Thomas J. Volk, Ph.D.

                                Curriculum vitae

Personal data                                                                                                                           September 3, 2005

               

                Professor of Biology, University of Wisconsin- La Crosse

                Office address:  Dept. of Biology.  3024 Cowley Hall. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse WI 54601

                Phone 608-785-6972, Fax: 608-785-6959            Email <volk.thom@uwlax.edu>

Internet World Wide Web Page  <TomVolkFungi.net>

               

               

Education

Postdoctoral Research Mycologist with Dr. Harold H. Burdsall, Jr., USDA Forest Products Lab, Madison Nov. 1989‑August 1996

Postdoctoral Research Associate with Dr. Thomas J. Leonard, University of Wisconsin- Madison, June 1988-December 1989

Ph.D., Botany (minor Genetics) University of Wisconsin‑Madison 1988                  "Experimental Studies on the Morel"

Bachelor of Science in Botany: Ohio University, Honors Tutorial College, Athens, OH, June 1980,

                Phi Beta Kappa, "With Highest Honor" (Summa cum Laude).

 

Research and Professional Experience

 

August 2002-present   Professor of Biology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

 

2003  Recipient of the Weston Award for Excellence in Teaching Mycology, from the Mycological Society of America.

2005  Recipient of the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Mycology, North American Mycological Association

 

August 1999-August 2002   Associate Professor of Biology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Tenure awarded August 2000.

 

August 1996- August 1999   Assistant Professor of Biology and Microbiology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

 

May 1996-2002   Honorary Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Botany.

May 1995-May 1996 Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Botany.

 

November 1989‑August 1996   Research Mycologist, Center for Forest Mycology Research,  USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI, with Dr. Harold H. Burdsall, Jr.  Term (temporary) Position. Systematics, culture, cytology, ecology, and genetics of wood‑rotting basidiomycetes, especially Agaricales, Corticiaceae and Polyporaceae sensu lato. Also isolation and identification of ascomycetous and deuteromycetous fungal contaminants on imported logs in conjunction with APHIS.  Received Certificates of Merit May 1993, December 1995.  Collaborated with visiting scientists from tropical countries (Indonesia, Venezuela, Nigeria, China, and Malaysia) to culture and identify wood decay fungi from those areas. Supervised two undergraduate thesis projects. Interaction with the public in answering questions about fungi. Published a book and presently writing a monograph of north temperate species of Armillaria.

·         May 1988‑1993  Research Collaborator, UW-Madison Botany Department, Dr. Thomas J. Leonard.  Continued work on the morel, and genetics and cultivation of shiitake and Pleurotus.

·         September 1984‑ Sept. 1989  Laboratory manager de facto, fungal genetics and mycology laboratories of Dr. Thomas J. Leonard.  Duties included supervision, advising, and training of nine undergraduate research participants, supervision and advising of work‑study and hourly workers, ordering equipment and supplies, and general laboratory management.

·         February 1984‑June 1988  Research Assistant.  UW-Madison Botany Department with Dr. Thomas J. Leonard, "Experimental studies on the morel."

·         September 1980‑Feb. 1984  Research Assistant. UW-Madison Botany Department with Dr. Thomas J. Leonard,  "Genetics of fruiting body and mound (tumor-like growth) formation in the basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune."

·         January‑June 1980  Undergraduate Research.  Ohio University,  Dr. Irwin Ungar, "The effects of salt concentration on the germination of seeds of the halophyte Salicornia europa."

·         August‑December, 1979  Undergraduate Research Participant. Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois. "The effect of pH on Nitrogen fixation rates of birdsfoot trefoil in coal spoils from a land reclamation site in southern Illinois."

 

Ohio University, Athens, OH, Honors Tutorial College, Bachelor of Science in Botany, 1980.  Scholarships and Awards at Ohio University:  Manasseh Cutler Freshman Scholarship, 1976‑1977; Continuing Student Scholarships,  1978‑1980; Botanical Society of America, "Young Botanist Award," 1980; Thomas N. Wolfe Post‑Baccalaureate Scholarship for Botanical Science, 1980; Graduated Phi Beta Kappa, June 1980 Bachelor of Science in Botany "With Highest Honor" (Summa cum Laude).

 

Teaching experience

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

·         Introductory Mycology.  Biology 412/512 Graduate/advanced undergraduate level lecture, laboratory, and field course that surveys all the major groups of fungi (and relatives) in terms of anatomy, morphology, ecology, systematics, physiology, genetics, pathology and evolutionary relationships. I made major revisions of the lab manual I designed for this course and trained teaching assistants. Students collect fungal specimens and cultures.  (10-24 students)  Fall 1996-present

·         Medical Mycology.  Biology 413/513 A study of the yeasts, molds, and actinomycetes pathogenic to humans and other animals.  Emphasis on lab techniques for isolation and identification of pathogenic fungi. (15-38 students)  Spring 1997-present

·         Advanced Mycology  Discussions of primary literature, continuation of fungal identification, several forays. 10 students. Fall 2004

·         Plant-Microbe Interactions.  Biology 454/554  Survey of the fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes that interact with plants as parasites (plant pathogens) or mutualists. Includes macroscopic, cellular and molecular level of interactions. (5-10 students) Spring 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006

·         Food and Industrial Mycology  Exploitation of fungal life cycles for the production of food and industrial chemicals, as well as detrimental effects of fungi  on those products. (10-12 students)  Spring 2005

·         Latin and Greek for Scientists  BIO 390.  I developed and taught this course for graduate students and seniors on the origins of scientific terminology.  I now this is a sophomore level course, typically with 30-35 students /year.  Spring 200-present

·         Introductory Biology.  Biology  101  Lab Instructor. (25-30 students per lab)  Fall 1996

·         Plant Biology.  Biology 204  . Responsible for entire course Fall 2004 Lab Instructor almost all other semesters. Also presented several guest lectures each semester.. (70-100 students, 15-25 students per lab)

 

University of Wisconsin‑ Madison

·         Introductory Mycology:  Botany/Plant Pathology 332. Undergraduate/graduate level course. See above paragraph for course content. I taught this course 7 times at UW-Madison, responsible for all aspects of the lecture and lab. 20‑24 Students Fall 1994   Lecturer. 1988  Faculty Assistant Fall 1986  Teaching Assistant and Project Assistant Spring 1986  Lecturer   Fall 1992, 1990  Guest lecturer In charge of all aspects of graduate/advanced undergraduate level course.  Presented all lectures and laboratories, supervised and trained course preparation specialist, supervised Teaching Assistant. Major course modifications included student collections of fungi and training in culturing techniques. Feb.‑June, 1985  Introductory Mycology (Botany/Plant Pathology 332)-- Took over class with the formal title of "Teaching Assistant" (although duties were those of Lecturer, Course Preparer, and Teaching Assistant) on one day's notice after Dr. William Whittingham, the professor in the course, died suddenly.  I was responsible for all of the lab and 1/3 of the lectures

·         Introductory Botany 100  Non‑biology majors lecture/lab course surveying the plant and fungal kingdoms and relationships to humans and economic importance. I taught this course both as a Lecturer and as a Teaching Asst. 150‑200 Students. Fall Semester 1991  Lecturer and Course Administrator.  . I was responsible for 25% of the lectures, plus all exam preparation and grade assignments, supervision of two Teaching Assistants and a lab preparation specialist, contact instructor and advisor for students, and was coordinator between lecturers in the course. Spring 1986  Guest Lecturer (4 Lec.)

