In Memory of

Class of 1959
Jan 15, 1941 - Jul 25, 2024

He was a 1959 graduate of Howard High School. That fall, Ralph enrolled at the University of Maryland College Park, graduating in 1964 with a BS in Botany.
In the summer of 1964, Ralph was hired as a student employee with Ornamental and Truck Crop Entomology Laboratory at the Beltsville Agricultural Center (BARC) of the USDA. Mentored by his Research Leader, the noted entomologist Dr. Floyd F. Smith, Ralph was soon converted to permanent full time. While working full time, Ralph earned his MS (1967) and PhD (1972), both in Entomology, from the University of Maryland.
Early in his career, Ralph studied the biology, host plant relationships, and chemical and alternative control of insect pests of ornamental and vegetable crops in field and greenhouse settings. His work on white fly control was cited in the Congressional Record as saving growers over $20M a year; this work resulted in several awards.