Chandrasekar S. Kousik (Shaker) has been a research plant pathologist with the USDA-ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina, since 2005. After receiving his PhD in plant health from the Louisiana State University, he joined North Carolina State University as a postdoctoral researcher to work on pepper diseases. He then worked in the seed industry as a plant pathologist and breeder for 8 years on pepper diseases. He has served as a senior editor and is currently the editor-in-chief of
Plant Health Progress, published by The American Phytopathological Society (APS). Shaker received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Pepper Conference for his work on pepper diseases. Recently, he was awarded the Don M. Ferrin memorial service award by the Southern Division of APS. His area of expertise is watermelon and pepper diseases with an emphasis on breeding for disease resistance.
