Dr. Muniappan is an entomologist who has specialized in biological control and integrated pest management research in the tropics for more than 40 years. His primary work experience has focused on the biological control of invasive weeds such as Chromolaena odorata, Lantana camara, Coccinia grandis, and Mimosa diplotricha, and insect pests such as papaya mealybug, pink hibiscus mealybug, fruit piecing moth, New Guinea sugarcane weevil, red coconut scale, South American tomato leaf miner, and fall armyworm. He also specializes in developing IPM packages for fruit, vegetable, cereal, and legume crops in the tropics.

Dr. Muniappan worked as the Associate Director of the Guam Agricultural Experiment Station for 20 years. He has also served as a consultant for the Food and Agricultural Organization, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, GTZ, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and other international organizations.

As the Director for the IPM Innovation Lab, Dr. Muniappan worked with USAID and project partner institutions in the United States and developing countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America for 17 years. He was the recipient of the 2016 BIFAD Award for Excellence in Research. Currently, he manages USAID associate awards in Bangladesh and Nepal. As a leader in his field, Dr. Muniappan has published over 300 research and extension articles.