Matthew Fossen

Personal Data
Place and Date of Birth:
Address:
Phone:
email: mafossen@gmail.com

Recent Work Experience

Current Environmental Scientist,
California Department of Pesticide Regulation
Feb 2008 Pest Management and Licensing Branch
Principal Investigator for CDPR’s U.S. EPA PRIA2 project. Developed a Web-based VOC emissions
calculator (apps.cdpr.ca.gov/voc-calculator) and a printed guide to reducing agricultural VOC emissions
(www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/emon/vocs/vocproj/reducing_voc_emissions.pdf). Built a diverse network of
contacts from federal, state, and local government, the University of California, agricultural industry groups,
and the general public. Currently manage multiple Pest Management Alliance grants. Write the wine grape
and table/raisin grape section of the PUR Annual Report. Review grant proposals for the U.S. EPA Region
9 Strategic Agricultural Initiative program.

2005-2008 Environmental (Research) Scientist,

California Department of Pesticide Regulation
Environmental Monitoring Branch
Evaluated pesticide active ingredients for potential to contaminate ground water and used computer models
to simulate pesticide movement through soil into ground water. Wrote the annual Pesticide Contamination
Prevention Act (AB 2021) status report and reviewed the environmental fate of registered pesticides.
Developed a Web-based front-end for CDPR’s Pesticide Chemistry database; maintained and updated the
database. Sampled domestic wells for pesticide residues.

2001-2005 Research Assistant at University of California, Davis

Entomology Department
Conducted laboratory, greenhouse, and field research on the interactions of grapevines, grape phylloxera,
and root-pathogenic soil fungi. Analyzed scientific data and preparing reports, presented research findings
at professional meetings, and supervised undergraduate student assistants.

2003-2005 Teaching Assistant at University of California, Davis

Entomology Department, Entomology 110 (Arthropod Pest Management)
Collaborated on curriculum and exam development. Developed, administered, and graded insect
identification laboratory exams. Met with students upon request and graded lecture exams.

June 2003 Leadership Cadre Member at San Joaquin County Office of Education
HealthWISE Program, Stockton, California
Presented several lectures on general entomology, provided technical guidance for curriculum development,
and performed general assistance tasks.
Education
December 2005 Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology, University of California, Davis
Dissertation: “ Biological Constraints Affecting Root Damage on Grapevines Infested With
Grape Phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Fitch) [Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae])”
Advisor: Prof. Jeffrey Granett

September 2002 Master of Science in Plant Protection and Pest Management,

University of California, Davis
Thesis: “Resistance of grapevine rootstocks to root-pathogenic fungi vectored by grape
phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch)”
Advisor: Prof. Jeffrey Granett

December 1998 Bachelor of Science in Biology, California State University, Fresno

Emphasis: General and organismic biology

June 1996 Associate of Science in Biological Science, Kings River Community College
Member of the Honors Program

Computer Skills
Web Development: HTML, CSS, Coldfusion, Dreamweaver, Eclipse IDE
Databases: Oracle (SQL), MS Access
Other: ArcGIS, LATEX, MS Office, Minitab, Photoshop, SAS, Sigmaplot, SPSS

Professional Interests
Entomology, pest management, environmental issues associated with pest management practices, web design and
programming, outreach and training.

Professional Memberships
- American Society of Agronomy, California Chapter. Governing Board member, three-year term.
- Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Northern California Chapter.
Publications
2011 Goodell, P., Fossen, M. and Hartley, C. Volatile Organic Compounds, Pesticides, and IPM: Dealing
With Air Quality Standards in Pest Management in California, USA. Outlooks on Pest Management
22(1): 10-13.

2010 Fossen, M. Pesticide Use Reduction in California Peaches and Nectarines. 2010 Conference
Proceedings, American Society of Agronomy (California Chapter).

2009 Fossen, M. et al. Conservation Management Practices Guide: Reducing Volatile Organic Compound
(VOC) Emissions From Agricultural Pesticide Applications. Developed for DPR’s U.S. EPA Pesticide
Registration Improvement Renewal Act grant. California Department of Pesticide Regulation,
Sacramento, CA.

