WELCOME!

Background and Philosophy

My fourth grade teacher pulled me aside one day and said that unlike the other students in class, I follow the beat of my own drum. He told me never to lose that sense of self. For better or worse, that's how I've lived most of my life. 

A native of the tiny farming town of Bozrah, in southeastern Connecticut, I grew up with a love of science and the natural world. My father was a local minister, dedicated to helping others, and I often volunteered to help his efforts (as much as a child could). Throughout this, I learned of the fulfillment that comes with contributing to a larger community and the value of working with others to effect change. In my own way, my interest in sustainable agriculture is simply a continuation in the service of others. 

 Our food system, while in some ways deeply removed from our everyday lives, is still highly interconnected in both visible and invisible ways. The problems facing farmers are the same ones affecting us all: how do we adjust to a changing climate? What do we do when something doesn't work anymore (like antibiotics or pesticides)? How can we continue to produce nutritious food that is also affordable for everyone?

I'm interested in tackling these seemingly intractable problems by using a variety of focal points (e.g., local to global scales) and through a combination of disciplinary ideas. I don't pretend to know the answers, but I'm intent on finding the right questions to ask. 

Click here to see full CV

(last updated mid-2024)

Selected highlights presented below

CURRENT POSITION

Agriculturist, USDA-APHIS-PPQ-PDC, Professional Development Center, Frederick, MD

PUBLICATIONS

Peer reviewed

22. Elsensohn JE, S Wolford, A Tabb and TC Leskey. 2024. Experimental evidence supports insect hitchhiking on vehicles as a dispersal mechanism for invasive species. Royal Soc. Open Sci. 11: 240493. DOI:10.1098/rsos.240493

21. Elsensohn JE, LJ Nixon, A Kloos and TC Leskey. 2023. Development and survivorship of Lycorma delicatula(Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) on cultivated and native Vitis spp. (Vitales: Vitaceae) of the Eastern United States. Econ. Entomol. 16: 2207-2211. DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad198

20. Elsensohn JE, LJ Nixon, J Urban, S Jones and TC Leskey. 2023. Survival and development of Lycorma delicatula(Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) on common secondary host plants differ by life stage under controlled conditions. Front. Insect Sci. 3. DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1134070

19. Elsensohn JE and HJ Burrack. 2023. Plasticity in oviposition and foraging behavior in the invasive pest Drosophila suzukii across natural and agricultural landscapes. Ecol. Evol. 13: e9713. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9713

18. Nixon LJ, S Jones, AC Dechaine, D Ludwick, M Hickin, L Sullivan, JE Elsensohn, J Gould, MA Keena, T Kuhar, DG Pfeiffer and TC Leskey. 2022. Development of a rearing methodology for the invasive spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera:Fulgoridae). Front. Insect Sci. 2: p.1025193. DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.1025193

17. Tabb A, JE Elsensohn, and TC Leskey. 2022. Automated size measurements of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) with an image-based method. Florida Entomol.

16. Kokotovich AE, SK Barnhill-Dilling, JE Elsensohn, R Li, JA Delborne, and HJ Burrack. 2022. Stakeholder engagement to inform the risk assessment and governance of gene drive technology to manage Spotted-wing Drosophila. J. Envir. Manag.

15. Elsensohn JE, C Schal, and HJ Burrack. 2021. Plasticity in oviposition site selection behavior in Drosophila suzukii in relation to adult density and host distribution and quality”. J. Econ. Entomol. 114(4): 1517-1522. DOI: 10.1093/jee/toab108

14. Elsensohn JE, MFK Aly, C Schal, and HJ Burrack. 2021. Social signals mediate oviposition site selection in Drosophila suzukii. Sci Rep. 11:3796. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83354-2

13.Stockton DS, SP Hesler, AK Wallingford, TC Leskey, L McDermott, JE Elsensohn, DIM Riggs, M Pritts, and GM Loeb. 2020. Factors affecting the implementation of exclusion netting to control Drosophila suzukii on primocane raspberry. Crop Protection. 105191

12. Kokotovich A, JA Delborne, JE Elsensohn, and HJ Burrack. 2020. Emerging technologies for invasive insects: the role of engagement. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. DOI: 10.1093/aesa/saz064

11. Jones MS, JA Delborne, JE Elsensohn, PW Mitchell, and ZS Brown. 2019. Does the U.S. public support using gene drives in agriculture? And what do they want to know? Sci. Adv. 5(9): eaau8462.

10. Elsensohn JE. 2019. “Modifying epigenomes using synthetic biology” In Genetic Frontiers for Conservation: An Assessment of Synthetic Biology and Biodiversity Conservation Eds: Redford et al.

9. Elsensohn JE, T Anderson, JR Cryan, T Durham, KJK Gandhi, J Gordon, RK Krell, ML Pimsler, A Rivers, and H Spafford. 2019. From Research to Policy: Scientists Speaking For Science. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 112(2): 75-78. DOI: 10.1093/aesa/say057

8. Baltzegar JF*, JE Elsensohn, N Gutzmann, and SH Webster. 2018. ESA Student Debate: What is the single best strategy for decreasing dengue virus (breakbone fever) incidence worldwide? Genetically engineered mosquitoes with lethal genes. Amer. Entomol. 64(3): 165-175. DOI: 10.1093/ae/tmy040.

