The Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association recently honored Leslie Holland, assistant professor and extension fruit specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology, with the 2023 Researcher of the Year award.

Here is the association’s write-up about Holland:

Researcher of the Year – Leslie Holland
Leslie Holland received a B.S. in Biology (2013) from New Mexico State University, a M.S. degree in Plant Pathology (2015) from Washington State University, and a PhD in Plant Pathology (2020) from the University of California, Davis. She joined the department of Plant Pathology at UW–Madison as an assistant professor and extension specialist in fruit crop pathology in 2020. Her research focuses on the biology, epidemiology, and management of pathogens affecting fruit production in Wisconsin. The goal of her extension program is to optimize and deliver integrated disease management approaches that support the productivity and sustainability of fruit crop production. Her research in cranberry pathology centers on two important diseases, cranberry fruit rot and cranberry false blossom. Cranberry pathology research in her lab has received funding from the Wisconsin Cranberry Board, the Cranberry Institute, Ocean Spray, USDA Specialty Crop Block Grants Program, and USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative.