Damilare Shodeinde (he/him) is a Masters student at the John Innes Centre studying Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement. He was part of the first cohort of BiPS Summer Studentship Awardees in 2024.
We caught up with our Summer Studentship alumni, to check on how they’re doing, asked them why BiPS is important to them and what advice they have for students in a similar position to them when we first met them.
Damilare’s Journey So Far
Damilare’s journey to plant science is possibly one of the more unconventional that we have shared in our profile series. Damilare started his journey by first training in the culinary industry which proved to not be for him at that time and so he decided to return to education to study Biology at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.
In the summer of 2024, Damilare took part in the first ever Black in Plant Science (BiPS) Summer Studentship programme at the University of Oxford where he was supervised by Professor Francesco Licausi.
During his time there he researched wheat flood tolerance, testing the emergence of wheat seeds that carry a rice gene (Oryza sativa GAMYB) that allows underwater submergence.
“The studentship opened many doors for me, such as applying for my master’s with research to back me up, as well as now having laboratory experience. I’m currently applying for doctoral training, and a good portion of my CV is boosted by that experience and the presentation I gave. I’ve also made strong academic links at Oxford, which no doubt will assist me in the future.”
Having established an interest in research Damilare has since begun his master’s at the John Innes Centre and very recently presented a poster at the second BiPS conference alongside a 1-minute flash talk.
“I take a more open approach to my future, originally, I had a set in stone path of what I would do but now I have begun to look for new opportunities and I’m slowly beginning to find my specific interest when it comes to work.”
The Importance of Representation in Science
When asked about what it’s like to be a Black person in plant science Damilare pointed to the importance of a support network in the path he has decided to go down “this last year has left me with knowledge that there is a strong community for me to seek guidance from and so much support from others like me in the same field.”
While talking about the importance for him as an individual, he highlighted how the growth of an organisation like Black in Plant Science could provide the skills and support for other black scientists.
The Importance of Mentors
“I find my role models in the academics that surround me, such as discussions with researchers in the Norwich research park or my lecturers. As they discuss with me how their careers took off and expanded it gives me a drive to do the same.”
Having been strategically situated in the Norwich research park, Damilare has been blessed with a wealth of mentors in the plant science community but he also points out that the role of a mentor is not just someone who can “tell you how interesting the field is but can also tell you the challenges and how they overcame them.”
Advice to Undergraduates
Are you thinking about applying to our next Summer Studentship? Or are you still studying your A-levels? Then Damilare’s advice would be, “to always look for opportunities, especially ones that can boost your confidence.”
To learn more about upcoming opportunities, head over to the opportunities section of our website.