NAMA Speakers Bureau
A pool of potential speakers and foray mycologists is listed below in alphabetical order. We have included a wide range of professional and amateur mycologists — with topics, limitations and interests as provided by the participants. You can learn more about these mycologists from the links provided.
Please use these speakers and mycologists for your club meetings and events. Contact the speakers directly. It is up to your club to negotiate fees and travel arrangements.
To find a speaker and description, click on their name on the right or scroll down. This page will be updated frequently; look for additional speakers in the coming months.
If you know of a speaker who should be included, please contact David Rust by email. We would like to thank Michael Beug for putting this list together.
AIME, CATHERINE
I am currently Asscociate Prof of Botany & Plant Pathology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where my primary area of research focuses on the systematics, evolution and biology of rust fungi. I am also director of the Arthur and Kriebel Herbaria.
I enjoy serving as a speaker or foray mycologist with NAMA groups. I have spoken in the past to NAMA clubs in DC, MD, CA, ID, MO, and MS. My favorite topics are 1) fungi that cause disease on plants, and 2) exploring for new species of fungi in the tropics.
Web: Purdue University bio page
Home: Indiana
Contact: M. Catherine Aime, maime [at] purdue.edu, 765-496-7853
BEUG, MICHAEL
I give talks on toxicology, plus a wide range of other possibilities (see list of NAMA Educational Programs). My favorites are beginner’s workshops and beginner’s mushroom walks, introduction to mushroom identification, winemaking. Foray Mycologist for Western Regions, especially Pacific Northwest. Will travel if most expenses are paid. Bad times are month of October (grape harvest time and winemaking) plus December 15 to Feb 15 (due to bad weather).
Home: Washington
Contact: Michael Beug, beugm [at] evergreen.edu
BOJANTCHEV, DIMITAR
Dimitar has a Computer Science degree and runs a Software Development Consulting business (www.pontix.com).
The website www.mushroomhobby.com (700+ species and growing rapidly) reflects his mycological passion. It is dedicated to quality iconography supported by solid id methods. He collects mainly in California, but has branched throughout North America and Europe. Cortinarius, Russula and other hard to tackle Genera of macro-fungi interest him the most. Dimitar maintains a private Herbarium with more than 3,000 collections and has supplied many scholars with critical material. The utilization of modern techniques in amateur mycology is an area where he hopes to break new ground soon. He feels very comfortable in the capacity of a foray mycologist in California and can be very effective in the broader Pacific Northwest too.
Website: www.mushroomhobby.com
Home: California
Contact: Dimitar Bojantchev, dimitar [at] pontix.com
BRUNS, TOM
I would be happy to give talks to NAMA audiences, and have previously spoken at local clubs, including the MSSF, FFSC, and SOMA. My professional work is primarily on community ecology of ectomycorrhizal fungi, but I have also helped to spearhead the Point Reyes Mycoblitz, which is an ongoing effort to catalogue and voucher the macrofungi of Point Reyes National Seashore. You can access reprints of my scientific papers, information on the mycoblitz, lab, and information on people in my lab at the link below.
Web page: Bruns Lab, UC Berkeley
Home: California
Contact: Tom Bruns, pogon [at] berkeley.edu
BUNYARD, BRITT
I give several lectures to clubs, museums, and colleges every year. I do talks on varied mycological topics, not usually strict taxonomy nor medical mycology, though. Just about anything else goes, especially evolution and plant pathogenic fungi. Also general talks on mycology with emphasis on macrofungi. Of course, I have LOTS of pretty pics.
My policy on lectures is that I'll go anywhere, anytime, especially if all or most of my travel expenses are covered. (And given a good meal.) I've given talks in Asia, Europe and much of N America, so I can handle just about any group. For a bio, you can go to the FUNGI magazine website.
Web page: http://www.fungimag.com/bios/bunyard.htm
Home: Wisconsin
Contact: Britt Bunyard, bbunyard [at] wi.rr.com
CASTELLANO, MICHAEL
I would very much like to contribute to NAMA as a speaker. I have given lectures at a number of NAMA meetings (CO, NM, TN, CA) in the past. I would probably be available for any part of the country as long as it is mushroom season.