·         General Botany 130  Botany Majors lecture and lab course emphasizing the diversity of the plant and fungal kingdoms including their ecology, physiology, biochemistry, systematics, anatomy, morphology, and genetics.   I taught this course in its entirety as Lecturer, and earlier as a Teaching Assistant under Dr. Ray Evert. 150‑175 Students Fall 1989  Lecturer. Presented all lectures for the course, set lab content, supervision of six teaching assistants and a lab preparation specialist, as well as course administrative duties

·         Introductory Biology 151/152  Biology majors course emphasizing all aspects of living organisms, including anatomy, morphology, physiology, systematics, biochemistry, genetics, and ecology. I gave about 12 guest lectures in this course sequence, and at one time was a Teaching Assistant. 200‑250 Students Biology 151 Fall 1989  Guest Lecturer. (3 lectures) Plant anatomy and physiology portions of course   Biology 152 Spring 1989  Guest Lecturer. (10 Lectures) Plant anatomy and physiology portions of course. 1986 4 lectures

·         Plant Physiology: Botany 500  Botany majors undergraduate/graduate course (with laboratory) emphasizing experimental approaches to the physiology and biochemistry of plants. I was a Teaching Assistant for this course. 30‑40 Students

·         Experimental Mycology: Botany/Bacteriology 554  Graduate/undergraduate  course in fungal physiology, emphasizing the uses of fungi as tools for research and industry. I was the Teaching Assistant de facto for this course taught by Thomas J. Leonard, and I gave several lectures in the course. 15‑20 Students

·         August 1980‑May 1984  Teaching Assistant Experience: Teaching Assistant in Introductory Botany 100 twice (non‑majors), General Botany 130 (majors), Introductory Biology 151 (majors), Mycology (Botany/Plant Pathology 332) twice, and Plant Physiology (Botany 500). Teaching Assistant de facto in Experimental Mycology  (Botany/Bact. 554).

 

Other guest lectures in courses at other universities:

·         May 2004  Developed and  taught a special topics course with Glen Stanosz at the UW-Madison Dept. of Plant Pathology:  Spring Fungi of Wisconsin.  Involved a Sunday foray and Monday lab identification session.  May 16-17, 2004

·         April 2000 Biochemistry, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College “Human Fungal Diseases of the North Woods”

·         April 1991 "Plants and People" course. Ohio University. Athens, OH "Morels and other edible fungi."

·         December 1990 Introductory Mycology class, University of  Southern Mississippi "Culture and identification of wood‑rotting fungi and their use in the classroom."

 Publications

I have created and maintain an internet World Wide Web page <http://TomVolkFungi.net> that contains links to my  Images for Teaching Mycology, 1000+ downloadable images of fungi from all taxonomic groups. My main page is downloaded 8000-19,000 times per month by people from all over the world, with more than 119,000 hits in the past year and more than 717,000 times in the past 9 years.  The site also has a “Fungus of the Month” as well as an extensive introduction to the Kingdom Fungi. I have received email from every continent, including Antarctica, regarding my web page.  My “Fungi that are necessary for a merry Christmas” page was the featured web site in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec 19, 1997. Entire site featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education March 1998. Named as one of the 500 “Best of the Web” in “The Web” magazine, Feb. 1998. Links2Go Key Resource Award July 1998, ACS (Aspire Communications Service) Link of the Day Oct 22, 1998. Discover It! - The Best of the Web. January 15, 1999.   Cool image of the Day March 24, 1999. from  dailyimage.com. Openhere.com, a website for family-oriented links.  Mullein Award for Nature Web Excellence. <http://www.main.nc.us/naturenotebook.>  NetMom Approved 2001, The Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages www.netmom.com. Featured in “Biology Teacher,” October 2004. Science magazine “Cool Images” site February 5, 1999.

 

Czederpiltz, D. L. L., Wikler, K., Rademacher, M., Volk, T. J., Hadar, Y., and Micales, J.  2004.  Biodiversity of wood-inhabiting fungi in Israeli pine forests.  In Diversity, Ecology and Systematics of Fungi in Forest Ecosystems.  Editor: Cathy Cripps. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden Press 89:191-202

 

Volk, Thomas J.  2004.  Smut on the Internet.  Mushroom News 52(2):24-26.

 

Volk, Thomas J.  2003. Teaching medical mycology to graduates and undergraduates.    Inoculum 54(4): 2-10

 

Volk, Thomas J. The impact of the Internet on Mycology.  in "Current Trends in Mycological Research”  Ed. M K Rai. In Press.    

 

Harbin, Marsha and Thomas J. Volk.  The relationship of Morchella with plant roots. Mycologia (in review)

 

Volk, Thomas J. 2002.   The Humongous Fungus—Ten years later   Inoculum 53 (2): 4-8

 

Volk, Thomas J. and John W. Rippon, 2001.  "Eating Mushrooms:  Death, Ecstasy or Gourmet's delight" Chapter 17 pp. 365-383 in "Trichomycetes and other fungal groups:  Robert W. Lichtwardt Commemoration Volume”.  Ed. J.K. Misra and Bruce W. Horn. Enfield, NH. Science Publishers.

 

Czederpiltz, Daniel L., Thomas J. Volk, and Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. 2001.  Field observations and inoculation experiments to determine the nature of carpophoroids associated with Entoloma abortivum and Armillaria. Mycologia 93: 841-851.

 

Volk, Thomas J. 2001.  “Fungi: the threads that keep ecosystems together.”  pp. xi-xiii.  Foreword of  “The Fungi”  2nd edition. M.J. Carlile, S.C. Watkinson, and G.W. Gooday.  London: Academic Press

 

Volk, Thomas J. 2001. Poster Sessions as teaching and learning tools in Mycology courses.  Micologia Aplicada International 13(1): 45-49

 

Volk, Thomas J.  2001.“Fungi” --invited chapter in The Encyclopedia of Biodiversity  Vol. 3: 141-163. Academic Press.

 

Volk, Thomas J. 2000. Polypore Primer: An introduction to the characters used to identify poroid wood decay fungi. McIlvainea 14 (2): 74-82

 

Volk, Thomas J. and Karen Nakasone, 1999. The changing nature of fungal names and systematics. McIlvainea 13(2):59-68.

 

Banik, Mark T., Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. and Thomas J. Volk. 1998. Identification of groups within Laetiporus sulphureus in the United States based on RFLP analysis of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Folia Cryptogamica Estonia   33: 9-14

 

Volk, Thomas J. and John W. McCain. 1998.  Mushrooms and Other Fleshy Basidiomycetes. Slide set with accompanying text for the American Phytopathological Society,  ISBN 0-89054-226-0. Includes 63 slides and eight pages of explanatory material.

 

Volk, Thomas J. 1998. Naming the Polypores:Why Polyporus has been split into more than 100 genera. Mycophile 39(2):1-3.

 

Volk, Thomas J., Mary Ellen Kozak, &  Joseph Krawczyk. 1997. Ecological guides to the cultivation of edible mushrooms.  Mushroom News 45 (5):26-36.


Publications (cont’d)

Burdsall, Harold H., Jr., Thomas J. Volk, and Joseph F. Ammirati, Jr. 1996. Bridgeoporus, a new genus to accommodate Oxyporus nobilissimus. Mycotaxon 60 :387-395

 

Banik, Mark T., Thomas J. Volk, and Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. 1996.  Armillaria species on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state, including confirmation of North American biological species XI. Mycologia 88:492-496.

 

Volk, Thomas J., Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. and Mark T. Banik. 1996. Armillaria nabsnona, a new species from western North America.  Mycologia 88:484-491

 

Miller, Orson K., Thomas J. Volk, and Alan Bessette. 1996. A new genus, Leucopholiota, in the Tricholomataceae (Agaricales) to accommodate an unusual taxon. Mycologia 88: 137-139.

 

Volk, Thomas J. and Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. 1995.  Nomenclatural study of Armillaria and Armillariella species (Basidiomycotina, Tricholomataceae)  Fungiflora, Oslo, Norway: Synopsis Fungorum 8, 121 pp. ISBN 82-90724-14-4

 

Rodriguez, Carmen, Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. and Thomas J. Volk.  1995. Wood-decay fungi of the state of Bolivar in southeastern Venezuela. Mycotaxon 53:377-389.

 

Ammirati, J., S.Ammirati, L.Norvell, T.O'Dell, M.Puccio, M.Seidl, G.Walker, Puget Sound Mycological Society, S.Redhead, J.Ginns, H.Burdsall, T.Volk, and K.Nakasone.  A Preliminary report on the fungi of Barlow Pass Washington. 1994. McIlvainea  11(2):10-33.

