Hannah Burrack

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Bio

Hannah Burrack is an applied ecologist with a focus on integrated pest management (IPM) in specialty crops. During her 14-year career at North Carolina State University, Burrack led entomology research and extension efforts for blueberries, caneberries, grapes, tobacco and industrial hemp. She generated $10.8 million in funding to support these efforts, authored 71 peer reviewed articles or book chapters, and developed a wide-ranging extension program, including delivering over 500 extension presentations to audiences totally over 28,000 stakeholders. Burrack has a particular interest in the monitoring and management of invasive agricultural pests. Since 2010, she has been an international leader in coordinating research, education and extension efforts on Drosophila suzukii, the spotted-wing drosophila.

Mentorship is a high priority for Burrack. She has advised or served on committees for 5 post-doctoral scholars, 5 international visiting scholars, 13 undergraduate research projects, 13 PhD students and 17 MS students.

Burrack served as the inaugural Director for Education and Outreach with the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative at NC State University from 2020 to 2021. She became chairperson of Michigan State University’s Department of Entomology on January 1, 2022.

As department chairperson, Burrack serves as chief academic and administrative officer of the Department of Entomology and provides leadership in developing, budgeting and administering teaching, research, extension/outreach and international activities. She manages positions and resources, and communicates with faculty, students, staff and MSU administration. She also works closely with industry leaders, clientele groups, professional organizations and the public. She pursues endowment and other funding opportunities and provides vision and leadership for long-term planning. She reports to the dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and work with the dean’s office and the directors of MSU AgBioResearch, MSU Extension and the associate dean and director for Academic Student Affairs to accomplish departmental goals and objectives.