Virginia Tech® home

Emily Unglesbee

Director of Outreach and Extension
Emily Unglesbee Professional Headshot
icon

Contact:

emilysu@vt.edu

Tags

Overview

I serve in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences as the Director of Outreach and Extension for the GROW (Getting Rid of Weeds Network). GROW is a national network of public scientists and communication specialists who aim to bring the latest research and news on novel and integrated weed management tactics to the farming public. The website (www.growiwm.org) also encompasses the United Soybean Board’s Take Action (Herbicide-Resistance Management) program. Together, this unified platform serves as the agricultural industry’s go-to source of vetted information on both chemical and non-chemical weed management strategies, including herbicides, cover crops, harvest weed seed control, weed electrocution, and cutting-edge precision herbicide application technologies, such as target sprayers. The GROW Network works closely with federal, state and private partners across the agricultural industry with a goal of making the results of public science and research accessible and useful for farmers across North America. As director of the program’s outreach and Extension efforts, I oversee all content development for the network, across print, digital, social media and video platforms, as well as manage internal communications and meetings, and oversee team travel to conferences and trade shows to promote the organization and disseminate its resources.

Expertise

  • Science writing and editing
  • Website design and management
  • Graphic design
  • Video editing and production
  • Trade show booth management
  • Social media management

Education

  • M.A., Journalism, University of Missouri, 2013
  • B.A., Classics, University of Notre Dame, 2009

Administrative/Professional Faculty | 2022-Present
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Staff Reporter | 2013-2022
DTN/The Progressive Farmer

Outstanding Achievements in Integrated Pest Management Award, Northeastern IPM Center, January 2025

Excellence in Journalism Award, Weed Science Society of America, 2020

Jesse H. Neal Awards: 2015 – 2022

  • Best Theme Issue of a Magazine or Newspaper, 2015: "Weeds to Watch," in The Progressive Farmer
  • Best Webcast, 2015: "Weeds to Watch," (Emily Unglesbee presenting) 
  • Finalist, 2019: Best Technical Content, “Dicamba Details" in The Progressive Farmer
  • Finalist, 2021: Best COVID-19 Industry Coverage: COVID Impact on Ag

NAAJ Writing Contest (North American Agricultural Journalists): 2015 – 2022

  • First Place, 2022, Special Projects: “Gene Revolution Turns 25” 
  • Third Place, 2022, Spot News: “EPA: Politics Tainted Dicamba Decision” 
  • Third Place, 2022, News: “Ag Chem Supplies: Four Things to Know Heading Into 2022” 
  • First Place, 2019, Spot News: "Digital Yield Tour" 
  • First Place, 2015, Series: "Sorghum's Growing Pains" 
  • Third Place, 2015, Blog: "Production Blog"
  • Third Place, 2013, Special Projects: "“Stretching the Ogallala” 
  • Multiple Honorable Mentions 2013-2022

Ag Communicators Network’s AAEA Communications Contest, Writing and Photography Categories: 2015 – 2022

  • First Place, 2022, Issues: “Seed Treatment Overload: The Unintended Consequences of a Popular Practice” 
  • Second Place, 2022, Breaking News: “Senior EPA Officials Deliberately Mishandled 2018 Dicamba Registration Decision, New Report Says”
  • First Place, 2021, Issues: “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” 
  • First Place, 2021, Team Story: “Gene Revolution Turns 25” 
  • First Place, 2020, Breaking News: “Ag Research in Limbo” 
  • First Place, 2016, Breaking News: "Bollworm Invades U.S." 
  • First Place, 2015, Photography: Nuts & Bolts – Crops Category
  • Second Place, 2019, Breaking News: "Regulators' Dicamba Angst" 
  • Second Place, 2017, Breaking News: "Herculex Trait Fails Against Western Bean Cutworm"
  • Third Place, 2020, On-Farm Production: “Invasion of the Rootworm Snatchers” 
  • Third Place, 2020, Technical Feature: “Seed Treatment Confusion” 
  • Master Writer Status: 2015
  • Master Photographer Program, Level 3: 2015