Basically I would feel qualified to talk on the following topics:
- Trees, Truffles and beasts (the interaction of fungi, forests and forest animals)
- The wonderful world of truffles (a survey of the families and genera of truffles)
- What are truffles and how to find them (best as a workshop with field time)
- What makes a fungus rare? (discussion on defining rarity in fungi and conservation issues and needs)
Web page: http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/people/mcastellano
Home: Oregon
Contact: Michael Castellano, mcastellano [at] fs.fed.us
CAZARES, EFREN
Giving talks about Truffles and Coral fungi is my choice. I will travel to any part of North America, however, I am not familiar with corals outside the Western US (but that will make it more interesting to me)! Nice people and good wine makes a perfect topping to a Fungal Foray!
Web page: http://www.cof.orst.edu/100faces/bios/cazares.php
Home: Oregon
Contact: Efren Cazares, mycoroots [at] comcast.net
CESKA, OLUNA
I am a member of the Southern Vancouver Island Mycological Society. I have a presentation "Little Brown Mushroom Demystified," which shows the microcharacters important for identification, and a presentation "Longterm Survey of Fungi on Observatory Hill, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada."
Home: British Columbia, Canada
Contact: Oluna Ceska, aceska [at] telus.net
COTTER, TRADD
Olga and I offer cultivation, identification, mycoremediation, and specialty lectures/workshops. We are located in the upstate of South Carolina, between Greenville and Clemson University, so the Southeastern Region is most feasible for us cost-wise. We would love to visit all 50 states of course, but that depends on the host club providing some financial support.
Our web site hosts educational videos and also provides our schedule of venues.
Website: www.mushroommountain.com
Contact: Tradd Cotter, traddcotter [at] mushroommountain.com, or 864-855-2469
DESHAZER, DARVIN
I am interested in serving as foray mycologist, but limited to the West Coast.
Web page: http://mushroomobserver.org/observer/show_user/2
Home: California
Contact: Darvin DeShazer, muscaria [at] pacbell.net
ELLIOTT, TODD
Todd Elliott is from the fungal rich mountains of western North Carolina. He has lectured and assisted with mycological programs from the Carolinas to California, for mycological societies including the North American Mycological Association, the North American Truffling Society, the Asheville Mushroom Club, Bay Area Mycological Society, and Mushroom Club of Georgia. Elliott has received many awards for his fungal photography in NAMA photo contests and has been published in books and magazines. Elliott is a recipient of the Henry Pavelek Memorial Scholarship from the North American Truffling Society for his contributions to the study of hypogeous fungi. He has collected, photographed, and studied mushrooms from the deserts of Mexico to the snow banks of the Sierra Nevada, from the Costa Rican rainforests to the Australian backcountry, and has been fortunate enough to occasionally come across a new species. Talks (including fiddling, stories, songs, and other forms of entertainment relevant to fungi) can be customized for your club or event if desired. Possible talk topics include:
- Medicinal Mushrooms
- Insect Fungal Pathogens: The wacky world of insect parasites
- General Fungi
- Basic Mushroom Identification
- Mushroom Photography (better as a workshop and PowerPoint)
- Wild, Weird, & Wonderful Mushrooms
- Truffles and other Hypogeous Fungi
- Hypogeous Fungal Evolution
Home: North Carolina
Contact: toddfelliott [at] gmail.com
GAMIET, SHARMIN
Willing to speak on BC, Canada fungi.
Home: British Columbia, Canada
Contact: Sharmin Gamiet, sgamiet [at] shaw.ca
GEHO, TIM
I've done several talks about mushrooms in general, mostly about mushrooms that can be found in SC, GA, and parts of NC. I usually present lots of tidbit information and try to dispel many folk tales about mushrooms. I usually tell the audience about the many uses that have been or are being developed using fungi. It's pretty broad based and I don't go into much detail but items like fungi can help with bio remediation of polluted water, control insects, etc. I could also lead forays for local organizations to let people know the basics about mushrooms. I usually limit myself to a 100 miles radius.
Home: South Carolina
Contact: Tim Geho, tgeho [at] bellsouth.net
GLEW, KATHERINE
I am a Teaching Associate in the Biology Department, University of Washington. From 2004-2006 I held a position at the University of Washington herbarium (WTU), Burke Museum of Natural History, as Assistant Curator of Lichens and Bryophytes. I continue my curatorial interests as Museum Curatorial Associate in the herbarium, where I manage historic collections and process lichens from the Pacific Northwest and Russian Far East. Research interests include alpine lichen community structure on Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascade Mountains. I have made collections from Mount St. Helens, looking at successional patterns. I also study lichens from island ecosystems (San Juan Islands and Sakhalin Island, Russia).
