Junior Julia Persaud learned how to cultivate both plants and professional relationships at her Jaggar Community Fellows Program
experience!
experience!
Working at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Persaud helped with renewing the science used to combat pests, viruses and bacteria
affecting plants. Instead of using a chemical control, she helped develop new biological solutions to the problems.
affecting plants. Instead of using a chemical control, she helped develop new biological solutions to the problems.
Persaud learned a lot about plant diversity, including different types of diseases and growth types. She also learned how to care for
a plant conservatory.
a plant conservatory.
Persaud also learned how to meet and interact with coworkers in a professional setting. She got to visit several gardens and
conservatories and met various gardeners, directors and workers.
conservatories and met various gardeners, directors and workers.
These relationships will come in handy later in life, since the work she did in Brooklyn Botanic Garden inspired her to continue. “I am
actually considering [pursuing] work at a garden in the future after I finish my dental degree,” she says.
actually considering [pursuing] work at a garden in the future after I finish my dental degree,” she says.
Persaud encourages keeping an open mind. The learning and networking opportunities are vast. “As a biochemistry student, I did
not know anything about plants,” she says. “I learned so much from everyone and they learned from me as well.”
not know anything about plants,” she says. “I learned so much from everyone and they learned from me as well.”
Persaud gained an inspiring experience that helped her grow professionally.
