School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AR, UK.
Fax +44 (0)118 935 2421, e-mail  h.f.vanemden@reading.ac.uk

Biographical details
Born 30.12.1933 in Dresden Germany, before the family moved to London in 1936. Educated at Tiffin Boys’ School, Kingston-on-Thames and Imperial College (Department of Zoology and Pure and Applied Entomology.  BSc (1st) (London), PhD (London), ARCS, DIC (Imperial College, London).


Career outline
Following a period of postdoctoral research at Imperial under the late Professor T.R.E. Southwood, he was appointed Lecturer in the Department of Horticulture at Reading University. Progressing via a Readership to a Personal Chair in Applied Entomology in 1976, he translated to the Chair of Horticulture in 1986, retiring to an Emeritus position in 1999. Head of the School of Plant Sciences at the university 1992-1996. Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California (1973) and Visiting Professor at the University of Queensland (1980). Author/editor of 14 books and well over 200 scientific papers.


Honours and awards
Awarded the Forbes (1953) and Huxley (1973) medals and prizes of Imperial College, London and in 1993 the Karl Escherisch medal of the German Society of General and Applied Entomology. BCPC Medal in 2005 for services to Crop Production. President (1981-1983) and Honorary Treasurer (1989-1999) of the Royal Entomological Society; elected an Honorary Fellow in 1999. President (2000 and 2001) of the Association of Applied Biologists, appointed a Rothamsted Fellow (1998-2016). Elected to the Entomological Club on 15th February 1972 (Verrall member 1972–2012), Honorary Treasurer (2004-2018).


Research interests
Insect-plant relationships from the community level in agroecosystems (ecosystem services of biodiversity) to the genetic and mechanistic level in terms of host plant resistance and to the individual insect level exemplified by the nutritional physiology of aphids and the olfactory responses of parasitoids of aphids to host plant cues. Has run the only really long-term (over 30 years) culture of an aphid (Myzus persicae) on a fully-defined artificial diet. Interest in plant resistance has led to the concept of the “Pest Management Triad” exploiting beneficial synergism of combining any two of plant resistance, biological control and insecticides, as well as of the three way interaction between all three approaches. The Triad enables predictions on the potential advantages and disadvantages of using transgenic methods to obtain host plant resistance to insects.

Some key publications
van EMDEN, H. F. and HARRINGTON, R. (eds), 2017.  Aphids as Crop Pests, 2nd edn. CABI,             Wallingford, 686 pp.
van EMDEN, H. F. 2014. Pros and cons of GM crops as a source of resistance to insect pests. World                    Agriculture, 4(2), 53-59.
van  EMDEN, H. F.  2013. Handbook of Agricultural Entomology. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, 312 pp
HODEK, I., van EMDEN, H.F. and HONEK, A. (eds) 2012. Ecology and Behaviour of the Ladybird Beetles (Coccinellidae). Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, 561 pp.
van EMDEN, H. F. 2009. Artificial diet for aphids – thirty years’ experience. Redia, 92, 163-167.
van EMDEN, H. F.  2008. Statistics for Terrified Biologists. Blackwell, Oxford, 343 pp.
van EMDEN, H. F. and SERVICE, M. W. 2004. Pest and Vector Control. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 349 pp.  
van EMDEN, H. F. 1999. Transgenic host plant resistance to insects – some reservations.  Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 92, 788-797.
van EMDEN, H. F., and WILLIAMS, G. 1974.  Insect stability and diversity in agro-ecosystems.  Annual Review of Entomology, 19, 455-475.
van EMDEN, H.F. (ed.) 1972.  Aphid Technology.  Academic Press, London, 318 pp.