I lead the Seattle Lichen Guild, which is a weekly lichen study group, meeting at the University of Washington. My presentation topics include:
- Lichens Around Puget Sound or Seattle
- Lichen Conservation
- Lichens of the San Juan Islands
- Lichens of Sakhalin Island, Russian Far East
Webpage: http://www.biology.washington.edu
Home: Washington
Contact: kglew [at] u.washington.edu
HALLEN-ADAMS, HEATHER
I am a food mycologist at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and can talk on food mycology, molds and mycotoxins, or mushroom poisoning (as well as general fungal talks).
Webpage: http://liferaydemo.unl.edu/web/foodsci/hallenadams
Home: Nebraska
Contact: Heather E. Hallen-Adams, hhallen-adams2 [at] unl.edu
back to topHALLING, ROY
Roy E. Halling is Curator of Mycology, Institute of Systematic Botany, at the New York Botanical Garden. He is interested generally in mushroom systematics and mycogeography with particular focus on Boletes.
Web page: www.nybg.org
Home: New York
Contact: Roy E. Halling, rhalling [at] nybg.org
HALLOCK, ROB
One of my favorite topics for talks, and my professional specialty is "the taste of mushrooms." I would also be interested in speaking on the Rocky Mountain National Park Mycoblitz, "how to conduct a mycoblitz," or "snowbank mushrooms." I’d pretty much go anywhere if the transportation is paid for.
Web page:
Home: Colorado
Contact: Rob Hallock, Rob.Hallock [at] ucdenver.edu
HEMMES, DON
I'm working on the gasteromycetes of Hawaii. My article on stinkhorns of Hawaii will be in the summer issue of FUNGI. I'm ready to send a manuscript off with 20 species of earth stars, two described as new. I'm always available to give a talk on Hawaiian mushrooms, but it would have to fit in with one of our trips to see relatives in the midwest. Let me know if you need a speaker and we'll see if we could fit it in. I would love to go to a NAMA foray.
Web page: www.hawaii.edu/uhhbiology/
Home: Hawaii
Contact: Don Hemmes, hemmes [at] hawaii.edu
HIBBETT, DAVID
My interests are mostly in evolution of mushroom-forming fungi. Our lab studies evolutionary biology and ecology of Fungi, principally Basidiomycota (mushroom-forming fungi and relatives). Much of our work is focused on molecular systematics and the uses of phylogenetic trees for studying the evolution of morphological and ecological characters. Other projects involve molecular ecology, evolution of lignin-degrading enzymes, and phyloinformatics.
Lab website: http://www.clarku.edu/faculty/dhibbett/
Home: Massachusetts
Contact: David Hibbett, dhibbett [at] clarku.edu, 508-793-7332
HODGE, KATHIE
I work mainly on strange and esoteric microfungi. I am a systematic mycologist. My focus is on teaching and learning about the classification, evolution, and characterization of fungi. My focus is in fungal biodiversity, especially of species that are pathogens of insects. I use molecular and morphological approaches to discover their relationships, devise classification systems, and understand factors that have driven their evolution. I direct the Cornell Plant Pathology Herbarium (CUP), a world-class collection that documents the earth's diversity of fungi and plant disease organisms. (I'm not often willing to travel far).
Lab website: http://www.plantpath.cornell.edu/Labs/Hodge/index.html
Blog: Cornell Mushroom Blog
Home: New York
Contact: Kathie Hodge, kh11 [at] cornell.edu
HUDLER, GEORGE
I would be happy to lecture to clubs on one of two potential topics (1) Great Moments in History and How Fungi Got Us There (an informative but somewhat tongue-in-cheek rendition of the role of fungi in human affairs) and (2) Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds (this latter, an overview of my course with interesting tidbits about fungi of all kinds; not just the larger sporocarps. I'm most available from September-December in odd years (e.g. 2009, 2011, etc) but can consider other invites.
Web page: http://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/plpath/
Home: New York
Contact: George Hudler, gwh2 [at] cornell.edu
JUSTICE, JAY
I have delivered presentations and served as a field mycologist at conferences sponsored by several NAMA affiliated clubs including the Gulf States Mycological Society, the Missouri Mycological Society and the Texas Mycological Society.
