OUR FELLOWS
Aissata Traoré Thera received the best score in her primary class for an essay she wrote on wanting to be an agronomist when she grew up. After completing secondary school in Bamako, she won a scholarship to pursue her university studies in Cuba. Not surprisingly, she chose to specialize in an area related to plants.
Thera spent six years in Cuba, one to learn Spanish and five to complete a BSc and MSc in phytosanitary engineering. “I studied phytopathology, virology, entomology, weed sciences—anything I could to learn about plant protection,” she says.
Field of Research
Developing the infrastructure and procedures for production of high-quality, pathogen-free potato seed to support sustainable production of potatoes by smallholder farmers.