Dr. Michael Brownbridge - Research Director, Horticultural Production Systems

Dr. Michael Brownbridge earned his Honours B.Sc. in Agricultural Zoology and his Ph.D. from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK.

In 1984, Dr. Brownbridge accepted his first post doctoral position with the Ben Gurion University in Be’er Sheva, Israel working on the microbial control of mosquitoes. Shortly thereafter, he accepted a second post doctoral position with The International Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya where he researched the microbial control of Lepidopteran pests in cereal staples.  

Dr. Brownbridge joined the University of Vermont’s Entomology Research Laboratory in 1990 as a Research Assistant Professor. Throughout his 15 years with the University of Vermont, Dr. Brownbridge focused on forest pest management and developing IPM tools and systems for pests of greenhouse ornamentals.  During this time he also studied the effects of microbial control agents and GM maize on non-target beneficials and soil-dwelling microarthropods.  In 1997, Dr. Brownbridge received a notable promotion to the position of Research Associate Professor.

In 2005, Dr. Brownbridge joined AgResearch in New Zealand where his work was primarily focused in pastoral and plantation forest pest management, with a strong emphasis on the transition of research products and knowledge aimed towards leading industry partners.  

His extensive research background in greenhouse technologies and pest management makes Dr. Brownbridge an invaluable asset to the Horticulture Production Systems here at Vineland. Through the development of his own lab, Dr. Brownbridge will lead a research team in the field of biocontrol.