I can present general programs about mushrooms designed for beginners as well as one focusing on mushroom toxins. I have done one-day workshops consisting of a foray followed by mushroom identification and a program. Such workshops were oriented toward teaching individuals mushroom identification skills. Programs that I have done on specific types of mushrooms include presentations on the genus Amanita in the South and Southeast areas of the U.S. as well as Southern boletes.
I am willing to travel and speak to mushroom clubs if I can be reimbursed for the cost of such transportation. Like most mycologists I greatly enjoy traveling to new areas and meeting other mushroom enthusiasts as well as seeing new mushrooms. My mushroom/fungal identification skills are the highest in the South and Southeast regions of the U.S.
Home: Arkansas
Email: Justice [at] aristotle.net
KENDRICK, BRYCE
I am willing to visit most locations in the Pacific Northwest. I am not an agaricologist, though I am familiar with the more common genera, but if people have more general interests I would be willing to fill in (have done so in the past). I would be happy to talk about the following topics:
- Moulds in your home and what to do about them
- Life: What's it all about, and where do mushrooms fit in?
- Fungi - Common, Rare and In-between. How can we tell?
- Fungi of the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii)
- Macroscopic-microscopic: why it's a good thing to have a microscope
- Seashore Life of the NorthWest
Webpage: www.mycolog.com
Home: British Columbia, Canada
Email: bryce [at] mycolog.com
KENNEDY, PETER
I would be happy to speak at NAMA events and for local mushrooming clubs. I have given talks at MSSF (California), OMS (Oregon), PSMS (Washington), and PNW Key Council (Washington). I am a fungal ecologist broadly interested in plant-microbe interactions. My research has focused mostly on the ecology of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis, especially how fungal communities are affected by factors such as competition, host specificity, and biogeography. I am generally most busy with teaching commitments between September and April, but can travel locally during that time.
Webpage: http://www.lclark.edu/org/kennedy/
Home: Portland, Oregon
Contact: pkennedy [at] lclark.edu, 503-768-7509
LOCKWOOD, TAYLOR
Taylor F. Lockwood, Mushroom Photographer
http://www.fungiphoto.com
http://www.kingdomoffungi.com
for current show and tour information go to:
http://www.taylorlockwood.com
352-383-8636
MATHENY, BRANDON
I am available to provide talks to NAMA on basidiomycete systematics, evolution, biogeography, and teaching the fungal tree of life. My current research focus is on the mushroom family Inocybaceae, which is proving to be considerably more diverse throughout the world.
Web page: http://eeb.bio.utk.edu/matheny.asp
Home: Tennessee
Email: pmatheny [at] utk.edu
McCLENEGHAN, COLEMAN
I can present several topics, including Mushrooming for Beginners, Systematics, Biodiversity Studies, Historical Mycology and Mycophagy. I am willing to travel great distances to present talks/lead forays as long as I can make it work with my family and cover expenses.
Web page: http://biology.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/247
Home: North Carolina
Email: mccleneghanc [at] hotmail.com
METHVEN, ANDREW
I’ve served as a foray mycologist and speaker at numerous NAMA and local club events over the last twenty years. I’ve also hosted workshops in Michigan, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and currently teach a two-week summer course every other year at the Highlands Biological Station in North Carolina.
My background is in systematics and ecology of fleshy fungi with a specialization in the genus Lactarius. I’ve given talks on mushrooms for beginners, mushroom identification, poisonous fungi, and just plain cool fungi. I’d be pleased to serve as a foray mycologist in the Midwest and the Appalachian mountains. I’m flexible with regards to the kinds of talks I can present and willing to travel anywhere my expenses can be covered.
Dr. Methven is Professor, Department of Biological Sciences at Eastern Illinois University.
Webpage: http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~asmethven/Welcome.html
Home: Illinois
Email: asmethven [at] eiu.edu
ODELL, THOM
I am happy to talk about my diversity work from Olympic National Park and related topics, as well as bioremediation and biodiversity prospecting, and my work conducting regional surveys for rare fungi. I also regularly teach introductory mushroom ID and give lectures on general fungal ecology.
I have over twenty five years experience collecting, studying, growing and eating mushrooms. I have many publications including scholarly papers, books, chapters and field guides and conducted field ecological studies in Olympic National Park as a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow. I currently am Research Biologist for Nature Tech Nursery, Langley, BC where I work on growing plants in test tubes and employing fungal and bacterial symbionts to grow diffiicult to propagate plants.
