Shefali Boonerjee | Agriculture Economics | Best Researcher Award

Dr Shefali Boonerjee | Agriculture Economics | Best Researcher Award

Principal Scientific Officer at  Bangladesh Tea Research Institute,  Bangladesh

Dr. Shefali Boonerjee is a Senior Scientific Officer at the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI), specializing in plant tissue culture, molecular biology, and statistical interpretation of laboratory results. With over 20 years of research experience, she has made significant contributions to tea plant genetics, micropropagation, and clonal development. Dr. Boonerjee earned her Ph.D. in Plant Tissue Culture and Molecular Biology from the University of Dhaka, focusing on genetic diversity analysis and in vitro regeneration of tea clones. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and actively participates in scientific training and collaborations. Her expertise includes Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation, RAPD analysis, and hybridization techniques. In addition to her research, she has received international training in tea quality assurance and genetic resource conservation.

Profile:

🎓 Education:

  • Ph.D. in Plant Tissue Culture & Molecular Biology (2019) – University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
    Research: Genetic diversity & in vitro regeneration of tea (Camellia sinensis L.)
  • M.Sc. in Botany (1997) – University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
    Focus: Micropropagation & somatic embryogenesis in onion (Allium cepa L.)
  • B.Sc. in Botany (1996) – University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh

🔬 Research & Expertise:

  • 20+ years of experience in plant tissue culture, molecular biology & statistical analysis
  • Specialized in tea plant micropropagation, genetic diversity analysis, and breeding
  • Skilled in in vitro culture, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, and RAPD analysis

👩‍🔬 Professional Experience:

  • Senior Scientific Officer (2015–Present), BTRI – Statistics & Economics Division
  • Scientific Officer (2005–2015), BTRI – Botany Division
  • Research Fellow (2004–2005), Bangladesh Council of Scientific & Industrial Research

📚 Notable Publications:

  • Co-authored several research papers on tea cultivation, micropropagation, and genetic diversity in reputed journals like Journal of Agriculture and Food Research and Plant Tissue Culture & Biotechnology.

🌍 International Training & Visits:

  • Tea Tasting & Quality Assurance – India 🇮🇳 (2015)
  • Tea Culture & Industry Development – China 🇨🇳 (2021)
  • Scientific Writing Training – Thailand 🇹🇭 (2014)

🛠️ Technical & Computer Skills:

  • Plant Tissue Culture: Media prep, micropropagation (tea, onion, orchid, potato)
  • Molecular Techniques: PCR, RAPD, DNA isolation
  • Software: MS Office, R Programming, BLAST

Publication Top Notes:

  • Analysis of Growth Trends in Area, Production, and Yield of Tea in Bangladesh
    JK Saha, KMM Adnan, SA Sarker, S Boonerjee
    Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, Vol. 4, 100136 (2021) – 32 citations
  • Genetic Diversity Analysis of Eighteen Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Clones of Bangladesh Through RAPD
    S Boonerjee, MN Islam, MI Hoque, RH Sarker
    Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology, Vol. 23(2), pp. 189-199 (2013) – 14 citations
  • Endogenous Bacterial Contamination of Plant Tissue Culture Materials: Identification and Control Strategy
    M Ali, S Boonerjee, MN Islam, ML Saha, MI Hoque, RH Sarker
    Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology, Vol. 28(1), pp. 99-108 (2018) – 11 citations
  • Development of In Vitro Micropropagation System in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis L.) Using Shoot Tip and Nodal Segment Explants
    S Boonerjee, MI Hoque, RH Sarker
    Tea Journal of Bangladesh, Vol. 42, pp. 21-30 (2013) – 5 citations
  • Genetic Diversity Analysis and Development of In Vitro Regeneration System in Selected Clones of Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Plant
    S Boonerjee
    Ph.D. Thesis, University of Dhaka (2019) – 1 citation
  • In Vitro Clonal Propagation of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Through Shoot Tip Culture
    S Boonerjee, PK Sen, MF Alam, SMM Rahman
    Khulna University Studies, pp. 49-53 (2006) – 1 citation
  • Micropropagation of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Through Bulblet Formation
    S Boonerjee, PK Sen, MF Alam, SMM Rahman
    Khulna University Studies, pp. 55-58 (2006) – 1 citation
  • Consumption and Export Potential of Tea in Bangladesh: A Field Study
    S Boonerjee, MA Islam, SM Islam, SK Paul, MT Uddin, MS Alamgir
    Shah, Consumption and Export Potential of Tea in Bangladesh: A Field Study

 

Charlene Ignanga | Agricultural Economics | Women Researcher Award

Ms Charlene Ignanga | Agricultural Economics | Women Researcher Award

Etudiant en PhD en Chine at  Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GSCAAS),  China

Ignanga Charlène is a PhD candidate in Agricultural Economics and Management at the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GSCAAS). She holds a Master’s Diploma in Agroeconomics from USTM-Franceville National Institute of Agronomy and Biotechnology.

Profile:

🎓 Education & Academic Background:

  • PhD in Agricultural Economics and Management, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GSCAAS), China (2023 – present)
  • Master’s Diploma in Agroeconomics, USTM-Franceville National Institute of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Gabon (2019)
  • FAO Training Certificates in Safety, Train-the-Trainer, and Organizational Development (2019)
  • Scientific Baccalaureate Diploma, Charles MEFANE State High School, Lambaréné (2013)

💼 Professional Experience:

  • AGASA (Gabonese Food Safety Agency) – Risk Assessment Dept. (2021-2022)
    • Food safety monitoring, import alerts, and food inspection missions
  • FAO Sub-Regional Office for Central Africa – Fisheries & Aquaculture (2019)
    • Diagnosed fishery product management and value chain in Gabon Estuary
  • Gabonese Institute for Development Support (IGAD) (2018)
    • Market garden farming study, economic analysis, and production monitoring
  • PONGUI Rural Canton Survey (2017)
    • Socioeconomic and technical analysis of peasant farms

📊 Research & Publications:

  • Specializes in econometric modeling, agricultural production systems, and food security policies
  • Current research focuses on non-parametric econometrics applied to time-series and household consumption
  • Notable Publication:
    • Cross-Sectional Analysis of Household Food Demand in Estuaire Gabon (Agriculture, 2025)

🖥 Technical & Language Skills:

  • Software: Stata, SPSS, Epidata, Microsoft Office
  • Languages: Fluent in English & French