Plantae Presents: Getting the Most Out of Your PhD

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Plantae Presents: Getting the Most Out of Your PhD

Featuring Manoj Prasad, Jian You Wang, Somnath Koley, and Justine Braguy

 

When: September 20, 2024, at
7:00 AM PDT | 10:00 AM EDT | 3:00 PM BST | 10:00 PM Beijing

Register Here

About this Webinar

Starting a PhD is both exciting and hard, with many potential for both professional and personal growth. This webinar, “Getting the Most Out of Your PhD,” aims to provide you with critical insights and practical solutions for navigating the difficulties of doctoral studies successfully. This webinar will cover crucial factors to help you succeed, including understanding the PhD process and planning your research, as well as improving your writing abilities and creating a professional network.

Join us for an engaging discussion where experienced academics and professionals will share their knowledge of maximizing resources, managing work-life balance, and utilizing technology to improve research efficiency. Whether you are just starting your PhD or want to make the most of your remaining time, this webinar will provide you with useful insight and assistance to help you reach your academic and professional objectives.

Hosted by the 2024 Plantae Fellows.

 

SPEAKERS

Manoj Prasad

Dr. Manoj Prasad (b. 1970) is working as a Professor & JC Bose National Fellow at Dept. of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Marg, New Delhi, India. He did his B.Sc. (Botany Honours), M.Sc., and PhD in BOTANY from the University of Calcutta in 1992, 1994, and 1999, respectively.  Prior to working at UDSC & DBT-NIPGR, Dr. Prasad served as Alexander von Humboldt Fellow (2000-2003) at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics & Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany. His research interests include Plant Molecular Genetics, Genomics, and Stress Biology. Dr. Prasad has published more than 200 research papers, reviews, and popular articles in highly reputed international journals, cited in 15,400 with an H-index of 69. He also serves as an associate editor for renowned international journals of high repute. He is the recipient of prestigious national and international awards like Fellow of all three National Academies, Silver Jubilee Commemoration Medal (2022), J. C. Bose National Fellow (2018),  Tata Innovation Fellow (2017), National Bioscience Award (2015), Birbal Sahni Medal (2021), Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) Fellow (2000), Golden Peacock Award (2019),  Hiralal Chakraborty Memorial Award (2010-11),  Young Scientist Award (2003-2004).

 

Jian You (Eric) Wang

Jian You (Eric) Wang is a researcher in the field of plant biochemistry who is fascinated by the metabolism of carotenoid-derived plant hormones, especially strigolactones (SLs). He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Pharmacy from the China Medical University, Taiwan. Subsequently, he decided to pursue his Ph.D. degree (2017-2021) in Bioscience under the supervision of Prof. Salim Al-Babili at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). During his Ph.D. training, he made essential contributions to identifying the novel signaling molecule, zaxinone, produced by the previously overlooked carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) conserved in grasses, and its metabolism was revealed to be connected to SLs. Thenceforth, he continues with the lab of Prof. Salim Al-Babili as a postdoctoral fellow, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, working on projects that aim at identifying the SLs that determine the architecture and Striga susceptibility of pearl millet and elucidating later steps of rice SL biosynthesis. He was awarded the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) 2024 Young Scientists Award in the plant section. He is an incoming assistant research fellow (equal to assistant professor) in the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica.

 

 

Somnath Koley

Somnath Koley is a senior Research Scientist at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. His goal is to produce more resilient plants that can provide a sustainable solution to societal and economic needs. Somnath’s main interest lies in carbon metabolism, from capturing carbon dioxide to generating storage products across multiple plant parts, and in particular, in the efficient allocation of resources. He has excellent expertise in metabolomics, isotopic tracer analysis, and mass spectrometry. Somnath received his PhD degrees in Pharmaceutical Biology and Plant Metabolism from Martin Luther University, Germany (2015-19). During his PhD tenure, he was awarded the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship (BRAVE), Fazit-Stiftung doctoral scholarship, and a DAAD finalization grant.

 

 

 

 

Justine Braguy

Justine Braguy, the CEO of Thya Technology, is dedicated to empowering research and businesses through the integration of AI tools for automated image and video analysis. Her academic journey reflects a diverse background, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Physics, a Master’s in Synthetic Biology in France, and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology obtained in Saudi Arabia (at KAUST) in 2021.

During her Ph.D., Justine incorporated AI and Computer Vision into her research for automated seed counting. Motivated by the challenges she faced during manual image analysis, she has since committed herself to assisting scientists across various fields. Leading her team at Thya Technology, Justine bridges the gap between cutting-edge AI technologies and research labs. Thya Technology’s no-code platform facilitates technological access, significantly reducing the time required for AI model generation and deployment, particularly in the analysis of large datasets.

Beyond her role as CEO, Justine is a vibrant dancer and artist, adding a colorful dimension to her professional pursuits.

 

 

 

MODERATORS

Tuyelee Das

Tuyelee is a final-year PhD student in the Department of Life Sciences at Presidency University, Kolkata, India, and 2024 Plantae Fellow. Her research interests focus on plant secondary metabolites and medicinal plants. She aims to bridge traditional medicinal plant knowledge with modern scientific research. A passionate nature enthusiast, Tuyelee enjoys trekking and traveling. Her long-term goal is to discover new therapeutic compounds from plants using advanced tools and techniques. X: @das_tuyelee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abdulkabir Omeiza Abdulmalik

Abdulkabir is a graduate student at CEPLAS Graduate School, Germany, and a 2024 Plantae Editor. His research focuses on using an experimental evolution approach to assemble plant growth-promoting soil microbiomes.

He is passionate about science communication and sustainable crop production. In his free time, he loves playing soccer and enjoying nature views. X: @Omeiza_PlantDoc.

 

 

 

 

 

Maneesh Lingwan

Maneesh is a Postdoctoral Associate at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 2024 Plantae Fellow, and Assistant Features Editor of Plant Physiology (2024-2025). He is a passionate plant biochemist interested in analytical techniques and strategies to decode cell-specific metabolism. His current research focuses on understanding plant lipid metabolism to enhance medium-chain fatty acids in oil crops. Besides research, Maneesh aims to inspire and educate younger students by providing valuable insights about STEM careers and helping them to navigate opportunities. X: @LingwanManeesh.