As for speakers bureau and foray mycologist, I am up for going anywhere if travel expenses are covered. I would be especially interested in Hawai'i.
Home: British Columbia, Canada
Email: Dr_funguy [at] hotmail.com
OSMUNDSON, TODD
I am currently a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of California – Berkeley. My research interests include fungal diversity, evolution, ecology and conservation. Recent projects have employed field studies and molecular genetics to study mycorrhizal fungi in high-elevation habitats, phylogenetic studies of the boletes (especially Tylopilus), and responses of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to global change. My current research is on the Moorea Biocode Project, an effort to taxonomically characterize the biodiversity of a model Pacific tropical ecosystem. I have presented programs for COMA, BAMS and MSSF.
I am available to serve as a speaker or foray mycologist for NAMA and local mushroom club events. Potential topics for talks include conservation of fungal biodiversity, a role for mushroom societies in biodiversity science, evolutionary concepts and the changing classification of mushroom-forming fungi, mushroom systematics and taxonomy (including hands-on workshops and short courses), and topics pertaining to the research projects mentioned above.
Website: http://nature.berkeley.edu/~tosmunds/
Home: California
Email: toddo [at] berkeley.edu
PEAY, KABIR
My research is on the species diversity and ecological assembly of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities, as well as the effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi on plant physiology. I've worked primarily in coastal California and a little bit in Malaysian Borneo. I don't have any places or times that are blacked out for speaking, but I'm fairly busy so speaking engagements would probably have to be decided on an ad-hoc basis.
Web page: http://www.stanford.edu/~kpeay/
Home: California
Email: kpeay [at] stanford.edu
PERRY, BRIAN
I would be happy to be invited as a speaker. I will be starting a new faculty position at the University of Hawaii at Hilo in August of this year, so the address and info on this page will be changing before to long.
I definitely enjoy serving as a Foray Mycologist, and would be happy to participate in forays in the western US, and of course the Hawaiian Islands. As for topics I am interested in speaking on, any of my past and present research (see web page), as well as the broader topic of fungal bioluminescence. My schedule changes with my teaching and research responsibilities, so it's tough to say exactly when I am available.
Web page: http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~baperry/
Home: California/Hawaii
Email: brian_perry [at] post.harvard.edu
PLISCHKE, JOHN
I give at least 30 mushroom programs a year, consisting of both walks with collecting with table identifications and typically proceeded or followed by a mushroom slide show. Some of my current slide shows are:
- Edible Morel Mushrooms and Entries, 2 parts
- Morel Mushrooms and their Poisonous Look-alikes
- Carnivorous and Cannibalistic Fungi: Mushrooms that grow on other mushrooms, people, spiders, insects, etc.
- Mushroom Photography
- Weird Wacky and Beautiful Fungi
- Beginner Mushroom ID
- Mushrooms of Hawaii
I have also done a Mushroom Cultivation Workshop (not a slide show) with take-home mushroom kits that can be provided or log cultivation, as well as any other shows on other topics can be easily put together. I give talks the entire year and provided I do not have a talk already scheduled for the same date, I am available anytime. Willing to travel.
Home: Pennsylvania
Contact: John Plischke III, fungi01 [at] aol.com
PRINGLE, ANNE
Currently I am exploring the ecology and evolution of introduced and invasive fungi, and the biomechanics of fungal movements. I am increasingly interested in the conservation biology of fungi. I won't be able to travel far or on too many trips until after tenure (in 2014!), but could make local (New England) trips more easily.
Website: http://www.oeb.harvard.edu/faculty/pringle/
NPR Interview: On the Trail of the Death Cap Mushroom
Home: Massachusetts
Contact: Anne Pringle, pringle [at] oeb.harvard.edu
RHOADES, FRED
I can speak on a variety of topics:
- Mushroom identification - review of major groups and genera (using PNW species but could be expanded to include wider range)*
- Edible mushrooms and non-edible/poisonous look-alikes
- Mushroom ecology with a bit of ID thrown in*
- Introduction to lichens*
- Lichen identification (NW species)*
- Life before flowers - general introduction to cryptogamic "botany" including fungi, algae, lichens, slime molds, bryophytes, ferns, etc.
