Dr. David Schmale is a Professor and Director of the Translational Plant Sciences Center at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on mycotoxins, atmospheric incursions of pests and pathogens, aerobiology, drones, and agricultural biosecurity. He has secured more than 100 grants from agencies including NSF, USDA, NASA, and DARPA. Dr. Schmale’s scholarly output includes more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, one Annual Review article, two book chapters, and three papers published in PNAS. In 2013, he was named one of Popular Science’s “Brilliant Ten,” and in 2020 he received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to conduct research in New Zealand. He has delivered invited lectures and keynotes in 12 countries outside the United States.