 

Volk, Thomas J., Harold H. Burdsall, Jr., and Keith Reynolds.  1994. Checklist and host index of wood‑inhabiting fungi of Alaska. Mycotaxon 52 (1):1-46.

 

Burdsall, Harold H., Jr. and Thomas J. Volk. 1993. The state of taxonomy of the genus Armillaria.  McIlvainea 11:4-12

 

Darmono, T.W., Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. and Thomas J. Volk.  1993. Interfertility among isolates of Armillaria tabescens in North America. Sydowia 44:105-116.

 

Volk, Thomas J. 1993. Alliteration Accidental? Science 259:295.

 

Volk, Thomas J., Thomas J. Leonard and Lin Bin. 1992. [Cytological studies of morels.] Guo Wai Shi Yong Jun [Chinese Journal of Foreign Research on Edible Mushrooms] 3:42-46. in Chinese.

 

Leonard, Thomas J. and Thomas J. Volk.  1992.  Production of Specialty Mushrooms in North America: Shiitake and Morels. in Frontiers in Industrial Mycology G.F. Leatham, ed. New York: Chapman & Hall, pp.1-23.

 

Volk. Thomas J., 1991. Understanding the Morel Life Cycle: Key to Cultivation. McIlvainea 10 (1): 76-81.

 

Volk, Thomas J. and Thomas J. Leonard.  1990.  Cytology of the life cycle of Morchella.  Mycological Research 94: 399‑406.

 

Volk, Thomas J. 1990.  The current state of morel cultivation.  Mushroom News 38 (8): 24‑27.

 

Volk, Thomas J. and Thomas J. Leonard.  1989.  Physiological and environmental studies of sclerotium formation and maturation in Morchella. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 55: 3095‑3100.

 

Volk, Thomas J. and Thomas J. Leonard.  1989.  Experimental studies on the morel. I. Heterokaryon formation between monoascosporous strains of Morchella. Mycologia 81: 523‑531.

 

Manuscripts in Preparation

·         Volk, Thomas J. Virtual Mushrooms:  A Guide to Mushrooms and other fungi of North America.  Princeton University Press.  600 pages large format, with accompanying CD-ROM.  Jan 2006

·         Westmoreland, Sean and Thomas J. Volk.  A study of the mycorrhizal fungus Hydnellum in North America

·         Burgess, Joshua, William Schwan and Thomas J. Volk. .  Determining the ecology of Blastomyces dermatitidis, a systemic fungal pathogen of humans, using a rapid PCR-based system  (being prepared for PNAS)

·         Adam Gusse and Thomas J. Volk.   Biodegradation of phenolic resins by white-rot fungi. (being prepared for Science)

·         Volk, Thomas J. and Harold H. Burdsall, Jr.  Monograph of North American species of Armillaria.

Invited Departmental Seminars

·         November 2004  University of Toronto, Dept. of Botany, “The life cycle of Morchella:  their relationship with plant roots”

·         October 2004 University of Washington, Seattle, Dept of Forestry. ‘shrooms in da ‘hood:  the impact of fungi on urban and suburban forestry

·         October 2004  Linfield College, McMinnville OR, “The life cycle of Morchella:  the relationship of morels with plant roots”

·         September 2004  Youngstown State University, Dept. of Biology.  "Determining the ecology of Blastomyces dermatitidis, a systemic fungal pathogen of humans, using a rapid PCR-based system "

·         November 2003  Missouri Botanical Garden/ St. Louis Community College-Meramec.  “Fungi associated with chestnut trees.”

·         April 2002 University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, Symposium on Industrial and Fermentation Microbiology “Fungal Proteins and Other Products: Feeding the World and Making it Healthier”

·         November 2001 Harvard University, Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology. “The life cycle of Morchella:  the relationship of morels with plant roots”

·         October 2001  University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, “Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds:  The impact of fungi on humans and history"  part of a series on The Environment and Humans

·         May 2001  University of California- Davis, Department of Plant Pathology, “Midwestern Mycorrhizal Morels”

·         November 2000 Oregon State University Dept of Forestry/ US Forest Service Forestry Sciences Laboratory “Midwestern Mycorrhizal Morels”

·         November 2000 Portland State University Department of Biology “The relationship of morels with the roots of plants”

·         October 2000 Minnesota State University-Mankato, Department of Biology  “Forest Fungi of Minnesota”

·         April 2000 Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College, Hayward WI.  “Fungal Human Diseases of the North Woods”

·         Mar 2000  New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.  “The life cycle of the morel: Are morels Mycorrhizal?”

·         Nov 1999   St. Mary’s University, Dept. of Biology, Winona, Minnesota.  “Fungi of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.”

·         Oct 1999   University of Maine, Department of Biological Sciences, “Forest Fungi across North America”

·         Jun 1999  Penn State University, Plant Pathology Departmental Seminar, “Forest Fungi Across North America.”

·         Oct 1997 Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College, Hayward, WI.  Presented slide lecture on “Namekagon River Fever (Blastomycosis) and Fungi of Northern Wisconsin.” Preceded by a mushroom foray into the woods.

·         May 1997   Mankato State University (Minnesota). Department of Biology seminar, “The life cycle of the morel mushroom”

·          Mar 1996  University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Biology and Microbiology Departmental seminar. "Fungal biodiversity, endangered species, and systematics: Studies in Bridgeoporus and Armillaria."

·         Feb 1996   UW- Madison Botany Department Seminar. "The most noble polypore, Bridgeoporus nobilissimus, a rare and endangered fungus."

·         Dec 1995  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society. "Novel commercial and industrial uses for wood debris."

·         Dec 1994   UW- Madison Botany Dept. Colloquium with Michael Clayton: "New Multimedia Resources”

·         Apr 1991 Ohio University. Athens, Ohio.  Botany Department Seminar. "Cultivation and life cycle of Morchella."

 

Scientific meetings without formal presentations

·          Mar 1998  Focus on Fungal Infections 8.  Orlando, Florida. Informal presentation on web page design

·         Jul 1994  Conference on Biodiversity Studies of Western Fungi.  Corvallis, Oregon. Committee on computer databases.

·         Aug 1989  Conference on the Cellular and Molecular Biology of Basidiomycetes, Erindale College, Toronto, Canada.

·         May 1989  National meeting on Biology and Cultivation of Shiitake mushrooms.  St. Paul, Minnesota.

·         Aug 1981 American Institute of Biological Sciences/Mycological Society of America meeting in Bloomington, Indiana

Peer Reviewing

·         2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1989, Peer Reviewer for Mycologia, Journal of the Mycological Society of America

·         2003 Peer Reviewer for The Condor, International Journal of Avian Biology, also for Mycological Research.

·          2001, 1998 Reviewer for Mycotaxon

·         2000. Reviewer for Fungi chapter in Raven and Johnson’s textbook “Biology,” Reviewer for Bioresource Technology

·         1998  Peer Reviewer for Advances in Space Research, Mycological Research  1999 Mycorrhiza

·         2001,  2000  Canadian Journal of Botany

·         1996, 1995, 1994 Peer Reviewer of several Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, Canadian Journal of Botany, and Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

·         1999 Peer Reviewer, pre-submission book proposals, Princeton University Press; for Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology; for US Forest Service publication on Bridgeoporus nobilissimus; and APS Press book on Phytopathogenic Fungi

·        1996- 1997, 2003-2004  Major reviewer, Fungi Chapter of the Sixth and Seventh Editions (1998 & 2005) of Raven, Evert and Eichhorn’s Biology of Plants, the most widely used Botany text in the English speaking world. Also published four photographs in that chapter.

