About Me

Dr. Josephine Antwi grew up in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana, West Africa. She also spent a significant amount of her childhood years in her hometown in rural Atwima-Akropong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana where she helped around her family farm. Her interest in research started in college where spent time in Bobiri Forest and Butterfly Santuary (Ashanti Region) collecting data for her senior thesis research. Josephine received a B.S. in Natural Resources Management from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (2005). an M.S. in Biology at Southeastern Louisiana University (2010), and a Ph.D. in Entomlogy at Texas A&M University (2015). She got her postdoctoral training at Oregon State University and Louisiana State University. Dr. Antwi, is currently leading the entomology program at Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC) at Oregon State University. 

My research interests fall within the realm of insect-microbial interactions with plants, insect molecular ecology, and the role that the environment plays on these interactions. Current studies focus on key and emerging insect pests of potato, sweet corn, and onions. Insect pests of other crops such as alfalfa beans, cereal, and carrots will also be included in future research. 

Current research projects include: 1) the effect of entomopathogenic fungi (or mycoinsecticides) in controlling common pests of potatoes and sweet corn, including aphids and seed corn maggot, respectively, 2) area-wide monitoring of major potato pests on commercial potato fields in eastern Oregon, 3) exploring the interaction between potato cultivars that are resistant to potato viruses and aphid vectors.

About Me

Joshua Sulemana was born in Damanko, located in the Oti Region of Ghana, West Africa. He has spent his entire life in the Volta Region, specifically in Kpando-Ghana. He grew up on the farm, where he developed a strong passion for agriculture and natural sciences from a young age. His upbringing in a farming community and early exposure to crop cultivation and pest management fueled his curiosity about plant-insect interactions. He gained hands-on experience through his academic and fieldwork activities, including his role as a plant protection, irrigation, and fertigation specialist in greenhouse systems.

Joshua obtained a Bachelor of Science degree and a Diploma in Agricultural Technology from the University for Development Studies in Tamale. He is currently engaged in graduate studies, pursuing a Master of Science in Crop Science at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. In this program, he is further developing his passion for insect ecology and integrated pest management, specifically within the field of Entomology.

His  MS research focuses on the relationship between aphid vectors and potato cultivars resistant to Potato Virus Y (PVY). His research explores the complex interactions between crops, insect pests, beneficial insects, and environmental factors. He is particularly interested in understanding how resistant potato varieties affect insect behavior and population dynamics. Joshua’s long-term goal is to contribute to the development of sustainable, ecologically sound pest management strategies that improve crop productivity while minimizing environmental impact. 

Joshua enjoys gardening as a hobby!