State University Plant

Education

Masters in Plant Science [Jan ****-May 2017]

South Dakota State University (SDSU), Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science, Brookings, South Dakota, USA

GPA: 4/4

Research Topic:

Mitigating Risk of Ochratoxin A contamination in Oats:

1) Determine how frequently Penicillum verrucosum is present on oat grain produced in South Dakota

2) Develop a methodology to screen oat genotypes for OTA accumulation

3) Identify the effect of genotype and growing environment on OTA production in oat varieties grown in South Dakota

Course work: Food Analysis, Advanced Disease of Field, Quantitative genetics, Plant Breeding, English As a Second Language, Genetic Disease Resistance/Host-Plant Pathogen Interaction, Statistical methods II, Advance disease of field crops, Plant Science Graduate Seminars

Bachelors in Agriculture [Feb 2007 to June 2011]

Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Tribhuvan University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal

GPA: 3.95/4

Experience

1.South Dakota State University

[January 2015 to till now]

Designation: Graduate Research Assistant

Other: Assist in day-to-day oat breeding activities of SDSU at green house, seed house, laboratories and field.

2.Matedewal Higher secondary school

[February 2014 to October 2014]

Designation: Instructor

Responsibility: Teaching theory and lab practical to Junior Agricultural Technicians.

3. SANGAM (Sustainable Approach on Natural resources and Gender Empowerment for Micro-Enterprise) Funded by MRDEP/UNDP

[February 2013 to February 2014]

Designation: Agriculture Enterprise Development Officer

4. Forum for Rural Welfare Reform and Development (FORWARD, Nepal), funded by USAID

[July 2012 to February 2013]

Designation: Technical Officer

5.Independent project

Quantification of Phenolic Content in the Fortified Pita Breads with chick pea and food grade distiller grains

Skills

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test

Preparation of media.

PCR

β-glucan Analysis

Water activity measurement (moisture absorption curve development for adjustment of Water activity)

Development of artificial relative humidity chamber with saturated salts.

Antioxidant content measurement

Phenolic content measurement

Estimation of fungal colony count by direct and dilution plating.

Inoculation and infestation rating.

Proximal analysis of food constituents (Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat, Mineral, Moisture content analysis)

Basic knowledge of Near Infrared Spectrometry (NIRS)

R programming,

Field work, Green house work

Regular proficient user of almost all commonly used software packages for word processing, Excel, data analysis and power point presentation

Publication designing,

Email and Internet.

Trainings

1.6 days Training on “social mobilization for community approach” held on RRN training center Chitwan

2.Training on PCN writing (organized by ICDC, Nepal)

3.Training on “Campaigning and letter writing” organized by Amnesty International Nepal

4.Training on “Introduction to Amnesty International and Human rights” organized by Amnesty International Nepal, Group-27 Lamjung.

Honors and Activities

1.Working as Social chair in Plant Science Graduate Student Association (PSGSA)

2.Member of ASA, CSA and SSA

3.Poster presentation in ASA, CSA and SSA Meeting, Nov 14-18, 2015 Minnesota. (Topic: Evaluation of Ochratoxin A level in oat varieties grown in South Dakota).

4.Poster presentation in ASPB Meeting, March 19-20, 2016 South Dakota State University (Topic: Evaluation of Ochratoxin A level in oat varieties grown in South Dakota).

5.Poster presentation in Plant Breeding Symposium, 29th March 2016.University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Topic: Evaluation of Ochratoxin A level in oat varieties grown in South Dakota).

6.Poster presentation in Sigma-Gamma Delta poster Competition, 4th April 2016, South Dakota State University (Topic: Evaluation of Ochratoxin A level in oat varieties grown in South Dakota).

7.Poster presentation in Research Day, Plant Science Department, 28th April 2016, South Dakota State University (Topic: Effect of Genotype and growing environment on Ochratoxin A production in oat varieties grown in South Dakota).

8.Poster presentation in Eighth Annual Avera Research Symposium on 26th October 2016, (Topic: Abundance of fungus Penicillium verrucosum in Oat cultivars grown in South Dakota).

9.Poster presentation in Sanford Bio-Medical Symposium 10th November 2016, Topic: Estimation of abundance of fungus Penicillium verrucosum in Oat cultivars grown in South Dakota).

10.Oral Presentation in Research Day, Plant Science Department, 7th December 2016, South Dakota State University (Topic: Mitigating Risks of Ochratoxin A Contaminations In Oat)

11.Volunteer on Poster presentation in ASPB Meeting, 29th March 2016

12.Working member of Amnesty International Youth Network Sundarbazar (2007-2008).

13.Vice President of Nepal Youth Red Cross Circle, Lamjung Campus, during B.Sc. Ag 2nd year study at IAAS, Lamjung

14.Participated in painting workshop conducted by IAAS Art Group.

15.A 32 days educational tour to India, visited several agricultural universities and research centers of India.

16.Eastern, Western and Central Nepal tour and visit to major agricultural research stations of Nepal.

Awards:

Third place in Sigma Xi MS-Paper Competition 2017, Topic: Estimation of abundance of fungus Penicillium verrucosum in Oat cultivars grown in South Dakota

Publications:

Occurrence of Penicillium verrucosum in oat cultivars common in South Dakota (To be submitted in Journal of Food Protection)

Methodology for screening oat genotypes for Ochratoxin A accumulation in grain inoculated with penicillium verrucosum (To be submitted in Journal of Cereal Chemistry)

References:

1) Dr. Melanie Caffe Treml

Oat Breeder/ Assistant Professor

Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science

Email: *******.*****@*******.***

South Dakota State University

2) Dr. Shaukat Ali

Assistant Professor/Small Grain Pathologist

Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science

Email: *******.***@*******.***

South Dakota State University

3) Dr. Padmanaban Krishnan

Professor/cereal chemist

Dairy and Food Science Department.

Email: **********.********@*******.***

South Dakota State University

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