Ivan Milosavljević

Ivan Milosavljević, Ph.D., is a Supervisory Project Scientist at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), affiliated with the Department of Entomology in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. He joined the Hoddle Laboratory in 2016 as a postdoctoral researcher and was promoted to his current role in 2020.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Entomology, Washington State University (2015)
• M.Sc. in Phytomedicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia (2013)
• B.Sc. in Phytomedicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia (2011)

Dr. Milosavljević specializes in integrated pest management (IPM) and biological control of invasive pests affecting agricultural systems. His research focuses on the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri), South American palm weevil (Rhynchophorus palmarum), and Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), with emphasis on developing sustainable tools to mitigate their economic impacts. Key projects include investigating biodegradable hydrogel bead baits for ant control to enhance natural enemy efficacy and analyzing temperature-dependent development of pests and parasitoids.

Scientific Awards:

• California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) grant for IPM-based ant and citrus pest management (2020)

His peer-reviewed work spans citrus pest dynamics, soil-dwelling pest communities, insecticide alternatives, and trap optimization for invasive species. He collaborates with Dr. Mark Hoddle and others to address export risks like Caliothrips fasciatus and improve IPM programs for California's agricultural crops.