- Review of nematode-trapping fungi (with IWF movies)
*These talks could be in color stereo (audience wears provided glasses) using projected 35mm slides; two slide projectors with identical projection lenses required. Otherwise, presentations are in PowerPoint format.
Website: http://faculty.wwu.edu/fredr/
Home: Washington
Contact: Fred Rhoades, fmrhoades [at] comcast.net
ROBERTS, CHRISTINE
I have given talks on Russulas, basic identification methods, fungi in art, Clayoquot fungi, and a short one on slugs and other critters that eat fungi — a subject I would like to develop more before I give a talk on it. I am game to visit anywhere in North America but perhaps should stick to the West Coast states if I am to be a foray mycologist as that is where most of my experience lies.
Home: Washington
Contact: Christine Roberts, mycoart [at] gmail.com
ROGERS, MAGGIE
I'm willing to do presentations to beginners, to those interested in back events and images of NAMA Forays, as long as I don't have to identify to species.... (grin!) ... of the mushrooms. I think I can handle identification of the people. I can offer the following presentations:
- NAMA's 1980-1990's forays and folks: a whimsical history of sorts
- Mushroom books ancient, old and new, plus their illustrations
- Why mushrooming captures your heart and your head
- So you're thinking of going mushrooming in the PNW?
- What's a mycological library and should a club create one for its members?
- Mushroom bookselling: is it for your club? Trials and cautions...
Home: Oregon
Contact: Maggie Rogers, rogersmm [at] aol.com
ROGERS, ROBERT
Robert Rogers instructs herbal medicine at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. He is vice president of the Alberta Mycological Society, chair of medicinal mushroom committee of NAMA and on the editorial board of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. His latest book is The Fungal Pharmacy: The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms and Lichens of North America.
Website: http://www.selfhealdistributing.com/
Home: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Contact: Robert Rogers, scents [at] telusplanet.net.
ROSE, DAVID
I am an archivist, past president of the Connecticut-Westchester Mycological Association (COMA), member of NAMA’s Education Committee, and contributing editor to FUNGI Magazine. My column “Notes from Underground” appears regularly in FUNGI. I am available to give talks in the eastern U.S. and will consider other locations depending on the circumstances. My presentations include Mycology is Mushrooming (introduction to mycology); History of Mycology; Literary Natural History; Mushrooms in Literature and Poetry; Mushrooms in Popular Culture; Myxomycetes; Mycologists of the 19th and 20th Centuries; Nomenclature and Taxonomy. I also give readings of poetry and literary texts on various mycological and botanical subjects. My earlier “Notes from Underground” articles may be found on the Connecticut-Westchester Mycological Association (COMA) website.
Home: New York
Contact: David Rose, tomashunders [at] aol.com
SCHAECHTER, MOSELIO
Though my yen for traveling is diminished, I am willing to be considered for talks in two categories: The history of mushrooms, especially through our efforts to keep up the Registry of Mushrooms in Works of Art; and my blog that includes fungi (click on "fungi" under categories, or follow this link). It includes quite a bit on aspects of fungal biology that I have found exciting and which have also served as the basis for talks.
I have given talks to most clubs from Southern California to Oregon, so these folks know about me. For other areas, it depends on where and when.
Microbiology Blog: http://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/
Home: California
Contact: Moselio Schaecter, mschaech [at] sunstroke.sdsu.edu
SCHILLING, JONATHAN
I am Associate Professor in the Department of Bioproducts & Biosystems Engineering, and adjunct faculty in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota. I am happy to speak about fungi, their role in decomposing wood and their potential in biotechnology. I am a biologist who needs to brush up his field ID skills. I can't travel very far from the Twin Cities, but I do travel around alot for meetings and field research, so could coordinate something.
Website: http://schillinglab.cfans.umn.edu
Home: St. Paul, Minnesota
Contact: Jonathan Schilling, schillin [at] umn.edu
SCOTT, JAMES
My primary interest is in interactions between humans (and other animals including insects) and fungi. Much of my work relates to moulds and other microfungi, (like moulds that produce penicillin that grow in houses, or sooty moulds that grow around distilleries). I also serve as the regional expert on mushroom poisonings for Southern Ontario, and have been involved in a number of interesting and serious cases. One of my side interests is ethnomycology, particularly folkloric mushroom edibility tests.
