Tanjim “TJ” Hossain was six years old when he saw the movie Jurassic Park. It was then that he realized his love for science.
Years later, Hossain has been awarded a graduate research fellowship from the National Science Foundation to study malaria in Mali. Though his paleontology dreams may not be realized, Hossain is fascinated with entomology, the study of insects.
The fellowship will allow Hossain to study malaria in mosquitoes of the genus anopheles with John Beier, the world’s leading mosquito expert. Hossain will be a Ph.D. student at the University of Miami and doing fieldwork in Mali. He will be researching environmentally safe ways to eradicate the anopheles from the area.
Hossain, who will graduate in May with a degree in environmental science and policy, is the first USF St. Petersburg student to win this fellowship. Although he calls it “the granddaddy of fellowships,” he was surprised to discover that he was the first from USFSP to win. He believes it is a goal that many science majors should seek to achieve.
West African storytellers and historians called griots, who are responsible for preserving oral tradition will work closely with Hossain during his research. The griots are seen as leaders in West African society. By working with them, Hossain can ensure the methods he develops will be implemented into the community.
Hossain’s research experience sets him apart from other students. He first worked with Deby Cassill, a biology professor at USFSP, on her study of ants. Later, he and his friend Jaeson Clayborn worked together on a project about mosquitoes and ants. They presented the project at the International Symposium of Invasive Pests, where Hossain attracted to the interest of Dr. Jesusa Legaspi of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since then, Hossain has gained experience working with the USDA on several projects regarding invasive insect species.
Hossain views USFSP’s environmental science and policy as a “broad degree” and says its possibilities are endless. He found that there were no restrictions on graduate level courses, and took several throughout his USFSP undergraduate career. He says these courses were a good opportunity to get graduate level experience before applying to graduate school.
