Researcher of insect fungal diseases
Donald W. Roberts (January 20, 1933 – May 2, 2021) was an American insect pathologist and one of the originators of that field. He was especially known for research into biological pest control of Lepidoptera by "Metarhizium" but also "Beauveria bassiana". He was a Research Professor Emeritus in the Biology Department of Utah State University.
Early life and education.
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, US, in 1933. He earned his bachelor's degree in Zoology, minoring in Botany, from Brigham Young University in 1957. He received his master's degree in Entomology, minor in Mycology, from Iowa State University in 1959. He earned his PhD in 1964 from University of California, Berkeley on the then-named "Metarhizium anisopliae" (now "M. robertsii", see below) and its application as a biological control of Lepidoptera.
Postdoctoral career.
In 1965, Roberts was hired as an Assistant Rank Insect Pathologist by the Boyce Thompson Plant Research Institute.
"Helicoverpa armigera" was spreading and invading several countries around the world in 1976, when he was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to test a nuclear polyhedrosis virus in India.
When that was completed in 1978 he then traveled to work for the Brazilian government on fungal controls of pasture spittlebugs. That lasted until 1981.
In 1980 Roberts founded the Insect Pathology Resources Center at Cornell University. Roberts then went back to work for Boyce when the IPRC became part of Boyce.
Roberts collected fungal pathogens of "Nilaparvata lugens" in Sri Lanka in 1984.
Roberts was a frequent collaborator of Raymond J. St. Leger, who was also chosen to give the Society for Invertebrate Pathology's "Founders' Lecture" in his honor in 2009.
Awards and honors.
1978 — US National Science Foundation – US/India Exchange Scientist
1985 — Fulbright Senior Research Scholarship to the University of Sydney, Australia
— University of Sydney – Thomas Lawrence Pawlett Scholarship
1986–1988 — The Society for Invertebrate Pathology – Vice President
— Entomological Society of America, Eastern Branch – CIBA-GEICY Recognition Award
1988–1990 — The Society for Invertebrate Pathology – President
1989 — ESA-EB – L.O. Howard Distinguished Achievement Award
1996 — Boyce Thompson Institute – made Roy A. Young Scientist Emeritus
 — Entomological Society of Brazil (Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia) – honorary membership and recognition award
1996 — Society for Invertebrate Pathology – Founders' Lecturer – on Agostino Bassi who had been retired for some time
2009 — Society for Invertebrate Pathology – Founders' Honoree award, and Founders' Lecture on his career – given by his friend and longtime collaborator R. St. Leger
Patronymic taxa.
The species he has become associated with more than any other – the former "M. anisopliae" – was renamed "Metarhizium robertsii" in recognition of his vast contributions.
Personal life and death.
Roberts and his wife, Mae, had two children. He died on May 2, 2021, at the age of 88.
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References.
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