Oral Presentations and Posters at Meetings

 

Mycological Society of America annual meeting.  Hilo, Hawaii. July 30- August 5, 2005

Oral presentations: 1. Joshua W., Burgess, William Schwan, and Thomas J. Volk. Detection of Blastomyces dermatitidis DNA from natural samples using rapid PCR-based methods..  2. Bernadette O’Reilly and Thomas J. Volk  The exploitation of mycorrhizal association to induce fruiting in Morchella esculenta.  3. Kelsea Jewell Thomas J. Volk   The possible biocontrol of pathogen Candida albicans using the killer yeast Candida glabrata Y55 

Posters: 1.  Jonathan Palmer  and Thomas J. Volk   Molecular characterization of mycorrhizal fungi associated with a disjunct stand of American chestnuts (Castanea dentata) in Wisconsin  2. Melanie Winter and Thomas J. Volk  “Rediscovery” of  C.W. Hesseltine’s thesis on the Mucorales (Zygomycota)  3. Bridget Pfaff and Thomas J. Volk    Water, water everywhere: preliminary studies in medical document recovery following water infiltration

 

Mycological Society of America annual meeting, Asheville, North Carolina.  July 18-21, 2004

Oral presentations:  1.  Adam Gusse and Thomas J. Volk.   Biodegradation of phenolic resins by white-rot fungi. 2. Bernadette O’Reilly and Thomas J. Volk.   Preliminary isolation and identification of fungi and bacteria associated with morel fruiting

3. Sean Westmoreland and Thomas J. Volk.   Comparison of chemosystematics and ITS sequencing in the systematics of Hydnellum (Basidiomycota, Thelephoraceae)

Posters:   1.  Kelsea Jewell and Thomas J. Volk.   Preliminary investigations into the use of a killer Candida strain to control candidiasis. 2.  Maria Lee and Thomas J. Volk.   Preliminary proteomic profiling of dimorphism in Penicillium marneffei, an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans. 3.  Jonathan Palmer and Thomas J. Volk.   Survey of fungi associated with a disjunct stand of American chestnut (Castanea dentata) in Wisconsin.

 

Associate Infection Control Nurses Bimonthly meeting at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital  “Skin Flicks; Fungal infections of the skin.”  May 2004

 

Mid-Continental Mycological Conference.  UW- Madison. March 26-27, 2004

Oral presentations:  1.  Adam Gusse and Thomas J. Volk.   Biodegradation of phenolic resins by white-rot fungi.

2.  Bridget Pfaff and Thomas J. Volk.   Water, water everywhere.  Preliminary discoveries in document recovery following water infiltration in an indoor environment.

3.  Kelsea Jewell and Thomas J. Volk.   Killer yeasts: explanations and exploitations

Posters:   1.  Thomas J. Volk.   Teaching Medical Mycology to Graduates and Undergraduates.

2.  Joshua W., Burgess, William Schwan, and Thomas J. Volk. Development of a rapid PCR-based assay to detect the human pathogen Blastomyces dermatitidis in soil samples. 

3.  Adam C. Gusse and Thomas J. Volk.  Survey of Wood-decay And Other Fungi From Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

4.  Bernadette D. O’Reilly and Thomas J. Volk.  Time-lapse and epifluorescence microscopy of hyphal interactions of Armillaria with its pathogen Entoloma abortivum.

5.  Maria Lee and Thomas J. Volk.  Preliminary proteomic profiling of dimorphism in Penicillium marneffei, an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans.

 

Thomas J. Volk   Teaching mycology in the Age of Uncertainty.   Invited symposium presentation at the Deep Hypha systematic mycology meeting, Knoxville, Tennessee, March 2004.

 

Joshua W. Burgess, William Schwan, and Thomas J. Volk. Development of a rapid PCR-based assay to detect the human pathogen Blastomyces dermatitidis in soil samples.  (Joshua won first prize for graduate student oral presentation.) North Central branch of the American Society for Microbiology annual meeting. Oshkosh , WI October 2003

 

Mycological Society of America/ British Mycological Society joint meeting. Asilomar, California, July 27-30, 2003

1.  Joshua W., Burgess, William Schwan, and Thomas J. Volk. Development of a rapid PCR-based assay to detect the human pathogen Blastomyces dermatitidis in soil samples.  (Joshua won one of three graduate student poster awards.)

2.  Adam C. Gusse, and Thomas J. Volk. A Survey of Wood-decay And Other Fungi From Kachemak Bay, Alaska. 3.  Bernadette D. Oreilly and Thomas J. Volk.  Time-lapse and epifluorescence microscopy of hyphal interactions of Armillaria with its pathogen Entoloma abortivum. 4.  Sean E. Westmoreland , Thomas J. Volk and Susan  Hopkins.  Morphological, molecular, and musical studies in Hydnellum (Basidiomycota, Thelephoraceae), reinforced with a new method, Chemosystematics with HPLC Using Mass Spec (CHUMS). 5.  Nicholas C. Zitomer, Thomas J. Volk, and Marc Rott.  Isolation and characterization of antimicrobial substances from fruiting bodies of macrofungi.

 

International Society of Animal and Human Mycology (ISHAM) meeting, San Antonio, TX, May 24-30, 2003

1.  Thomas J. Volk.   Teaching Medical Mycology to Graduates and Undergraduates.

2.  Joshua Burgess, William Schwan, and Thomas J. Volk.  Development of a rapid PCR-based method to identify Blastomyces dermatitidis from soil.

 

Adam Gusse and Thomas J. Volk.  A survey of wood-decay and other fungi from Kachemak Bay, Alaska.  University of Wisconsin System Undergraduate Research Day, Eau Claire Wisconsin.  April 2003

 

University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Undergraduate Research Day—April 17, 2003

1.        Adam Gusse and Thomas J. Volk.  A survey of wood-decay and other fungi from Kachemak Bay, Alaska

2.        Chau Nguyen and Thomas J. Volk.  Extraction of antimicrobial compounds from fungi.

3.        Bernadette O’Reilly and Thomas J. Volk.  Studying fungal pathology using epifluorescence and time-lapse photography

 

Thomas J. Volk  “Colonization by mycorrhizal and wood-decay fungi of a disjunct stand of American chestnuts in Wisconsin”  The American Chestnut Foundation Annual Meeting, La Crosse, WI  Oct 20, 2002

 

Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting, Corvallis, Oregon, June 22-27, 2002

1.        Sean Westmoreland, Thomas J. Volk, and Aaron Monte. “A morphological, pigment, molecular and musical study of                                                   Hydnellum (Basidiomycota, Thelephoraceae).”

2.        Nicholas C. Zitomer and Thomas J. Volk,  “Isolation and Identification of Novel Compounds and Antibiotics from Basidiomycota Fruiting Bodies”

 

Thomas J. Volk  “Little Fungi on the Prairie”  Prairie Enthusiasts annual meeting, La Crosse WI , March 2002

 

Mycological Society of America/ American Phytopathological Society/ Society of nematoloists Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City Utah, August 2001

1.        Marsha Harbin and Thomas J. Volk  “Recycling of spent grains from beer and ethanol production into media for mushroom production”  Phytopathology 91: S111

2.        Sean E. Westmoreland and Thomas J. Volk  “A preliminary study of  Hydnellum (Thelephoraceae, Basidiomycota) using morphological and pigment characteristics” Phytopathology 91:S126.

3.        Thomas J. Volk. “Issues in using electronic media in teaching Mycology”  Joint APS/MSA workshop: Strategies for teaching Mycology in the plant pathology curriculum.

4.        Presented a one-day 6.5-hour lecture short course “Catching up on Mycology.”   see below in “Teaching outside universities”

 

Thomas J. Volk  “Tom Volk’s Fungi, a website for learning about mycology.”  Instructional Technology Symposium, International Society for Plant Pathology,  Online Symposium, www.ispp-itsymposium.org.nz/index.html,  May 2001

 

Mycological Society of America Annual meeting, Burlington, Vermont. July 30-Aug 3, 2000

1.        Thomas J. Volk  “Teaching Mycology Using the Internet” Invited Symposium Presentation “Challenges and Opportunities in Mycology Instruction

2.        Thomas J. Volk  “Poster Presentations as a teaching and learning tool in Mycology courses”   Fungi in the Laboratory

3.        Karen Wikler, Matt Rademacher, Daniel Czederpiltz, Jessie Micales, Thomas J. Volk, and Yitzhak Hadar. “Biodiversity of wood-inhabiting fungi in Israeli pine forests.”

