Dr. Jhalendra Rijal is a University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Advisor based in northern San Joaquin Valley region, California. He is an applied entomologist focusing on pest management in several key crops, including tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios), stone fruits (peaches, cherries), and other specialty crops in the northern San Joaquin Valley. His research and extension work emphasize developing and implementing sustainable, practical, and effective pest management solutions to benefit growers, pest control professionals, and the agricultural community. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) promotes pest management approaches that balance biological, cultural, and chemical methods to reduce pest pressure while minimizing environmental impact.​

 

Education

• B.Sc (Agriculture, 2004): Tribhuvan University, Nepal

• M.Sc. (Entomology, 2006): Tribhuvan University, Nepal

• PhD (Entomology, Feb. 2014): Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Areas of Interest

• Applied research and extension

• Chemical ecology and insect behavior

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and insect pathology

• Abundance and spatial distribution of insects

Experiences

• 2015-Current: Area IPM Advisor, University of California

• 2014-2015: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California-Davis

• 2009-2013: Graduate Research Assistant,

          Dept. of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA, United States

• 2004-06: Graduate Research Assistant

          Dept. of Entomology, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

• 2005-06: Lecturer (Part-time)

          Dept. of Entomology, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

• 2006-2009: Plant Protection Officer (Gazetted III Class)

          Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dept. of Agriculture, Government of Nepal, Nepal 

Awards

• 2025: Entomology Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumni Award, Virginia Tech

• 2020: Plant-Insect Ecosystem (P-IE) Integrated Pest Management Team Award

• 2020: Entomology Team Work Award, Entomological Soc. Am. Pacific Branch

• 2020: IPM Achievement Award (Team Award), California Department of Pesticide Regulation

• 2019: UC Entomology Extension Award (Team Award), Western Extension Directors Association Award of Excellence

• 2015: Travel Award for Professional Conference, UC-ANR Academic Council

• 2014: Friends of IPM Graduate Student (PhD) Award, Southern Region IPM

• 2013: GSA-Graduate Research Award, Virginia Tech 

• 2012: Second place in poster competition at 60th ESA annual meeting

• 2012: Sigma Xi Research Award 

• 2012: Cyrus McCormick Scholarship

• 2011: ESA-Student and Young Professional Cash Award

• 2009: Vice Chancellor Award, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

• 2009: Ram Prasad Manandhar Award, Tribhuvan University, Nepal 

• 2008: Nepal Bidhya Bhusan Award, Govt of Nepal

Professional Membership 

• Entomological Society of America (ESA)

• International Society of Chemical Ecology 

• Sigma Xi-The Scientific Research Society 

• Association of Applied IPM Ecologists (AAIE) 

• Plant Protection Society of Nepal 

• Gamma Sigma Delta

• Society of Overseas Nepalese Entomologists-SONE