Web page: http://individual.utoronto.ca/jscott/
Home: Ontario Canada
Contact: James Scott, james.scott [at] utoronto.ca or 416-946-8778
SHERNOFF, LEON
Leon Shernoff is the editor of Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming (www.mushroomthejournal.com). A former president of the Illinois Mycological Association, he has spoken and served as a foray mycologist at mushroom clubs in Washington, Oregon, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Missouri, and of course Illinois.
He has spoken on local edibles, specific groups of mushrooms (mostly boletes) and has a humorous but instructive introduction to how scientific names work.
Website: http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/
Home: Chicago, Illinois
Contact: Leon Shernoff, (773) 288-2873, leon [at] mushroomthejournal.com
SIMARD, SUZANNE
I like speaking on mycorrhizal networks, mycorrhizal succession in forests, and the role of mycorrhizae in ecological resilience to disturbance or climate change. My availability is highly idiosynchratic, but I am least likely to be available from Sept to April when I am teaching at the University of British Columbia.
Web page: http://farpoint.forestry.ubc.ca/FP/search/Faculty_View.aspx?FAC_ID=3198
Home: British Columbia, Canada
Contact: Suzanne Simard, Suzanne.simard [at] ubc.ca
SMITH, DIANNA
I have given several talks in the NY-Connecticut region for state parks, garden clubs, and nature preserves and sanctuaries on general topics for beginners including:
- Edible Mushrooms and Their Poisonous Look-alikes
- A Gardener's Guide to Fungi
- Fungi: the Good, the Bad and the Surprising
Other possible topics:
- Boletes for Novice Mushroom Hunters
- Lactarius for Beginning Mushroomers
Website: www.pbase.com/comafungi
Home: New York
Contact: Dianna Smith, diannasmith [at] optonline.net
SMITH, MATTHEW E.
I am currently an assistant professor at the University of Florida in the Department of Plant Pathology. I also serve as the curator of the University of Florida Fungal Herbarium. I am broadly interested in fungi and have studied fungal ecology, evolution and systematics. My main areas of interest are ectomycorrhizal fungi (both ecology and systematics) and the systematics of truffles and truffle-like fungi, but I have also worked a bit on wood decay fungi and nematode-trapping fungi. I love a chance to get out in the woods and look for fungi and I am also pleased to present talks on ectomyocorrhizal ecology. In the recent past I have worked on ectomycorrhizal systems in Guyana, Chile-Argentina, China, and Mexico, so I have plenty of good material that is interesting for all sorts of mycophiles.
Website: http://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/People/Faculty/smith/smith.html
Home: Gainesville, Florida
Contact: trufflesmith [at] ufl.edu (352-273-2837)
SPINOSA, RON
Ron Spinosa is past president of the Minnesota Mycological Society and current editor of the society’s newsletter, “The Toadstool Review.” He is the Chair of the Mushroom Cultivation Committee of the North American Mycological Association. Ron presents workshops on mycology, mushroom identification, and mushroom cultivation in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.
Ron’s area of special interest is Mushrooms and Sustainability: The potential for mushroom cultivation to utilize agricultural waste for nutrition, poverty reduction and community building in developing nations.
Home: Minnesota
Contact: Ron Spinosa, 651-224-5274 or ronspin [at] juno.com
STAMETS, PAUL
I am available for speaking to mycological and botanical organizations on the following subjects:
- How Mushrooms Can Help Save World: Solutions from the Underground
- Mycoremediation and Mycofiltration: Employing mycelium to capture/degrade chemical/biological pollutants
- Psilocybin Mushrooms of North America
- Gardening with Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms
Dusty Yao arranges my lecture schedules and has a simple form for fielding inquiries. Due to high demand, we are often booking more than one year in advance.
Website: www.fungi.com
Home: Washington
Contact: Dusty Yao via email
STURGEON, WALT
I could speak on a variety of topics including Lactarius, Amanita, mushroom odors, Boletes, wax caps, habitats, lignicolous agarics, Algonquin Fungi and several other topics. I also can serve as foray mycologist in NE North America and the Appalachians.