 

Thomas J. Volk, Adrienne Loh, Kenny Hunt, Rick Gillis & Scott Cooper. UW-La Crosse  Symposium on Teaching and Learning “Building Web pages that students will actually use”  January 2000

 

Thomas J. Volk and Scott T. Cooper. Association of College and University Biology Educators (ACUBE) annual meeting.  River Falls, Wisconsin.  “Building web pages that students will actually use”  Workshop, October 1999.

 

Marsha Harbin and Thomas J. Volk.  Smith Foray, West Bend WI. “The relationship of Morchella with tree roots” Sep. 1999

 

International Botanical  Congress/ Mycological Society of America Annual meeting St. Louis, MO. August 1999 

·         Kenneth W. Cochran, John H. Trestrail, III, and Thomas J. Volk. “Mushroom Poisoning In North America: 1983-98” (abs) XVI International Botanical Congress Abstracts  #2295 p. 675. 

·         Marsha Harbin and Thomas J. Volk.  “The association of Morchella with plant roots” (Marsha won one of four Graduate Student Research Prizes from MSA for our presentation) XVI International Botanical Congress Abs. #1601 p. 559. 

 

Thomas J. Volk.  “Human Fungal Diseases of the North Woods.”  Bridges to the Baccalaureate summer research program.  Lac Courte Oreilles Community College of the Ojibwe/  University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, June 1999

 

Thomas J. Volk.  “Solid State Fermentation: Modern Methods in The Production of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms” Third Annual Symposium on Industrial and Fermentation Microbiology. La Crosse, WI  April 1999.

 

Hazel Centeno and Thomas J. Volk. “Natural plant products against yeast infections.”  UW-L Undergrad Res Day.  March 99

 

Thomas J. Volk and Kathie T. Hodge.  “The impact of the Internet on Mycology.”  Mycological Society of America/ American Bryological and Lichenological Society joint Meeting.  San Juan, Puerto Rico. June 1998

 

Thomas J Volk,  “Producing the ultimate fungus web site.”  Organizational meeting of BotWeb, a division of BioWeb, a collaboration of fourteen UW System schools.  Madison, Wisconsin. May  1998

 

Annie L Voyles and Thomas J. Volk. “Chemotherapeutic Treatments for Systemic Mycoses.” Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College, Hayward, WI. Tribal Health Concerns: An Environmental- Biomedical Approach. May 1998

 

Presented informal seminar on “Mushroom cultivation and the possibilities for isolating biologically active products Hoechst Marion Roussell Pharmaceutical company (Research Division). With Toby Feibelman.  Frankfurt, Germany. November 1997

 

Thomas J. Volk, Mary Ellen Kozak, &  Joseph Krawczyk. “Ecological guides to the cultivation of edible mushrooms.”  International Shiitake Growers’ symposium, Huntsville, Alabama. October 5-6, 1997.

 

Harold H Burdsall, Jr., Mark T. Banik, and Thomas J. Volk.  “The status of Laetiporus in North America.”   9th International Conference on Root and Butt Rots. (IUFRO)  Carcans, France.  August 31-Sept 7, 1997

 

Thomas J Volk. “Ecological guides to the production of edible mushrooms.” Featured Speaker,  Shiitake Growers’ Association of Wisconsin (Shii-GAW) annual meeting.  Arcadia, Wisconsin October 1996

 

Mycological Society of America/American Phytopathology Society meeting. Indianapolis, Indiana. July 1996:

1. Volk, Thomas J. “Extra-scholastic Mycology.”  Teach-in: Innovations for teaching Plant Pathology and Mycology.

                2. Volk, Thomas J., J. Krawczyk, & M.E. Kozak. “Ecological guides to the production of edible fungi.”  Symposium:    Technology Transfer of Ecological Information, Part II. Industrial Applications. (abs.)  Inoculum 47 (3):32

                3. Lindner, D., Thomas J. Volk and H.H. Burdsall, “Entoloma abortivum as a parasite of Armillaria” (abs.) Inoculum 47 (3):19

4. Banik, Mark, H.H. Burdsall, Jr., and Thomas J. Volk. “Differences between isolates of Laetiporus sulphureus in the Internal Transcribed Spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA.” (abs.)  Inoculum 47 (3): 2

 .

Thomas J Volk “The genus Armillaria: Who's in and who's out.” A.H. Smith Lake St. Foray. Kalamazoo, MI. Sept. 1994

 

International Mycological Congress/ Mycological Society of America. Vancouver, BC, Canada. Aug. 1994 .  

1. Thomas J Volk, Harold H. Burdsall, Jr., and Mark T. Banik. “Armillaria in the American Northwest.”

2. J.F Ammirati, G.R. Walker, L.L. Norvell, M.T. Seidl, Puget Sound Mycological Society, S.A. Redhead, J.H. Ginns, H.H. Burdsall, and T.J. Volk. “Macrofungi of old-growth Abies forests in the Pacific Northwest.”

 

Thomas J Volk. “Oxyporus nobilissimus; cultural and ecological studies”. A.H. Smith Foray. Wisconsin Dells, WI. Sept. 1993.

 

Thomas J Volk and Harold H. Burdsall, Jr. “Preliminary survey of wood-decay fungi in old-growth forests of Alaska.” Mycological Society of America meeting. Athens, Georgia. June 1993. (abs.)  Inoculum 44:62

 

Thomas J Volk. “The Ecology and Taxonomy of Morchella in North America: A Comparison of the East vs. the West.”  A.H. Smith Lake States Foray. Jo Daviess County, Illinois. Sept 1992

 

Thomas J Volk. “Oxyporus nobilissimus, the giant polypore of the Pacific northwest.” Mycological Society of America/American Phytopathology Society joint meeting. Portland, Oregon. August 1992. (abs.)  Inoculum 43:53

 

T.W Darmono, Harold H. Burdsall, and Thomas J. Volk.  “Interfertility among North American isolates of Armillaria tabescens.” A.H. Smith Lake States Foray. University of Wisconsin‑Stevens Point Field Station.  Tomahawk, WI  Sept. 1991.

 

T.W Darmono, Harold H. Burdsall, and Thomas J. Volk.  “Interfertility among North American isolates of Armillaria tabescens.” American Phytopathological Society meeting. St. Louis, MO, August 1991. (abs.) Phytopathology 81:1142.

 

Mycological Society of America annual meeting,  Madison, WI, June 1990:

                1. Thomas J Volk, and Thomas J. Leonard.  “Heterokaryon formation between monoascosporous strains of Morchella.”

                2. T.J Leonard & T.J. Volk. “Production of new edible mushrooms in North America”. Symposium:Industrial Mycology.

                3. Thomas J Volk and Thomas J. Leonard. “Cytology of the life cycle of Morchella.”


Mycological forays and "amateur" mycology events

Amateur mycology— what is a mushroom foray? Mycology is one of only three major scientific disciplines (archaeology and ornithology are the others) where amateurs have a significant impact on research and study, where they aid in collection of specimens, as well as the ecological data that is necessary for the collections to have scientific value.   I am a very strong advocate of the involvement of non-professional mycologists in the study of fungi at many different levels. This is one of the reasons I am proud to be an Honorary Member of the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Mycological Society and Scientific Advisor to the Minnesota Mycological Society.  Mushroom Forays are events where professional and amateur mycologists meet, collect fungi, identify and catalogue them, and give lectures, workshops and presentations. North American Mycological Association (NAMA) forays are annual 3-day events in various parts of North America – I have attended 15 of the past 16. Various other local mushroom clubs have invited me for presentations, including those in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Louisiana, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina, California, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Texas, Oregon, Toronto, DC, and New Mexico. I have also led many 2-3 hr. local “mushroom walks.”

 

August 2005  Northeast Mycological Federation annual foray.  Mont Alto PA.  Keynote speaker.  ‘shrooms in da ‘hood:  the impact of fungi in urban and suburban environs.  3 day foray

 

January 2005   Mycological Society of San Francisco. Monthly meeting.  ‘shrooms in da ‘hood:  the impact of fungi in urban and suburban environs

January 2005   Sonoma County Mycological Association monthly meeting.  “Where have all the hydnums gone?”

