Erik Poelman

Erik Poelman is a **Personal Professor** at **Wageningen University & Research**, affiliated with the **Laboratory of Entomology**. His research focuses on plant defense mechanisms, ecological interactions, and biological control strategies in agricultural systems. He has co-authored over 155 publications and contributed to 27 datasets, emphasizing plant-mediated interactions and pest management.

**Research Interests**: His work explores how plants respond to herbivores and parasitoids, microbial communities in host-parasitoid systems, and the impact of environmental stressors like drought and ozone on plant defense. He also investigates plant mating systems and biodiversity enhancement in farming practices.

**Awards**: He received the **Supervisor of the year 2025** award, highlighting his excellence in mentoring. As a Promotor, he oversees multiple PhD projects, including studies on plant defense signaling, aphid resistance, and crop diversity.

• Advising & Grants**: Supervises 11 PhD candidates and leads projects funded by the Science Agenda (€10M grant) to study crop diversity and biodiversity in arable farming. Active in promoting knowledge integration and sustainable agricultural practices.
• Labs & Teams**: Primary affiliation with the Laboratory of Entomology, collaborating on tritrophic interactions, microbial symbionts, and ecological networks.