Lynne Rieske-Kinney

Lynne Rieske-Kinney is a Professor of Forest Entomology in the Department of Entomology at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky. She holds the endowed Bobby C Pass Research Professorship, focusing on forest health and insect pest management.

• Research Focus: Invasion dynamics of forest pests (emerald ash borer, southern pine beetle), RNA interference for gene silencing, trophic interactions, and climate change impacts on forest ecosystems.
• Awards: Recipient of the prestigious AD Hopkins Award for southern forest entomology excellence.
• Outreach: Co-founder of the Urban Forest Initiative, promoting urban forestry education and tree conservation, and lead of the Healthy Trees – Healthy People program for citizen science engagement.

Publications demonstrate leadership in RNA interference applications for forest pest control, with cross-disciplinary collaborations in biotechnology, ecology, and forest management. Her lab alumni hold prominent roles in academia, government, and industry.