January 2005   Sonoma County Mycological Association.  Invited chief mycologist, keynote speaker ““Characters used to separate the modern genera of gilled fungi.” 3 day foray

January 2005   Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz.  Monthly meeting.  ‘shrooms in da ‘hood:  the impact of fungi in urban and suburban environs

 

November 2004  Mycological Society of Toronto, Invited speaker. ‘shrooms in da ‘hood:  the impact of fungi in urban and suburban environs

 

October 2004   Puget Sound Mycological Society, Seattle, WA, Featured Mycologist, Wild Mushroom Fair. “The impact of fungi on humans and history” and ‘shrooms in da ‘hood:  the impact of fungi in urban and suburban environs. 2-day fair

October 2004  Breitenbush Mushroom Conference, OR.  Featured Mycologist  “The impact of fungi on humans and history”  3-day

October 2004   Snohomish County   “Characters used to separate the modern genera of gilled fungi.”

October 2004  Oregon Mycological Society, Portland, OR . “The impact of fungi on humans and history”

 

September 2004  Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club annual foray. Invited Mycologist  “Characters used to separate the modern genera of gilled fungi.”

 

August 2004  Colorado Mycological Society, Invited Mycologist for Mushroom Fair. “The impact of fungi on humans and history” Denver Botanical Garden.

 

August 2004  Mycological Association of Washington, DC. Invited speaker “The impact of fungi on humans and their history” 

 

July 2004  North American Mycological Association Annual Foray, Asheville North Carolina. Invited Mycologist.  “What is a species? Defining species boundaries in the new era of DNA.”

 

March 2004  New York Mycological Society  “Marvelous Mushrooms:  The impact of fungi on humans and their history”  American Museum of Natural History

March 2004  Connecticut Westchester Mycological Association (COMA) “Where have all the Hydnums gone?” Purchase NY

March 2004  New Jersey Mycological Association “Exposé :  The secret sex lives of fungi”

 

December 2003  Mycological Society of San Francisco Fungus Fair. Invited Guest Mycologist.  “Exposé :  The secret sex lives of fungi” Oakland, CA  3 day event.

 

September 2003  Northeast Mycological Federation.  Invited Guest Mycologist and Keynote speaker.  “Exposé :  The secret sex lives of fungi” Deposit NY  3-day foray

 

August 2003  North American Mycological Association Annual Foray, Québec. Invited Mycologist, one of only 3 from the USA. Presented lecture with Sean Westmoreland: “Where have all the Hydnums gone? The place of the Tooth Fungi in the new classification.” 3-day foray

 

October 2003 La Crosse Kiwanis Club  April 2002  Onalaska Area Business Association annual banquet. Valley View Rotary Club.   Nov 2001  Downtown La Crosse Rotary Club  “Mushrooms and other fungi of the Coulee Region and beyond.”

 

April 2003   Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club.  Invited Mycologist, Spring Morel Foray. “Mushrooms and other fungi of western Pennsylvania.  1-day foray.

 

January 2003  Sonoma County Mycological Association.  Guest Mycologist annual winter foray. Presented “Polypores of California.” 2-day foray.

October 2002  North American Mycological Association Annual Foray, Diamond Lake, Oregon.  Invited Mycologist and Keynote speaker.  “Bridgeoporus nobilissimus, the most noble polypore.” 3-day foray

 

October 2002  Illinois Mycological  Association, Invited Speaker.  “Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds: the impact of fungi on humans and history.”  3-day foray

 

August 2002  NAMA “exotic” foray in Sterling, Alaska.  Chief Mycologist, presented keynote lecture “Fungi of Alaska.”

 

Fall 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987  Madison Audubon Society. Leader of fungal forays.

 

Fall 2004, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985  Alexander H. Smith Lake States forays (for midwestern professional mycologists) in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.  Co-host of 1993 foray in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Host of 2001 Foray at Ferryville WI.  3-day forays

 

January 2002  Sonoma County Mycological Association, Guest Mycologist annual winter foray, presented the keynote lecture “Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous molds: the impact of fungi on humans and history.” 3 day foray

 

November 2001  Boston Mycological Club.  Invited speaker, annual banquet. “The impact of fungi on Humans and history.”  

 

October 2001  Texas Mycological Society annual foray, Huntsville TX. “What is a species?” Guest mycologist.  3-day foray

 

August 2001  Northeast Mycological Federation annual Foray  Invited Guest Mycologist   Presented keynote lecture “Mycological Cannibalism: Fungi that eat other fungi” Lynn Margulis was the “warm-up” speaker before me. I also lectured on polypore identification. University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  3-day foray

 

July 2001  North American Mycological Association annual Foray.  Principal  Mycologist.  Presented keynote lecture “Clyde Christensen’s Foolproof Four revisited”  3 day foray St. John’s University, Collegeville MN

 

May 2001 Mycological Society of San Francisco.  Invited guest Mycologist. 3-day weekend foray. Presented lecture “The life cycle of the morel:  Are morels mycorrhizal?”

 

May 2001  Sonoma County (CA) Mycological Association.  Invited guest Mycologist. 2-day weekend foray. Presented lecture “The life cycle of the morel:  Are morels mycorrhizal?”

 

May 2001  Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz (CA). Presented lecture “The life cycle of the morel:  Are morels mycorrhizal?”

 

December 2000  Gulf States Mycological Society/ North American Mycological Association Regional Foray. Invited Guest Mycologist and Keynote speaker.  “What is a species?” Wakulla Springs, Florida.  2-day foray.

 

Nov. 2000  Oregon Mycological Society  “Forest Fungi of Oregon (and less important parts of North America)” Portland, OR

 

August 2000  Northeast Mycological Federation (NEMF), annual foray.  Keynote Speaker. “What is a species?  Honeys and sulfurs and spongeheads—Oh my!”  University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 3-day foray

 

.August 2000  “Mushrooms (and other fungi) of Maine.”  Evening lecture presented for the people of Steuben, Maine at the Humboldt Field Station, Eagle Hill, Maine

 

June 2000 North American Mycological Association (NAMA) annual foray. Beaumont, Texas.  Presented a two part series of lectures “Fungal systematics meets molecular biology: what the DNA says”  3-day foray

 

March 2000  New York Mycological Society meeting, New York, NY “Forest Fungi of North America”

 

March 2000  New Jersey Mycological Society, Newark NJ  “The life cycle of the morel:  Are morels mycorrhizal?”

 

February 2000  Wisconsin Mycological Society monthly meeting. “A Virtual Winter Foray”  Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

Mycological forays and "amateur" mycology events (cont’d)

September 1999  Northeast Mycological Federation, annual foray. Keynote Speaker. “The changing nature of fungal names and systematics.” Presented workshop on identification of wood-decay fungi. Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine. 3-day foray.

 

August 1999  North American Mycological Association annual foray. Keynote speaker  “Mycology and the Internet” Cape Girardeau MO. 3-day foray. Presented posters:  1. K. W. Cochran, John H. Trestrail, III, and Thomas J. Volk. “Mushroom Poisoning In North America: 1983-98” 2.Marsha Harbin  and Thomas J. Volk.  “The association of Morchella with plant roots”

 

September  1999, 1998, 1997, 1996,   May 1998, May 1997   Mushroom Walks. Hixon Forest Nature Preserve. La Crosse, WI

July 1999  North American Mycological Association Regional Foray, held jointly with the Minnesota Mycological Society.  Presented lecture “The changing nature of fungal names and systematics.” St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN 3-day foray

 

May 1999  Presented lecture to the Minnesota Mycological Society “Morels and other Spring Fungi of Minnesota.”

 

August 1998  Illinois Mycological Association.  Presented Lecture “Describing and Naming Fungi, or Nomenclature is our friend”  Field Museum, Chicago

 

July 1998  Minnesota Mycological Society Centennial Foray.  Chief Mycologist. Presented lectures on “Wood decay fungi” and “Describing and Naming a New fungal species,”  & workshop on mushroom identification.  St. John’s Univ., MN 2-day foray.

