Dr. Shaku Nair joined the Arizona Pest Management Center on July 1, 2013 as Assistant in Extension, Community IPM.  She works with the Community Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Leadership Team, an interdisciplinary team of extension and research faculty from across the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona.  Together, the team develops and implements priority extension programs for Community IPM statewide. The current priority identified by the team is implementation of IPM programs for indoor and outdoor environments in and around schools.  Shaku plays a critical role in the coordination and functioning of the team as they conduct their school IPM programs in identified school districts in the state.  Shaku also creates and maintains an active liaison between the leadership team and stakeholders to identify IPM needs.  This constant interaction helps to strengthen and sustain the program, as well as extend it to other areas where it is needed. Shaku’s previous educational and work experiences help her greatly in her current position.  She enjoys educating and interacting with people, who, she feels, are a great resource.  She has nurtured an interest in sustainable pest management since her Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in agriculture, which she completed in India.  Her work experience in diverse agroecosystems, have enabled her to design and implement IPM practices in different situations.  After gaining varied work experiences in different parts of India, Shaku earned her Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Georgia (UGA), Athens, GA.  She then worked as a post-doctoral researcher in landscape IPM at UGA during which time she conducted research on pests of landscape and turfgrasses.  Apart from research, she has been active in teaching, extension and outreach activities, involving students and extension workers.  She was also involved in producing a number of research and extension publications and media.