants from mounds in Mississippi. Southeastern Naturalist 6(4): 615-632.
• Woolfolk, S.W., Smith, D.B., Martin, R.A., Sumrall, B.H., Nordlund, D.A., and R.A. Smith. 2007. Multiple orifice distribution system for placing green lacewing eggs into Verticel® larval rearing units. Journal of Economic Entomology 100: 283-290.
• Baird, R. E., Watson, C. E., and S.W. Woolfolk. 2007. Microfungi from bark of healthy and damaged American beech, Fraser fir, and Eastern hemlock forests during an all taxa biodiversity inventory (ATBI) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Southeastern Naturalist 6: 67-82.
• Woolfolk, S.W., Cohen, A.C., and G.D. Inglis. 2004. Morphology of the alimentary canal of Chrysoperla rufilabris (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) adults in relation to microbial symbionts. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 97: 796-808.
• Woolfolk, S.W., and G.D. Inglis. 2004. Microorganisms associated with field-collected Chrysoperla rufilabris (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) adults with emphasis on yeast symbionts. Biological Control 29: 155-168.
  

 

Professional Societies

Entomological Society of America

Chair of Early Career Professional Awards Committee, Southeastern Branch (2022-2025); and member

Mississippi Entomological Association - member

Society of Southwestern Entomologists - member

 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-woolfolk-9a335610

ORCID: 0000-0001-7025-9745