Marizanne Jones

My interests include mycology and entomology, especially the interactions between these two diverse fields. I have a keen interest in their interactions and how one or the other can be used as biological control agents to control pests or diseases. I do have experience in the field of mycology where I have done my Honours on the diversity of fungal species and their possible antibacterial properties. My masters work gave me experience in the combination of both mycology and entomology as well as their interactions. I have experience in analysing biological control properties and potential of entomopathogenic fungi to control invasive insect pests. I also developed a skill set to communicate my work with fellow researchers by presenting my work on an international forum at the SIP congress 2023, held in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape. Lastly, I am expanding my skills by being a mentor for young undergraduate students to expose them to science and research as well as to help them develop the love and curiosity for knowledge. 

Currently I am in the process of completing my Masters in Entomology at the University of Pretoria, Forestry and Agricultural Bioinformatics Institute (FABI) having commenced my Masters studies in March 2021. 

I was happy to see your posting. I am very interested in this opportunity, and I am certain I have the necessary expertise to fulfil the expected requirements for the post. 

I have four years’ experience working in a laboratory environment with different experimental methodologies and procedures. I have experience with working in the field to collect samples and meet with clients. I have completed my undergraduate degree in Microbiology at the University of Pretoria in 2019. My Microbiology Honours degree completed in 2020, focussed on Mycology to determine the diversity of fungal species in soil samples from the Namibian fairy circles. My current Masters project is focussed on the Eucalyptus snout beetle, Gonipterus sp. 2 and the possible use of the entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana as a natural biocontrol alternative. I have experience with molecular work as well as taxonomic work and I am comfortable to work with programmes such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, as well as software programmes such as Geneious for taxonomic data analyses. In addition, I have some experience working with insect collections, pinning of insects and maintenance of insect specimens as part of my duties at FABI to curate their insect collection. 

I am a hard-working individual that can work in deadline driven environments as part of a team or on an individual basis. I am dedicated and goal-orientated and I always strive to learn more and deliver more than what is expected. I am confident that I will be a valuable asset to your team with the skill, experience and eagerness that you are looking for.

Bachelors in Microbiology

Honours in Microbiology

Finalizing Masters degree in Entomology