In 2012, Asad Zaman began his career as a scientist at the Rice Farming System Division of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), a renowned research organisation in Bangladesh. Asad acquired theoretical knowledge on the biology and epidemiology of beneficial and detrimental microorganisms in plants, host-pathogen interaction, mathematical modelling, and other related subjects. He is particularly interested in understanding and engineering beneficial plant-microbe interactions. Before applying for his PhD, Asad was involved in sustainable crop production through different management practices in hilly areas of Bangladesh.
Regarding his research area of interest, ‘Bangladesh has world-class research facilities but lacks the expertise to utilise them. Therefore, I applied for a PhD position on novel microbiome technologies to increase profitability for Australian horticulture.’ Asad hopes that after completing his PhD at Murdoch University, he can contribute to the sustainable production of crops using natural resources.
