College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

Dr. Sydney Everhart is a professor and chairperson of the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Georgia and, prior to joining MSU, served as an associate professor and head of the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Connecticut. Before her time at UConn, she was a faculty member at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Dr. Everhart is considered a national leader in the application of molecular tools for elucidating the biology and epidemiology of fungal plant pathogens within agricultural systems, including research focused on diseases of broccoli and Christmas trees. In the last five years, she has co-authored more than 20 papers in high-impact journals within the field of plant pathology, and over her career has been PI or co-PI on grants totaling more than $7 million. Her long-term research goal is to develop a better understanding of the biology of fungal plant pathogens, how that knowledge relates to disease management, and the emergence of phenotypic traits such as fungicide resistance.

Dr. Everhart's most recent research includes studies on important fungal plant pathogens—Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Rhizoctonia zeae, and Alternaria brassicicola—which affect several economically important crops in the United States. In addition to her research, Dr. Everhart has extensive experience in graduate education, having taught graduate courses in professional development and seminar leadership, and advised multiple graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

While at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Everhart oversaw academic programs, outreach initiatives, and research efforts, leading a department nationally recognized for its plant breeding, integrated pest management outreach, and research in plant biology and controlled environment agriculture. In her role as Chairperson of the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Dr. Everhart leads one of the nation’s most comprehensive plant science departments, with approximately 70 faculty, 100 graduate students and 200 undergraduate and certificate students.