2013 P Gomes Personal History.pdf - Phytosanitary Resources

Duties: Serves as National Fruit Fly Coordinator for Research and Development. Heads up the Fruit Fly Research Unit
and represents the agency as a recognized expert to provide executive-level line management for the planning, initiation,
and execution of technology development, quality assurance and scientific activities for fruit fly programs conducted by
Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service with overall responsibility for:
• Establishing policies, procedures, accountability measures, quality assurance and data collection systems to ensure
effectiveness and scientific soundness of domestic and international fruit fly detection, management, and emergency
programs;
• Fosters partnerships and interactions with associated Federal and State agencies, international organizations and
foreign governments, key stakeholder groups and the U.S. Congress;
• Ensures consistency of programs, policies and procedures among work locations performing fruit fly programs
nationally
Together with the National Science Program Leaders, Pest Management Policy Directors, National Program Managers
and APHIS units, the Fruit Fly Coordinator:
• Advises the Associate Deputy Administrator and Executive Director for Science and Technology on emerging fruit fly
issues;
• Coordinates the development and execution of technical and scientific projects on Tephritid fruit flies through direct
interaction with scientists, technical staff and cooperators;
• Provides liaison with S&T National Science Program Leaders and Research Scientists with the Agricultural Research
Service, National Institute for Food and Agriculture, State and industry research institutes and groups;
• Provides input and recommendations to the S&T Executive Director, National Science Program Leaders, Laboratory
Directors and Science Coordinators on all fruit fly-related pertaining to project funding needs, budget management,
work plans, annual and quarterly updates, staffing needs, succession planning, position descriptions and training
opportunities;
• Works with National, Regional and Field Program Managers to identify operational program research needs;
• Coordinates the transfer and implementation of new technologies and methods to APHIS fruit fly operational
programs;
• Convenes Technical Working Groups consisting of national and international subject matter experts to address specific
technical and operational topics of immediate concern to USDA programs;
• Conducts operational program reviews;
• Oversees quality assurance of products and services in support of operational programs including chemical purity
analyses of lures, pesticides and
• Provides input and recommendations on the analysis, interpretation and publication of S&T project results;
• Coordinates establishment, review and reporting for cooperative agreements, interagency agreements and contracts
pertaining to fruit fly research and development;
• Represents S&T at national and international venues as a recognized scientific expert on fruit fly technology
development and control;
• Participates on international technical panels (IPPC, NAPPO) pertaining to fruit flies and phytosanitary treatments;
• Establishes protocols, guidelines, quality control values, specifications and other technical requirements for use in
operational fruit fly programs, as well as, training related to technology transfer and program implementation as they
related to fruit fly detection, sterile insect production, fruit fly control and treatment;
• Conducts risk assessments relating to Tephritid fruit flies by analyzing interception and fruit fly detection, exclusion
and other pertinent data relating to fruit fly safeguarding systems
• Reviews research results, manuscripts and participates in scientific review panels pertaining to Tephritid fruit flies
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