IR-4 recently welcomed Josh Kindel to our team as Environmental Horticulture Program Manager. Josh was kind enough to answer a few questions to help the IR-4 community get to know him better. Read on to learn more about Josh through this Q&A with IR-4 Science Communications Intern, Raven Baez.
Q: Josh, welcome to IR-4! We’re so glad to have you on board. What drew you to this role and to the IR-4 Project?
Josh: What drew me to this role was seeing the impacts the IR-4 Project has on growers. The new tools IR-4 puts in their hands that they likely would have never been able to use opens up their toolbox. During my interviewing process, I was also drawn to the passion that the researchers have for their trade—this really intrigued me.
Q: You’re an entomologist by training. How did you come to work with ornamental crops, and what do you enjoy about this niche?
Josh: Being an entomologist gives me the opportunity to “know thy enemy.” If I can know the ecology and behavior of the pests, then we can find a way to mitigate their problems. Working with ornamentals specifically came from my time working in industry, mostly with consumer products. Consumers have all the same problems as [commercial] growers, albeit on a much smaller scale; we had to develop products that controlled a wide range of pests. I love the diversity of problem-solving that comes from working with ornamental crops—it always keeps you on your toes!
Q: Getting started in a new role is always busy—especially at IR-4, where we collaborate across the country. What are your focus areas this summer as you settle in and prepare for the Environmental Horticulture Workshop this fall?
Josh: Coming from industry, I’ve used the 3P mantra: “People, Process, Products.” This is how I’ve internally mapped out my first 90 days. The first 30 days are getting to know the people (FYI, I’m sorry that I am bad with names!). I like to always start by putting people first. The next 30 days are about process, i.e. getting to know the intricacies of the IR-4 Project and how it interacts with the regional offices and stakeholders. Finally, the next 30 days is about products, which I correlate with getting to know the details of the EH workshop and ongoing trials. I am happy that we have such intelligent scientists that work with IR-4 and I look forward to tapping into that knowledge base.
Q: Tell us a bit about your time working in the private sector in Europe. That must’ve been a unique experience, both professionally and personally!
Josh: Yes, those were very fun years! I learned so much about how to work with different types of people. It really gave me the ‘think outside of the box’ mentality to apply to research. It also really opened my mind to be able to work with various types of personalities. Everyone is different and that is the fun part! Being there for almost six and half years also allowed me to take trips to around fifteen different countries, mainly to eat around Western Europe.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Josh: When I lived in France, I got really into cycling which I have continued stateside. I still have to finish a road race called L’Etape du Tour, which is a mountainous stage of the Tour de France open to amateurs. I was only able to finish about 90% of the stage in 2018 because of sickness and it has been a thorn in my side since then. I also have a dog, Cassandra, that takes up a good portion of my time…ball is life! I am grateful to be around family again here in Raleigh so I know there will be many cookouts at my place—all are welcome to join if you don’t mind chucking a ball for several hours straight!
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Q: Is there anything else you’d like the IR-4 community to know about you?
Josh: I look forward to meeting everyone involved and bringing this program to a high level of scientific and regulatory awareness.
Thank you, Josh, for sharing your story and enthusiasm with us. From your entomology background and international experience to your thoughtful 90-day plan and personal drive to tackle unfinished goals like the L’Étape du Tour, it’s clear you’re passionate about making a meaningful impact. Welcome to the IR-4 team!
About The IR-4 Project
The mission of the IR-4 Project is to facilitate regulatory approval of sustainable pest management technologies for specialty crops and specialty uses to promote public well-being. By working directly with local crop growers across the country, IR-4 conducts research and develops data necessary for the registration of pest management tools, ensuring that they are safe for use. To learn more, visit our website.