Experience: Disease diagnosis and control, particularly fungal and bacterial diseases of roots, especially Armillaria root rot of trees. Integrated control of pests and diseases using microorganisms. Chairman of International Society of Plant Pathologists Soil-borne Pathogen Committee, UK representative on ISPP Biocontrol Committee. Editorial Board of Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. Extensive knowledge of Crop Protection against plant diseases in N. America, N. & S. Europe, Near East and India as well as Britain.

British Society for Plant Pathology, International Society for Plant Pathology, British Mycological Society

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Senior Editor of the Mycologist (Cambridge University Press) an international refereed journal of general mycology

Honorary Research Associate of the International Mycological Institute, Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (IMI CABI) and awarded Lindley Gold and Bronze Medals for Education by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Expert is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Lecture and practical Teaching Quality of has been assessed favourably by HEFCE TQA examiners. A consistent record of above average scores in confidential student questionnaires has confirmed this. As the Admissions Tutor and Course Director for the BSc Degree in Crop Protection, he was involved in course development for this well as being involved in other Departmental Degrees and have supervised field course visits. Level taught – BSc in Horticulture, Agriculture, Crop Protection, Applied Botany, Botany, MSc in Technology of Crop Protection, Plant Biotechnology, Horticulture and Pure and Applied Plant & Fungal Taxonomy.External Courses run: Plant pathology (Kew Diploma) Plant Bacteriology (IAC, Agricultural University, Wageningen) Modern Methods of Diagnosis of Plant Pathogens (Reading) Turf grass diseases (Jealotts Hill) Tree Decay Fungi (Reading) Honey Fungus Armillaria root rot, (Reading) Diseases in the Garden, (Reading) Identification of Plant Pathogens (Egham with CAB IMI). Microbial control of weeds, pests and diseases as well as plant disease diagnosis by immunoassay and nucleic acid hybridisation (Guizhou University, China) Pests and diseases of ornamental plants (Oporto, Portugal). Outside lectures on plant diseases found in gardens are given approximately monthly to gardening societies throughout the Thames Valley, which are associated to the Royal Horticultural Society as well as the “Plant Doctor” consultancy for the Red Cross Open Gardens scheme.

Expert delegated this to his graduate technician

He has organised several conferences including a Symposium on White Rot Fungi for British Mycological and the Biodeterioration Societies, at The University of Reading. Among his external activities Expert has played an active role in several appropriate scientific societies, including the British Society for Plant Pathology, British Mycological Society. He was elected Chair of the Soil-borne Pathogen Committee of International Society for Plant Pathology, member of the Council of the British Mycological Society, British representive on the Biocontrol Committee of International Society for Plant Pathology, British representive on International Working Group on Fire blight and previously the International Committee of Culture Collections. He has been honoured as an Honorary Research Associate of the International Mycological Institute, Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (IMI CABI) and awarded Lindley Gold and Bronze Medals for Education by the Royal Horticultural Society. His editorial experience as Editor, Deputy Editor and Senior Editor of the Mycologist (Cambridge University Press) an international refereed journal of general mycology has resulted in him refereeing numerous papers and reviewing many books for other journals.

Expert also was part of a team who roasted an ox during the Wokingham Carnival (not to be repeated!).