7. Elsensohn, JE and GM Loeb. 2018. Non-crop host sampling yields insights into small-scale population dynamics of Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura). Insects. 9(1): 5. DOI: 10.3390/insects9010005

6. Gutzmann N, JE Elsensohn, JC Barnes, J Baltzegar, MS Jones, and J Sudweeks. 2017. CRISPR-based gene drive in agriculture will face technical and governance challenges. EMBO Reports. DOI: 10.15252/embr.201744661

5. Baltzegar JF*, JC Barnes, JE Elsensohn, N Gutzmann, MS Jones, S King, and J Sudweeks. 2017. Anticipating complexity in the deployment of gene drive insects in agriculture. J Resp. Innov. DOI: 10.1080/23299460.2017.1407910

4. Baltzegar JF*, JE Elsensohn, and SH Webster. 2017. ESA Student Debate: With the development of tools like RNAi, in the future we may be capable of eradicating species. If we can eradicate a species, should we? Con position. Amer. Entomol. 63(2): 114-123. DOI: 10.1093/ae/tmx028

3. Cowles RS, CR Rodriguez-Saona, R Holdcraft, GM Loeb, JE Elsensohn, and SP Hesler. 2015. Sucrose improves insecticide activity against Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Econ. Entomol. 108(2): 640-653. DOI: 10.1093/jee/tou100

2. Burrack HJ and JE Elsensohn. 2015. Efficacy of organically acceptable insecticides against Drosophila suzukii in blueberries. 2014. Arthropod Management Tests. 40(1): C1.

1. Colwell RK and JE Elsensohn. 2014. EstimateSturns 20: statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples, with non-parametric extrapolation. Ecography. 37(6): 609-613. DOI: 10.1111/ecog.00814.

Non-peer reviewed

Ahmad J, J Baltzegar, ZS. Brown, JA Delborne, S Dhole, JE Elsensohn, F Gould, K Grieger, A Hardwick, J Kuzma, et al. 2022. Gene Drives in Agriculture. Genetic Engineering and Society Center Workshop Report, NC State.

Elsensohn JE, CJ Esquivel Palma, L Iglesias, J Kansman, and O Quieroz. 2018. “Putting Research and Policy into Practice: Lessons from P-IE’s Field Tours” Entomology Today blog

Elsensohn JE. 2018. “Two model organisms are better than one: toward a better understanding of plant/insect interactions”. The Signal, Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, NC State.

Elsensohn JE. 2017. “Capacity funding still has high impact for land grant colleges and local agriculture”. Entomology Today blog. Link to article.

Elsensohn JE. 2017. “New Federal Report on Aedes Mosquitoes Could Signal Shift in How Zika Virus and Other Pathogens are Researched”. Entomology Today blog. Link to article.

Elsensohn JE and K Sears. 2017. Issue Brief: Synthetic plant-associated microorganisms. #2017.1. Genetic Engineering and Society Center, NC State. Link to article.

Elsensohn JE. 2016. “A Post-Election Washington D.C.: The ESA Science Policy Fellows’ Perspective”. Entomology Today blog. Link to article.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

Elsensohn, J. E., C. Schal, M. Aly, and H. J. Burrack. 2020. "Context-dependent oviposition behavior in the agricultural pest Drosophila suzukii". USDA-ARS, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, WV. **virtual presentation**

Elsensohn, J. E., A. Kokotovitch, J. A. Delborne, and H. J. Burrack. 2019. “Lessons from using engagement to elicit potential impacts of emerging technologies in invasive pest management: Drosophila suzukii as a case study”. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. St. Louis, MO

Elsensohn, J. E., M. S. Jones, Z. S. Brown, P. Mitchell, and J. A. Delborne. 2018. "Assessing attitudes on gene drives: What consumers want to know". Southeastern Branch of Entomological Society of America. Orlando, FL.

Elsensohn, J. E. and H. J. Burrack. 2018. New directions in SWD research from the Southeast. Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Savannah GA

Elsensohn, J.E., Z.S. Brown, J.A. Delborne, and H.J. Burrack. 2017. Understanding the potential impacts from using genetically modified insects to control agricultural pests. CEFS Summer Internship Program for Undergraduates. NC State.

Elsensohn, J. E., Z. S. Brown, J. A. Delborne and H. J. Burrack. 2016. Comparative risk analysis for agricultural genetic pest management technologies. Society for Risk Analysis. San Diego, CA

Elsensohn, J. E. and G. M. Loeb. 2016. Non-crop host infestation by an invasive, polyphagous fly: seasonal dynamics and host preference. Southeastern Branch of Entomological Society of America. Raleigh, NC

Elsensohn, J.E., J. Kuzma, and C. Leitschuh. 2015. Gene Drives and Society. Genetic Engineering and Society Colloquium. Raleigh, NC

Burrack, H.J. and J.E. Elsensohn. 2015. Drosophila suzukii biology, ecology, management, and regulatory implications. Webinar for USDA APHIS staff. Raleigh, NC

Elsensohn, J. E. 2014. Season Long Evaluation of Wild Hosts for Spotted Wing Drosophila. Empire State Producers Expo. Syracuse, NY

Elsensohn, J. E., and R. S. Cowles. 2012. Current and Future Directions of Spotted Wing Control. Connecticut Entomological Society. Storrs, CT