College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

2003 Distinguished Alumnus: Gerard T. Berggren

Dr. Berggren received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology education from Southeastern
in 1969 and continued his education earning a masters and Ph.D. in Plant Pathology
from LSU.

In 1977, Dr. Berggren joined the faculty at LSU as an instructor where he has remained
ever since. For many years he has taught courses in plant disease diagnosis and control,
integrated pest management and plant pathology. Over the years, he has received several
awards for Faculty Excellence in Classroom Teaching and Graduate Advising. Presently
he is the Department Head and Professor of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology at
LSU and the resident director of the Central Research Station. He also holds the position
of Accountable Property Officer for the Federal Surplus Excess Property Program.

With a primary interest in plant disease management and control, Dr. Berggren has
been a prolific writer and researcher co-authoring well over 100 abstracts and publications
on plant pathology and related topics. His research in the study of soybean diseases
has been extensive and has resulted in identifying soybean cultivars most resistant
to certain serious diseases. Fungicide studies he has conducted have resulted in determining
two substances which effectively manage certain serious diseases of soybeans using
just a single application.

Professionally, he is a past president of the Southern Soybean Disease Workers and
the Louisiana Association of Plant Pathologists and Nematologists. He has also served
as Chairman of the Southern Regional Information Exchange Group and on the editorial
board of “Louisiana Agriculture”. Dr. Berggren is also a former member of the Louisiana
Farm Bureau Federation Advisory Committee and the Louisiana Seed Commission.  In 2003
he was selected as the Distinguished Alumnus from the College of Science and Technology.