Meet Jermaine Perier, Ph.D., professor and extension entomologist at Mississippi State University, expert in integrated pest management in vegetables, small fruit, and pecans, and subject of the next installment of our “Standout Early Career Professionals” series. During his Ph.D. work at the University of Georgia, Perier visited the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center for a research project; here, Perier sets up clip cages for a bioassay.

By Zach Cohen, Ph.D.

Editor’s Note: This is the next article in the “Standout ECPs” series contributed by the Entomological Society of America’s Early Career Professionals (ECP) Committee, highlighting outstanding ECPs that are doing great work in the profession. (An ECP is defined as anyone within the first five years of obtaining their terminal degree in their field.) Read past articles in the Standout ECPs series.

Jermaine Perier, Ph.D.

Jermaine Perier, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of entomology at Mississippi State University. He leads a statewide extension program focused on integrated pest management (IPM) for insect pests for vegetables, fruits, and nuts with a priority for horticultural food crops for Mississippi growers. His work combines applied research, stakeholder education, and field outreach to deliver science-based insect management strategies tailored to production systems ranging from home gardens to commercial farms. Through collaboration with growers, extension agents, and research partners, Perier supports sustainable agriculture and strengthens pest management capacity across Mississippi and the broader region.

He received his master’s degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, both in the discipline of entomology. Within the discipline, his background covers sustainable insecticide use, biological control, and microbial control for insect pest management.

Cohen: How did you get into entomology?

Perier: I grew up surrounded by agriculture and the challenges with pest management that were often resolved with conventional or other pest management tactics. Back then, it was clear why these methods were needed to protect crops, but I don’t think I fully understood the roles of insects in all of it until an integrated pest management (IPM) lecture during my undergrad, taught by Lillieth Clarke-Sinclair at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Jamaica. That was my first introduction to entomology and a good range of its concepts.

From there, I was drawn to it, and a constant curiosity kind of took over. Eventually, I fell in love with pest management and how I could better understand pest biology and behavior to develop practical management strategies worth using.

Working 100% in extension, Jermaine Perier, Ph.D., regularly delivers extension presentations, such as one on garden pest basics, which he is currently developing as part of his extension program. Here, Perier presents at the Summer Field Day 2025 at Mississippi State University’s Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station.

What do you do in your current job?

I’m an assistant professor and extension entomologist at Mississippi State University. I recently began my current role in 2025, so right now I am mainly building out my program and supporting my stakeholders with technical experience. My appointment is 100% extension, so there’s a lot of trust-building involved in developing relationships with growers and agents. This past year, I have focused on building those connections and establishing myself as an extension entomologist authority for the state.

My specialty is insect pest management in vegetables, fruits, and nuts, particularly crops like small fruits (blueberries, strawberries, muscadines, etc.) and pecans. My program is still growing, but I lead applied research projects, develop extension resources, and work closely with growers, extension agents, and industry partners to provide science-based recommendations for pest identification, scouting, and management.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Being in extension, I would have to say the most rewarding part is seeing the direct impact on the people I work with. Whether it’s helping a grower manage a pest outbreak successfully or providing training that improves someone’s confidence in scouting and decision-making, knowing that the work is making a tangible difference is incredibly fulfilling.

Jermaine Perier, Ph.D., scouts for whiteflies for insecticide resistance evaluation at a commercial vegetable farm growing squash and zucchini.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Time management. It’s very easy to forget you have planned trips every week if you are looking at the week view and not your whole calendar, so sometimes you can find yourself driving repetitive long distances close together. But, with proper planning this gets easier with time.

Another one of the biggest challenges is finding a balance. There are many different directions to go and many responsibilities in an extension appointment (research, teaching, outreach, stakeholder engagement, and quick responses to emerging pest issues). Agriculture doesn’t wait, so being responsive while maintaining long-term program development can be demanding.

What do you see yourself doing in the future?

I’ll continue building a strong extension and applied research program to support growers across these three diverse production systems (vegetables, small fruits, and pecans). I’m especially interested in expanding my work to incorporate more IPM practices in the state, including biocontrol, microbial control agents, and alternative strategies, and strengthening regional collaborations to address pest challenges across the Southeast.

Who inspires you to do what you do?

Lots of people do, but I must say that grower and stakeholder feedback and input into my program are amazing and one of the things I love to see, as they’re constantly adapting and problem-solving in real time. So, those simple successes do a great job of keeping me motivated.

My wife, mentors, and colleagues are also a continuous source of motivation. Their understanding of the importance of connecting science with practical application and making research accessible to the people who need it most really resonates with me.

What would you do if you weren’t working in entomology?

There was a time when I would have said astrophysics. My mom was a math and chemistry teacher, and I was always a fan of physics and astronomy when I was younger.

But now I’m not sure what else but entomology. Maybe I would still be in agriculture or applied science. I love working on real-world problems; my curiosity craves it, so I’d want to stay in a space where I could make a similar impact.

Working 100% in extension, Jermaine Perier, Ph.D., regularly delivers extension presentations, such as one on integrated pest management in muscadine post-bloom insect management, which took place at Muscadine Field Day 2026 at the Mississippi State University’s McNeil Research Unit.

Do you have time for any hobbies?

Of course! Or at least I try to. When I can, I enjoy swimming, playing soccer, and being outdoors, like kayaking. I also like cooking, puzzles, board games, video games, and reading. Those activities help me recharge and stay balanced outside of work.

What is your advice for other ECPs?

Our approach to our jobs should include curiosity and intentional relationship building. A lot can be learned from conversations with growers, colleagues, and mentors.

Stepping outside your comfort zone often means you’ve outgrown your current space and are exploring new areas of curiosity, whether it’s trying a new research approach, leading a program, or engaging with a new audience. Those experiences will help shape your career in meaningful ways.

What is your favorite arthropod and why?

My favorite insect is actually a cricket, and not for any fancy reasons you might think of. Those are great additions to the explanation, but it really stems from growing up in the Caribbean, also known as the West Indies, where we play cricket, hence the name of our regional cricket team. The sport was one of my first athletic loves, and I just enjoy the play on words.

The second would be the sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). My research during graduate and postdoctoral work focused on its management, including insecticides and microorganism-based strategies. It’s a highly adaptable pest and amazingly challenging. Studying it really highlights the importance of integrated approaches in pest management.

Are there any exciting directions that you think entomology is headed?

There are many exciting directions, especially in sustainable pest management. The integration of precision agriculture into pest management is pretty cool, and the incorporation of AI tools brings a wider range of possibilities, so being on the front end of working with those is exciting.

Not to mention advances in biological control, entomopathogenic microorganisms, and resistance monitoring. Integrating these tools into practical, field-ready IPM programs will be key to supporting growers while promoting long-term sustainability.

Thanks Jermaine! Learn more about Jermaine Perier’s work via LinkedIn or ResearchGate.

Zachary Cohen, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher Florida Atlantic University’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Previously, he worked in a postdoctoral role at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in College Station, Texas. He currently serves as the Southwestern Branch representative to the ESA Early Career Professionals Committee. Email: [email protected].

All photos courtesy of Jermaine Perier, Ph.D.