Personal Statement
My name is Junaed Ahmed. I am writing in favor of my application for the Plant and Environmental Sciences (PhD)
program at Clemson University. I completed my M.S. in Plant Pathology and B.Sc. in Agriculture from Sylhet
Agricultural University, Bangladesh. I want to continue my graduate studies in the area of plant bacteriology and
development of bacterial diseases management strategies.
My passion has always been in crop protection and sustainability, and my future role in this important field has
been evolving through my educational journey. I had courses on Agronomy, Crop Botany, Plant Pathology, Soil
Science, Genetics, Plant breeding, Statistics, and others in my undergraduate program. But I felt a strong attraction
for future research prospects in Plant Pathology, and this led me to choose my master’s study in this discipline.
My time at the Sylhet Agricultural University was incredibly rewarding which helped me to choose my future
career path. In my research project for the MS program, I have performed conventional methods for detection
and characterization of four fungal pathogens causing postharvest disease in oranges. I was able to spend my time
not only working on my own research but collaborating on a variety of projects including identification and
characterization of postharvest pathogens of pineapple and survey on disease problems of betel vines in Sylhet
region, and evaluation of the efficacy of three Trichoderma based bio-pesticides for controlling the damping off
disease (Rhizoctonia solani) of eggplant seedlings. Currently, I am working on a project titled “Good agricultural
practices for maximizing production of black pepper in the varied agro-ecological regions of Sylhet.” I have
published two research articles where one as first author based on my work on the postharvest diseases of
oranges. I am preparing another two manuscripts for publication based on my work on the efficacy of Trichoderma
based bio-pesticides and the farmers’ knowledge on the black pepper production in Sylhet region. Also, during my
bachelor, I worked on a research project where our team studied the growth and yield performance of five okra
cultivars with different organic fertilizers in acidic soils. My passion for research is backed up by real experiences
and qualifications. I believe my background and expertise will connect well with the Plant Bacteriology program’s
dedication to excellence in research for bacterial disease management. Also, I found the course curriculum of the
program and Dr. Hehe Wang’s ongoing research projects on peach bacterial disease management perfectly
aligned with my skills and interest.
Moreover, the climate has been changed dramatically, especially in recent decades, which ascribed significant
negative impacts on the crops and vegetables cultivation. As it continues, different problems in agriculture,
especially frequent disease and insect-pest outbreaks, fungicide resistance, environmental stress, etc. are
expected to be amplified. My field visits to different crop farms revealed to me that how people are already facing
issues related to climate change, especially crop loss due to diseases and insect-pests in their agricultural
productions. This experience is a major motivator for me to choose epidemiology and plant disease management
related areas for my graduate studies.
With the goal of pursuing a PhD degree and becoming a professional in research and academia, I have chosen the
Plant and Environmental Sciences (PhD) program at Clemson University due to the scope of their research,
academic facilities, and culture of the laboratories. I had a formal interview with Dr. XYZ on 20th April 2022. She
found me a competent student for her lab and encouraged me to apply for this PhD program. I am thrilled to grab
the opportunity to work in a laboratory focused on bacterial disease management and genetics of bacterial
pathogens. I believe this program will provide the type of impactful, collaborative, and productive environment
that I will flourish in as a researcher to achieve my career goal.
Personally, I am a perseverant person, someone who is motivated and ambitious. I enjoy the challenge and
commitment required to engage with people. I worked at some local and national voluntary organizations where
I played a major role in organizing different campaigns. All of these experiences have boosted up my
communication skills and confidence to accept an assistantship position and continue my graduate studies in
parallel.
Thank you for your time and considering my application. I look forward to joining the Plant and Environmental
Sciences (PhD) program in Fall 2022.
Yours sincerely,
Junaed Ahmed
