Joshua Raji
Postdoctoral Fellow (started February 2020)
AKA: Josh
Birthplace: Ibadan, Nigeria
Hometown: Ekiti, Nigeria
jraji1 [AT] jh.edu
Education:
- Undergraduate: Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, Bachelor of Technology; Major: Biology 2005-2010
- Graduate: University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria. Master of Science; Major: Cell Biology and Genetics; Thesis advisor: Peter Odeigah, PhD. Thesis: Artemisinin combination therapy depressed mitosis and induce chromosome aberrations” 2012-2014
- Graduate: Florida International University, Miami, Florida. Ph.D; Discipline: Biology. Thesis Advisor: Matthew DeGennaro, PhD. Thesis: “The genetics of olfactory and visually guided attractive behaviors in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes” 2015-2019
Awards/Fellowship/Grants:
- Outstanding undergraduate student scholarship. Ekiti State Scholarship Board 2007-2010
- Graduate student scholarship, Student Government Association, Florida International University, Miami, Florida. 2016
- Most Promising Science Prize, Journal of Medical Microbiology, 19th Annual Biomedical, Comparative and Immunology Symposium. Miami, Florida. 2017
- Provost Award, first place oral presentation in Arts, Science and Education, Graduate Student Appreciation Week, Florida International University, Florida. 2018
- Second place for oral presentation, 20th Annual Biomedical, Comparative and Immunology Symposium. Miami, Florida. 2018.
- Outstanding graduate teaching assistant, Florida International University. 2018.
- T. Wainwright Miller, Jr. Scholarship award, Florida Mosquito Control Association, 2018
- First place prize, 3 Minute Thesis Competition, 20th Annual BioSymposium, Biscayne Bay, Florida, 2019.
- Student Paper Competition prize, American Mosquito Control Association AMCA 85th annual meeting, Orlando, Florida, 2019.
- Best presentation (PhD-category), Florida Entomological Society, 102nd Annual meeting, Jupiter, Florida, 2019
- Travel grant, Florida Entomological Society, 102nd Annual meeting. Jupiter, Florida, 2019
- President’s Prize for oral presentation, Entomological Society of America. ESA-SEB 93rd annual meeting, Mobile, Alabama, 2019.
- Dissertation Year Fellowship Award, Florida International University, Fall, 2019.
- Nominee, International Birnstiel Award, 2020.
- Nominee, Science & SciLifeLab Prize, 2020.
- Academic Achievement Award, College of Arts Science and Education, Florida International University, 2020.
Research Interests:
Mosquito sensory biology, olfactory receptors, mosquito chemical ecology
Interests outside the lab:
Listening to music and playing piano.
Fun fact:
I enjoy killing mosquitoes in flight