Dr. Richard L. Jones is the interim senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida. Previously he was dean of research and director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, dean of the College of Agriculture and head of the University of Minnesota’s Department of Entomology, and a USDA-ARS research entomologist.
Jones’ research combined entomology, chemistry and behavior to address elucidated behavioral questions in parasitoid-host interactions. This collaborative work did much to elucidate host chemicals’ roles in parasitoid behavior and led to the identification of the first parasitoid kairomones. Further work identified a number of insect parasitoid pheromones.
Jones has mentored a number of M.S. and Ph.D. students and taught courses in insect physiology and behavior. He served on the ESA Committee on Finance and a number of North Central Branch and Section B committees.
(updated September, 2004)