Extension Publications
 
  • Babaei, S., Unglesbee, E., Gage, K., VanGessel, M., Flessner, M., Curran, W. (2026). Large Crabgrass. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/crabgrass-large/
  • Bajwa, P., Kumar, V., Unglesbee, E., Flessner, M., Wallace, J., VanGessel, M., Curran, W. (2026). Common Chickweed. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/weeds/chickweed-common/
  • Batthula, N., Kanisssery, R., Flessner, M., Curran, W., Unglesbee, E. (2025). Purple Nutsedge. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/purplenutsedge/
  • Connors, N.; Wallace, J., Unglesbee, E., VanGessel, M.J., Flessner, M., Curran, W. (2025). Common Cocklebur. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/weeds/cocklebur
  • Curran, W., Ackroyd, V., Rubione, C., Pittman, K., Unglesbee, E., Wallace, J. (2025). Cover Crop Management, GROW (Getting Rid of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management). https://growiwm.org/cover-crops/
  • Curran, W., Unglesbee, E., Wallace, J. (2026). Biological Control of Weeds. GROW (Getting Rid of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management). https://growiwm.org/biological-control/
  • Curran, W., Rubione, C.G., VanGessel, M., Unglesbee, E. (2025). The Basics of Herbicide Resistance. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. https://growiwm.org/herbicide-resistance/
  • Curran, W., Rubione, C., Unglesbee, E., VanGessel, M. (2024) How to Manage Herbicide Resistance with IWM. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/how-to-manage-herbicide-resistance-with-iwm/
  • Curran, W., VanGessel, M., Rubione, C, Unglesbee, E. (2025). Herbicides and Resistance Management. GROW (Getting Rid of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management). https://growiwm.org/herbicide-control/
  • Emmons, A., Essman, A., Law, E., VanGessel, M., Flessner, M., Unglesbee, E. (2025). Velvetleaf. Getting Rid Of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/weeds/velvetleaf
  • Flessner, M., Russell, E., Unglesbee, E. (2025). Harvest Weed Seed Control. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. https://growiwm.org/how-harvestweed-seed-control/
  • Flessner, M., Russell, E., Unglesbee, E. (2025). Seed Impact Mills. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. https://growiwm.org/seed-impact-mills/
  • Flessner, M., Russell, E., Unglesbee, E. (2025). Chaff Lining. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. https://growiwm.org/chaff-lining/
  • Hamberg, R., Bagavathiannan, M., VanGessel, M., Flessner, M., Curran, W., Unglesbee, E. (2025). Yellow Nutsedge. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/yellownutsedge/
  • Hamberg, R., Bagavathiannan, M., Baccin, L., Moretti, M., Unglesbee, E., Flessner, M., VanGessel, M., Curran, W. (2025). Weed Electrocution. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. https://growiwm.org/weed-electrocution/
  • Hoffer, G., Wallace, J., Unglesbee, E., Flessner, M., VanGessel, M. (2025). Jimsonweed. Hoffer, G., Getting Rid Of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/weeds/jimsonweed
  • Law, E., Dobbs, A, Ginn, D., Kutugata, M., Mirsky, S., Skovsen, S., Unglesbee, E., Seyler, E., VanGessel, M., Flessner, M. (2024). Precision Weed Management. GROW (Getting Rid of Weeds through Integrated Weed Management). https://growiwm.org/what-is-precision-weed-management/
  • Ola, O. T., Gage, K., VanGessel, M.J., Unglesbee, E., Rubione, C.G. (2024). Broadleaf Signalgrass. Getting Rid of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/weeds/broadleaf-signalgrass
  • Rankrape, C, Unglesbee, E, Gage, K, VanGessel, MJ, Flessner, M (2024). Giant Foxtail. Getting Rid Of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management, www.growiwm.org/weeds/giant-foxtail
  • Samuelson, S, Bagavathiannan, M, VanGessel, MJ, Rubione, CG, Flessner, M, Unglesbee, E, Ackroyd, V, Bejleri, K, Law, E, Lazaro, L, Mirsky, S (2023). Barnyardgrass. Getting Rid Of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management. https://growiwm.org/weeds/barnyardgrass/
  • Silva, G. C., Bagavathiannan, M., Unglesbee, E., Flessner, M., Wallace, J., & VanGessel, M. (2026). Morningglory Species. Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) Through Integrated Weed Management. www.growiwm.org/weeds/chickweed-common/
  • Singh, N, Rubione, C, Sarangi, D., Unglesbee, E., VanGessel, M.J., Curran, W. (2023). Redroot and Smooth Pigweed. Getting Rid Of Weeds Through Integrated Weed Management, GROW Info Sheet, https://growiwm.org/weeds/redroot-smooth-pigweed/
  • Unglesbee, E., Sprague, C., VanGessel, M. (2026). The Endangered Species Act and Herbicide Use. Take Action (Herbicide-Resistance Management). https://growiwm.org/take-action-esa/

News Publications

Video Publications