2008 Fossen, M. 2007 Status Report Pesticide Contamination Prevention Act. California Department of
Pesticide Regulation, Sacramento, CA.

2008 Fossen, M. and Nordmark, C. Study GW07-Summary Of Results For Fiscal Year 2006/07 Ground
Water Protection List Monitoring For Napropamide And Oryzalin. California Department of Pesticide
Regulation, Sacramento, CA.

2007 Fossen, M. Study GW07: Protocol For Conducting Ground Water Protection List Monitoring For
Fiscal Year 2006/07 - Napropamide and Oryzalin. California Department of Pesticide Regulation,
Sacramento, CA.

2007 Fossen, M. and Granett, J. An Emergence Trapping Method for Detecting Grape Phylloxera
(Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) Populations in California Vineyards. Southwestern Entomologist 32(1):
65–66.

2007 Nordmark, C., Fossen, M. and Marade, J. Study 240: Protocol for Monitoring Ground Water
in Sections With Reported Detections Outside Existing Ground Water Protection Areas. California
Department of Pesticide Regulation, Sacramento, CA.

2007 Fossen, M. 2006 Status Report Pesticide Contamination Prevention Act. California Department of
Pesticide Regulation, Sacramento, CA.

2006-2007 Fossen, M. Various Pesticide Registration Reviews. California Department of Pesticide Regulation,
Sacramento, CA. Internal documents.

2006 Fossen, M. Environmental Fate of Imidacloprid. California Department of Pesticide Regulation,

Sacramento, CA.
Selected Presentations
2010 Berkeley, CA. DPR’s VOC Emission Reduction Project For Orchard Crops In The Northern San Joaquin
Valley. Poster presented at the 20th annual conference of the Society of Environmental Toxicology
and Chemistry, Northern California Chapter.

2009 Modesto, CA. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Pesticide Use Options. Fieen-minute talk given
at the 37th Annual Almond Industry Conference. This presentation was part of a panel titled
“Balancing Insect Management with Environmental Concerns”.

2009 Parlier, CA. Calculating and Reducing VOC Emissions. Thirty-minute talk given to growers and
PCAs at the semi-annual Tree Fruit Research Meeting sponsored by UC, DPR, EPA, and the
California Tree Fruit Agreement.

2009 Lodi, CA. VOCs and Vine Mealybug Management. Fieen-minute talk given to growers and PCAs
at a Grape Pest Management Alliance field day.

2009 Various Locations. VOC Emission Calculator Demonstrations. Demonstrations and discussions given
to groups including USDA-NRCS, East and West Stanislaus Resource Conservation Districts,
UC Statewide IPM Program leadership team, and local grower/PCA meetings.

2009 Various Locations. CDPR Grant Project Updates. Fieen-minute talks delivered to NRCS staff at
training sessions in Fresno, King City, and Colusa.

2008 Woodland, CA. General Integrated Pest Management: A Refresher. Twenty-minute talk presented at
Yolo County CAPCA meeting.

2008 Merced, CA. How Pest Management Alliance and Community Projects Support IPM Adoption. Thirty-
minute talk presented at Merced County Cooperative Extension Office.

2008 Sacramento, CA. General Integrated Pest Management Training. One-hour talk presented for
California Department of Food and Agriculture County Licensing Program.

2004 Salt Lake City, UT. Can Probing by Grape Phylloxera on Phylloxera-Resistant Roots Allow Entry of
Fungal Pathogens? Ten-minute talk presented at the Entomological Society of America Annual
Meeting.

2003 Cincinatti, OH. Susceptibility of field phylloxera-resistant rootstocks to root-pathogenic fungi. Ten-minute
talk presented at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting.

2002 Fort Lauderdale, FL. Susceptibility of Concord and Niagara Grapevine Roots (Vitis labrusca) to Grape
Phylloxera and Root-Pathogenic Soil Fungi. Ten-minute talk presented at the 2002 Entomological
Society of America Annual Meeting.