 

April 1998  Minnesota Mycological Society meeting.  St. Paul, MN.  “Life Cycle of the Morel, state mushroom of Minnesota”

 

 February 1998  North American Mycological Association (NAMA) Annual Foray.  Asilomar, California. 3-day foray

 

August 1997  New Mexico Mycological Society Annual  Foray.  Chama, New Mexico.  Chief Mycologist and Featured Speaker.  “The Morel Life Cycle.” 3-day foray

 

August 1997  North American Mycological Association  (NAMA) Annual Foray,  Copper Mountain, Colorado. 3-day foray

 

September 1996  Joint NAMA/ North-East Mycological Federation (NEMF) annual Foray.  Ascutney, Vermont.  Invited Mycologist: "Describing and naming a new mushroom species, or Fungal Nomenclature is Our Friend." 3-day foray

 

April 1996   Guest Lecturer and Invited Mycologist.  "Morel Madness" Spring Morel Foray, Missouri Mycological Society.  Meramec State Park, near St. Louis, Missouri. “The life cycle of the morel in Missouri”  3-day foray

 

March 1996 Wisconsin Mycological Soc. Lecture. "Naming the Polypores: Why Polyporus is split into more than 100 genera."

 

December 1995 Gulf States Mycological Society. Winter Foray Guest Mycologist. Hillsdale Mississippi. Presented lecture: "Edible fungi and prospects for their cultivation." 3-day foray

 

Fall 2000  Wisconsin Mycological Society La Crosse Area foray Fall 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990; Spring 1994, 1993  Wisconsin Mycological Society. Leader of the annual Madison area forays and spring morel forays.  Taxonomist, annual Mushroom Fair.  Author of articles for the WMS quarterly Newsletter. Honorary Member of the Board of Directors.

 

August 1995 North American Mycological Association (NAMA) annual Foray, Bemidji Minnesota.  Invited Mycologist; presented a workshop on polypore identification and lectured on polypores and other wood decay fungi. 3-day foray

·         Feb. 1995 Madison Audubon Society monthly meeting, presented lecture "Mushrooms and other fungi of Wisconsin"

·         Fall 1994,  1993, 1992, 1991, 1989, 1988 Nature Conservancy. Leader or organizer of fungal forays

·         October 1994 Guest Lecturer. Botanical Society of Wisconsin. "Interactions between fungi and plants." Stevens Point, WI

·         September 1990  Seaverson Dells Environmental Center. Leader of fungus foray. Rockford, Illinois

·          February 1990 Wisconsin Mycological Society.  Annual Lecturer.  "Morels: Fact and Fiction."

·         September 1994 North American Mycological Association (NAMA) annual foray.  Asheville,  North Carolina.  Invited Mycologist and Lecturer: Presented talk entitled "The genus Armillaria in North America: who's in and who's out." Also presented poster “Armillaria of the American northwest.” 3-day foray

·         December 1993 Gulf States Mycological Society. Winter Foray Guest Mycologist. Gulfport Mississippi. Presented lecture: "Armillaria and other wood-inhabiting fungi: their role in the environment and uses in biotechnology." 3-day foray

·         August 1991  Asheville Mushroom Club. Asheville, North Carolina. Invited Mycologist and Lecturer. Annual Labor Day Foray. "Wood‑rotting fungi: Identification and Ecology." 3-day foray

·         August 1991  North American Mycological Association (NAMA). Invited Mycologist and Lecturer. Annual International Foray at Paul Smith's College, New York. "Resupinate 'crust' Fungi‑‑‑ Why bother?" 3-day foray

·         December 1990  Gulf States Mycological Society. Invited Mycologist and Lecturer.  Annual Winter Foray. Gulfport, Mississippi.  "Genetics and cytology of the life cycle of Morchella." 3-day foray

·         October 1990  North American Mycological Association (NAMA). Invited Mycologist and Featured Lecturer.  Annual International Foray in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. "The life cycle and cultivation of Morchella." 3-day foray

·         September 1990  Rochester Area Mycological Association. Invited Mycologist and Guest Speaker. Annual foray. Rochester, New York.  "Culture of wood‑rotting fungi." 3-day foray

 

Professional Societies

Mycological Society of America

                William H. Weston award for excellence in teaching Mycology (2003)

                Education Committee, Chair 2003-2007

                Councilor for Ecology and Pathology, 2004-2007

                Joint Commission (MSA/NAMA) on Common names for Fungi in North America (2000-2004)

                Reviewer for Mycologia, Journal of the MSA

                Webmaster,  web page http://MSAfungi.org  (1997-2001)

                Electronic Communications Committee (1998-2001)

                Liaison Committee for Amateur Mycology (1998-2002), Chair, 2001-2002

                Long Range Planning Committee (2001-2002)

                Committee on Teaching Mycology (1994-1997)

                Ad Hoc Exploratory Committee on the Establishment of a Joint Commission on Common Names of Fungi (1999-2000)

British Mycological Society

American Phytopathological Society

                Senior Editor APS Press, book-publishing arm of the American Phytopathological Society 2001-2005

                Illustrations of Plant Pathogens and Diseases committee 1997-2004, Chair 2001-2004

Medical Mycological Society of the Americas

American Mushroom Institute

North American Mycological Association

                Award for Outstanding Contributions to Amateur Mycology (2005)

                Internet committee  (1999- present  )

                Toxicology Committee (2000- present)

                Education Committee (2001-present)

                Joint Commission (MSA/NAMA) on Common names for Fungi in North America (2000-2004)

                Host Mycologists for 2005 international foray in La Crosse

Wisconsin Mycological Society

                Honorary Member of Board of Directors (1994- present)

Minnesota Mycological Society

                Scientific Advisor  (1999- present)

 

Grants and Contracts

·         2003-2004 Academic year   $30,000 University of Wisconsin Systems, Solid Waste Research Program. With Paul Miller, UW-L Chemistry.   Further development of an assay to screen wood decay fungi for use in recycling of plastic phenolic polymers, utilizing energy from scrap plywood.

·         2003-2004 Academic year   $17,000.  UW-L Faculty Development Grant with Scott Cooper, Deb Hanmer, Rick Gillis, and Thomas J. Volk  “Using problem solving modules to improve student’s understanding in Introductory Biology.”

·         2003- 2004 Academic years  The American Chestnut Foundation. $15,000  “Ecological studies of potential fungal biocontrol agents of chestnut blight at the West Salem chestnut stand.”

·         2002-2003 Academic year  $15,000. University of Wisconsin System, Solid Waste Research Program. With Paul Miller, UW-L Chemistry, “Development of an assay for screening wood decay fungi for use in recycling of plastic phenolic polymers.”

·         2002-2003 Academic Year    $9220 UW-L Faculty Research Grant “Identification and isolation of novel antibiotics and other active compounds from mushrooms”

·         2001-2002 Academic year.  $7308. UW-L Instructional Technology Grant. “Development of a World Wide Web database of fungal images for Mycology”

·          2000- 2002 Academic years  The American Chestnut Foundation. $9928. “Colonization by mycorrhizal and wood-decay fungi of a disjunct stand of American Chestnuts in Wisconsin.”

·          2000-2001 Academic Year  University of Wisconsin Systems, Solid Waste Research Program $30,000 “Bioconversion of waste products from beer brewing into edible mushrooms.” 

·         2000-2001 Academic Year  University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Faculty Development Grant with Dr. Debby Hanmer.  $6708 “Use of wood decay fungi to control plant pathogenic nematodes”

·         Dec 1999  Paul E. Stry Foundation, La Crosse Wisconsin  $5000 “ Survey of fungi in the driftless area of Wisconsin.”

