Alexia Marr has a worthy goal. She wants to assist growers to safeguard their crops from pests and diseases, which could threaten food production and the New Zealand economy.
To help her along the way, she’s just begun a PhD in plant pathology, having completed her Master’s degree in plant protection.
“When I was studying for my Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Ecology at Lincoln, I chose to take some plant disease and plant protection papers as electives and I really enjoyed them,” she says.
“I wanted to pursue this area of study, so I went straight into doing a Master’s degree. To further develop and refine my technical skills for industry employment, I enrolled in a PhD.”
Alexia says she’s really enjoying the programme, as she gets to design her research based on the questions she wants to be able to answer.
“My supervisors are incredibly accessible, hands-on and encouraging, which makes me feel very supported in my studies.”
The skills she’s learning are applicable to many of the challenges facing global crop production, but she wants to use them for the benefit of New Zealand.
“Plant health is so important for food security, particularly with the rapid increase in the global population,” she says.
“Protecting the health of our plants allows us to feed the planet and reduce food waste, while boosting sustainable environmental and economic development.”