Australia Awards scholar Krishtee Devi Samputh has come from the independent islands' nation of the Republic of Mauritius to The University of Queensland to study a Master of Biotechnology.
Krishtee is a great advocate of making the most of the opportunities presented by the Australia Awards Scholarship and UQ.
She stopped working as a research scientist in the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute one day and arrived in Brisbane the next.
Krishtee described the initial move from a nation half the size of Brisbane to Australia as hectic and difficult.
“Going from 10 years working 9 to 5 in plant research to studying again was a huge adjustment,” Krishtee said.
“There was no time between my working life and commencing the 4-week pre-study skills course before my master’s began. At first, I wasn’t very happy.
"But what changed all of this was trying new things at UQ such as fencing and badminton as well as my UQ-managed share house where we tell one another about events on campus and provide an informal support network and friendship group.”
“The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology also selected me to spend a day touring Stradbroke Island with other postgraduate students. This trip made me feel like ‘I’m home’.”
Krishtee is not only seeking out opportunities to develop her social networks, she’s also developing her research-related activities at UQ.
After a competitive process, the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation awarded Krishtee a paid Winter Research Program place for 2024.
Under the supervision of UQ expert on molecular biology and plant pathology Dr Lilia Carvalhais, Krishtee collaborated on a QAAFI project diagnosing and treating banana disease in Queensland's farmed crops.
“We have the same problem in Mauritius," Krishtee said.
"Exotic banana diseases are decimating a staple food supply. This project is a platform for me to deepen my knowledge in my chosen field of plant biotechnology and to take what I learn home.”
This win-win scenario of professional experience and academic training means Krishtee will return to Mauritius with the skills required to develop biotechnology science in her home country and tackle emerging plant disease.
