Julie Urban

Dr. Julie Urban is a Research Associate Professor in the Entomology Department at Pennsylvania State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from the University at Albany. She studies planthopper evolution and their co-evolution with multiple bacterial and fungal symbionts. Her recent work involves aspects of basic and applied research on the invasive planthopper, the Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). She has been a member of USDA’s Technical Working Group of scientists, advising management and research on the Spotted Lanternfly, since it was first detected in the US in September, 2014. Dr. Urban is the lead PI on a $7.3M regional USDA NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative grant studying the biology, management, reducing the impact of Spotted Lanternfly in specialty crops in the eastern USA.