By refugelawn, on 09/28/2021
Hello! I am an agronomist and entomologist by training with international experience. I have worked with research and extension in the United States, Brazil, Guatemala, Burundi, Tanzania, and Kenya – opportunities that also helped me enhance my English and Spanish skills, as well as my interpersonal abilities. Undoubtedly, it was my desire to learn that made me look for a Ph.D., and I was convinced I would be able to contribute to an American program. I was fortunate to meet Dr. Jay McCurdy from the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University. We discussed my Ph.D. application, and he showed me the Partnership for Pollinator-Friendly Lawns project, which sparked my attention. We agreed that my educational and professional background made me a well-suited applicant. As a graduate research assistant, I am interested in the management of turfgrass and forb plants, and their relationship with insects, especially, pollinators. I study pollinator-friendly turfgrass alternatives and amenity forb species that meet the social and cultural demands of traditionally maintained urban greenspaces while increasing pollinator habitat and forage resources. My research goals are to contribute to the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methodologies, seeking alternatives for homeowners that will be both environmentally friendly and aesthetically desired. Currently, I am working on an insect-visiting plant list for Mississippi, tracking the periodicity of blooming and estimating pollinator visits, to then develop an establishment program for selected plants.
Isadora
Isadora Gomes Peres de Souza
Agronomy Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Plant and Soil Science