Meriem Aoun

Meriem Aoun is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University (OSU), specializing in small grains pathology. She joined OSU in January 2022, focusing on genetics of disease resistance in wheat, particularly evaluating breeding lines for fungal and viral diseases to develop resistant varieties. Her extension work involves disease scouting, diagnosis, and management recommendations for wheat producers.

Education: PhD in Plant Pathology (North Dakota State University, 2016), MSc in Horticultural Genetics and Biotechnology (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, 2012), and BSc in Agricultural Engineering (University of Sousse, 2009). Postdoctoral roles included positions at Washington State University, Cornell University, and North Dakota State University.

Research interests span plant pathology, genetics, and genomics, with a focus on enhancing wheat disease resistance through genomic tools and functional studies. She leads grants totaling over $10M, including projects on stripe rust resistance, phenomics, and fungicide efficacy. Key collaborations include industry projects and mentoring in wheat pathology.

Teaching includes supervising doctoral and master’s research through courses like Doctoral Research and Dissertation and Master's Research and Thesis. She is fluent in French and Arabic, and her work is supported by over 50 peer-reviewed publications.