Translational Plant Sciences Center leadership updates

David Schmale, at left; and Boris Vinatzer. — Translational Plant Sciences Center leadership will transtion from its current director David Schmale, left, to Boris Vinatzer.

Translational Plant Sciences Center director David Schmale has been selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Australia, United Kingdom, United States Award for the 2026-2027 academic year. The award will provide David the opportunity to work with five host institutions connected through a global atmospheric incursion network.

This will serve as David’s second Fulbright Scholar Award, having conducted research in New Zealand from 2019-2020. During his 20-year tenure at Virginia Tech, David’s research has attracted more than $24 million in funding from federal agencies and state partners.

Boris Vinatzer, professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, will serve as interim director of the Translational Plant Sciences Center while David is on leave. Boris currently serves on the Center’s advisory committee, for which he is its grants coordinator. In his 22-year tenure at Virginia Tech, Boris’ research has focused on genome-based classification and identification of plant pathogens and biocontrol agents, as well as biological ice nucleation activity. He is credited for bringing the International Conference on Plant Pathogenic Bacteria and International Symposium of Biological Control of Bacterial Plant Diseases to Virginia Tech in 2024, marking the first time in three decades the United States has hosted.