Dr. David P. Hughes

Dr. David P. Hughes currently serves as the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Global Food Security and Director of USAID Innovation Lab on Current and Emerging Threats to Crops at Penn State University. His remarkable career evolution began with groundbreaking research on the "zombie ant phenomenon," studying parasitic fungi that control ant behavior, and has transformed into leading global initiatives for food security. With a DPhil in Entomology from Oxford University and a BSc in Zoology from the University of Glasgow, he has made significant contributions to understanding disease dynamics in both natural and agricultural systems. He founded PlantVillage, an innovative platform that uses AI algorithms and computer software to help smallholder farmers combat pests and adapt to climate change. His work spans from studying behavioral manipulation by parasites in insect societies to developing technological solutions for global agricultural challenges. As a UN Fellow at the Food and Agricultural Organization (2018-2020), he has expanded his impact on international food security. Through his course "Epidemics - the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases," he shares his expertise in disease ecology and its implications for both natural and agricultural systems with a global audience.