She works with plant breeders to identify Meloidogyne-resistant peanut and pearl millet germplasm, and to understand the mechanism of nematode resistance conferred by the fungal endophyte in tall fescue. She is also conducting cropping system studies to determine the rotational benefits of crops new to the southeast such as pearl millet and to determine the effect of rotation and nematicides on abundance of Pasteuria penetrans.

Dr. Timper has served the Society of Nematologists as editor of Nematology Newsletter.

She obtained her PhD degree in 1991 in the Department of Nematology at UC Davis where she studied under the direction of Dr. Harry Kaya.  Following that, she had productive postdoctoral appointments at the University of Arkansas and at the USDA Golden Nematode Laboratory at Cornell University.