Home: Ohio
Contact: Walt Sturgeon, mycowalt [at] comcast.net
TRAPPE, MATT
I am pleased to give presentations to mycological groups and classes, and enjoy leading or participating in fungal forays. My specialty is the ecology and taxonomy (identification) of North America’s native truffles (I am not an expert in truffle farming), but I’m also pretty handy with mushrooms, plants, lichens, and bringing the whole picture together. I’ve given numerous presentations on the basics of fungal ecology, fungal evolution, lichens, and forest ecosystems, and I’m happy to put together a presentation to address a specifically requested topic. I strive to make my presentations humorous, visually intensive, and accessible to beginners. Several of my slideshows are available for educational purposes on the North American Truffling Society website, www.natruffling.org/links.htm under the “Presentations” heading. I love to travel and am always excited to meet new people and see new places.
Webpage: www.natruffling.org
Home: Oregon
Contact: trappem [at] gmail.com
TRUDELL, STEVE
I can give talks on topics such as mushroom ecology, mushrooms and the environment, mycorrhizas, mushroom diversity and taxonomy, and surveys of genera or other groups of mushrooms. The content of most of my talks can be geared to the audience’s level of fungal knowledge and experience, from absolute beginners to grizzled mushroom hunters to those with backgrounds in university-level science. For forays, I can also do workshops on mushroom ID and photography.
I am available depending on commitments I have already made. My busiest times usually are mid-August through early September and most of October. I am willing to go pretty much anywhere, and greatly prefer visiting areas during their mushroom season!
Home: Washington
Contact: Steve Trudell, mycecol [at] u.washington.edu
VELLINGA, ELSE
My work focuses on the systematics of the beautiful parasol mushrooms in the genera Lepiota, Leucoagaricus and Leucocoprinus. The main questions I try to answer are: which species are there in California, in Hawai’i, Panama and in Thailand, how do we recognize them and how are they related to each other and to the other members of the Agaricaceae. Biodiversity and conservation are topics close to my heart.
I am happy to talk on recent developments in mushroom classifications, ecology and a variety of other topics, either as a speaker or as foray mycologist.
I write about new discoveries in mycology for the Mycena News, McIlvainea and FUNGI. And, I am an avid mushroom dyer and knitter.
Web page: http://pmb.berkeley.edu/~bruns/people/ev.html
Home: California
Contact: Else Vellinga, macrolepiota [at] comcast.net
VIESS, DEBBIE
I am a biologist, writer and artist who has been obsessed with mushrooms in general and amanitas in particular for the past fifteen years. I am co-founder of the Bay Area Mycological Society and teach field mycology classes through a variety of venues. Some of my past talks have included:
- Amanitas of California
- Amanitas: Delicious to Deadly
- Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of Northern California
- Mushrooms in the Garden and Woods
- Poisonous Mushrooms and their Toxins
- Zen and the Art of Mushroom Hunting
My biography can be found at: http://www.fungimag.com/bios/viess.htm. My writings appear frequently on the BAMS Yahoo discussion group. I’d be glad to speak to any mushroom club or foray, if my transportation costs are covered. I love visiting new areas, meeting new people and learning new mushrooms!
Website: www.bayareamushrooms.org
Home: California
Contact: Debbie Viess, amanitarita [at] sbcglobal.net
VILGALYS, RYTAS
My departmental web site lists my main research interests, and I'd be happy to speak on a variety of topics relevant to amateur mycology for NAMA clubs around the country. I am also most pleased when invited to serve as a foray mycologist.
Web page: http://www.biology.duke.edu/fungi/mycolab/
Home: North Carolina
Contact: Rytas Vilgalys, fungirv [at] gmail.com
WHITFORD, LEE
Naturalist, Beginning Mushrooms
Home: Washington
Contact: Lee Whitford, leewhitford [at] gmail.com
WINKLER, DANIEL
Having been in love with mushrooms since early childhood I managed to bend my career as an ecologist and geographer focused on High Asia towards researching mushrooms and rural income in Tibet, Himalayas and China. I am fascinated by ethno-mycology, the role mushrooms play in different cultures. I write about mushrooms and frequently do presentations combining my photography with an often funny blend of entertaining stories and scientific information. Furthermore, I organize MushRoaming tours to Tibet and Europe. I love to travel. My www.mushroaming.com webpages showcase some of my fungal work. Selected talks:
- Tibet's Most Marvelous Mushrooms
- Tales of Tibet's Fungal Miracle - Cordyceps sinensis - Caterpillar Fungus
- Flavorful, Fancy & Foul Fungi - From Far Flung Places
- Choice Edible Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest
Website: www.danielwinkler.com
Home: Washington
Contact: Daniel Winkler, me [at] danielwinkler.com