·          Nov. 1999-May 2001 Joint Venture Research Agreement with Forest Products Laboratory, Madison WI  $58,220 “Pathogenic and wood decay fungi of Israeli forests”

·         1999-2000 Academic Year University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Instructional Technology Grant $10,860 “Development of CD-ROM Images for Mycology and Medical Mycology

·         1998-1999 Academic Year  Contract for fungal materials /consulting. Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge MA  $1000

·         1998-1999 Academic Year University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Foundation Grants.  $25,000  With Scott Cooper, Michael Abler, Margaret Maher and Roger Haro.  “Development of web pages in Biology for K-12”

·         1998-1999 Academic Year  University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Foundation Grants. $1140.  With Scott T. Cooper and Robin A Tyser. “Image Documentation Stations for Biology/Microbiology Faculty”

·         1997-1998 Academic Year   University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Faculty Development grant.  $2500.  “Computerized images of Mushrooms and other Fungi for Teaching.”

Consulting activities

·         January 1990‑present  Consultant. Poison Control Center, University Hospital, Madison, WI

·         1990-present  Consultant. Field and Forest Products, commercial growers of mushrooms and spawn. Peshtigo, Wisconsin

·         Nov. 2000  Consultant American Museum of Natural history, New York NY, published picture in “American Naturalist”

·         May 2000  Consultant for print and TV commercials for BellAtlantic, the New England telephone company.

·         January 2000, February 2001. Consultant, ABC News, New York, for a story on sex in slime molds.

·         April 2000, Feb. 2002  Consultant, National Geographic Magazine for stories on fungi

·         December 1997.  Consultant Earth and Sky radio. Program on Truffles and truffle finding.  Aired March 17, 1998

·         December 1991-July 1996  Mt. Hood National Forest Morel Enhancement and Harvesting Study.  Mt. Hood, Clackamas Ranger District, Oregon.  Collaboration with Dr. Nancy Smith Weber and Dr. William Denison of Oregon State Univ., Judy Roger of the Oregon Mycological Society and Bryce Smith of the Mt. Hood Nat'l. Forest.

·         July 1991 Consultant. Malheur National Forest Commercial Morel Harvesting Program. John Day, Oregon. With Dr. Hal Burdsall, evaluated the effects of large-scale commercial morel harvesting after forest fires on regeneration of the forest ecosystem by request of the US Forest Service.

·          July 1994, 1991 Consultant. Oregon Mycological Society Cantharellus Harvesting Study. Bull Run, Oregon.

·         Sept. 1995  Consultant UW-Extension, Plant Disease Identification Program.

·         January 1994 Consultant on contamination problems. Sylvan Spawn. Cabot, Pennsylvania.,

·         September 1995-June 1997  Consultant.  Mushrooms per Tutti, Oconomowoc, WI. Distributors of wild mushrooms

·         September 1986‑ Feb. 1988  Consultant, Golden Forest Mushroom Company, Madison, WI.  I was primarily concerned with quality control, including contaminant identification and control in spawn and in sawdust logs.  Determination of optimal conditions for various strains of shiitake and Pleurotus was a major responsibility.

·         April 1991  Consultant. Homestead Mushrooms, commercial growers of shiitake and specialty mushrooms.  Hillsboro, OH.

·         October 1990  Consultant.  Promega Biotechnological Corporation.  Madison, Wisconsin.

·         May 1990  Consultant: Presented a lecture, "The life cycle of Morchella" at Company M ("Morel Mountain"), a subsidiary of the Neogen Corporation, East Lansing, Michigan, holder of two patents on morel cultivation.

·         June‑July 1989  Consultant. TNS Mills Biotechnology Division. Hendersonville, North Carolina.  Gave four days of lectures and instructed employees in techniques of morel cultivation; helped with problems in their large shiitake facilities.

 

 

Teaching Outside Universities

·         November 2004  7-hr workshop on identification of polypores.  Mycological Society of Toronto

·         March 2004  7-hr workshop on identification of tooth fungi and polypores.  New Jersey Mycology Assn.. Rutgers University

·         July 2002.  Young Scholars camp.  “Fun with Fungi”  -- a week-long camp for 5-9th grade students interested in Mycology (among other things). University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

·         September 2004, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990   Instructor. Annual Mushroom Workshop.  "Introduction to the Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of Michigan." Ford Forestry Center, Alberta, Michigan, sponsored by Michigan Technological University, Houghton. In this annual 3-day workshop, I was responsible for teaching introductory, intermediate, and advanced students (approximately 50-90 students each year) in the identification of mushrooms and other fungi using macroscopic and microscopic characteristics

·         August 2001.  “Catching up on Mycology:  what modern plant scientists should know about fungi”  American Phytopathological Society short course, before the annual meeting in Salt Lake City UT. All day course, 6.5 hours of lectures, attended by 120 people from 35 states, 3 Canadian provinces, Argentina and South Korea.

·         July 2001 “Polypore Identification:  Micro and Macro.”  2-day workshop after the North American Mycological Society foray at St. John’s University.  Attended by 30 people from 11 states and Canada

·         August 2000  Basidiomycetes workshop.  Humboldt Field Station, Eagle Hill, Maine  4 day workshop

·         September 2000  Special guest speaker on Mushrooms;  weekly teleconference on Urban Horticulture.  UW- Extension

·         July 2000  Microbiology Scholar Camp, UW- La Crosse.  “Fungi are Fun”  2-day for high School seniors

·         March 2000  “Introduction to the Macroscopic and Microscopic characters used to identify polypores”  New Jersey Mycological Society  Newark NJ

·         March 1999  “Fungi are Cool”  Lecture and demo to Advanced Placement Biology Class, Aquinas High School, La Crosse WI

·         2002, 1999, 1998, 1997  Conducted training seminars to certify commercial vendors to sell morels in the state of Minnesota; certification is required by Minnesota state law.

·         September 1998  Hazard Tree training, Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources, Perrot State Park.  Presented tour and lecture on “The role of wood decay fungi in hazard trees in campgrounds” to State Park and Forest Managers

·         October 1997. Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation High School. Hayward, WI.  Presented slide lecture on “Namekagon River Fever (Blastomycosis) and Fungi of Northern Wisconsin.” Followed by a field trip into the woods. Presented lectures and forays to three classes--. Grades 10-12, Grade 9, Grade 8.

·         August 1995  Polypore Workshop for amateur and professional mycologists. North American Mycological Association annual Foray, Bemidji, Minnesota, presented a workshop "Introduction to the macroscopic and microscopic characters used to identify genera of polypores (poroid wood-decay fungi)."

·         February 1994 Guest Lecturer. Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources Naturalist Enrichment Workshop. University of Wisconsin Arboretum. "Mushrooms of Wisconsin: Natural history and human uses."

 

Popular and Technical Publications

·         Heather Hallen, Thomas J. Volk and Gerry Adams, 2001.  “May is Morel Month in Michigan.”  Pamphlet published by Michigan State University Extension. Bulletin E-2755

·         Volk, Thomas J. and Allen C. Nelson.   Medical Mycology Lab Manual. Revised 2004 (and every year 1996-2003)

·         Volk, Thomas J., Thomas J. Leonard and Diane Derouen.  Revised 2004  (and previously 2003-1994). Mycology: Laboratory Manual to accompany Botany  332.  UW‑Madison.  Revised for UW-La Crosse BIO 412

·         Thomas J Volk, 1997.  “The Morel Life Cycle”  appeared in newsletters of the Ohio Mushroom Society, Snohomish County (WA) Mushroom Society, Minnesota Mycological Society, and the Mycophile, Newsletter of the North American Mycological Association, as well as the Mushroom Growers’ Newsletter.

·         Thomas J Volk, 1994. Book Review: Ryvarden and Gilbertson's  European Polypores. Mycologia 87:424

·         Thomas J Volk. 1994.  Book Review: PolyKey: A computerized synoptic key to the polyporaceous, wood-rotting fungi of North America.  Mycologia 86 (2):302-304

·         Thomas J Volk,1992 Book Review: Genera of Polypores: Nomenclature and Taxonomy-Leif Ryvarden. Mycologia 84:950.

·         Thomas J Volk. 1991.  “Summary of Rules for commercial picking of morels from the Malheur National Forest.”  Mushroom, the journal of wild mushrooming 10 (1):19-20.

·         Burdsall, Harold H., Jr. and Thomas J. Volk. 1992. “Commercial Picking in Eastern Oregon”. Mushroom, the journal of wild mushrooming 10 (1):19