Juan Zalapa

About Dr. Juan Zalapa

Dr. Zalapa started junior college in 1994 in Brownsville, Texas, and later transferred to Texas Tech University (TTU) where in 1998 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture with a minor in Biology. During his years at TTU, Dr. Zalapa conducted undergraduate research as a Ronald E. McNair and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) fellow. In 1999, he became a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and held the UW-Madison’s Advanced Opportunity Fellowship (AOF), and National Science Foundation (NSF) funded K-Through-Infinity (KTI) fellowships. He received a doctorate degree in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from UW-Madison in 2005 for his work in genetic mapping and inheritance of yield-related traits in melon (Cucumis melo L.).  In 2005, Dr. Zalapa was awarded the NSF postdoctoral fellowship to study hybridization between native red elm (Ulmus rubra Mulh.) and exotic, invasive Siberian elm (U. pumila L.) in the departments of Horticulture and Forestry at UW-Madison. In 2009, he joined the Agronomy department at UW-Madison as postdoctoral associate under the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) to study switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) genetics. In October 2010, Dr. Zalapa became a USDA-ARS Research Geneticist and professor at the Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at UW-Madison. Dr. Zalapa’s current research focuses on cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) breeding, genetics, and genomics studies, and he has over 100 scientific peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Zalapa is also interested in increasing public participation in the sciences through science outreach. Dr. Zalapa developed an outreach program that is focused on grade school students and their families to introduce them to agricultural and genetics research. On a personal note, Dr. Zalapa is a born-again Christian, and has three children, Miriam, John, and Benjamin with his wife Leah Zalapa, who is practicing medical doctor a local hospital. Dr. Zalapa’s family enjoy cooking, fishing, practicing judo, watching movies, and attending church events.