We are pleased to announce the winner of the Agronomy 2024 Travel Award—Dr. Maria K. Sakka.

Name: Dr. Maria K. Sakka

Affiliation: University of Thessaly, Greece

We would like to thank the award committee for selecting one winner from a large number of exceptional candidates, Dr. Maria K. Sakka. We will continue to reward scholars with the Travel Award to express our acknowledgment of their support for our journal Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395). We wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short interview with Dr. Maria K. Sakka:

1. How did you become interested in your current area of research?

My undergraduate-level participation in entomology courses piqued my interest in the subject. As a result, I knew that for my master's studies, I wanted to work with insects. I finished my master's thesis on mosquitoes in the Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology of the University of Thessaly under the supervision of Professor Christos Athanasiou. The completion of my master's gave me the motivation to continue my studies and earn a Ph.D., which led me to study stored-product insects. My main goal is to contribute to the knowledge of insects associated with economic damage in insect processing and storage areas, which is a challenging topic for me.

2. What are the struggles that come with being an early career researcher?

The challenges of an early career researcher are mostly related to funding issues and difficulty finding good mentorship. In particular, if you don’t have the second one you will be alone in an “ocean” of research issues that need to be handled.

3. Could you describe any particularly interesting or unexpected results that you have discovered in your research so far?

During my Ph.D. studies, we researched the phosphine resistance of different stored-product insect species. The interesting part of this research was that we collected more than 350 different stored-product insect species to use in our experiments. This was the largest variety of insect species collected for research purposes in any study I have participated in thus far.

4. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far?

On the research level, I would say that the most valuable lesson is to trust the process, put in the hard work and time, and enjoy every step until the final result.

5. What is your motivation for research?

I have grown passionate about stored-product insects, and it fascinates me to work in and contribute to this field. This research work and its processes have helped me to develop both as a scientist and as a person.

6. We hope that the travel award will open new opportunities for you. How does an award like this one help to support the career of a young/early career researcher such as yourself?

I would like to thank the award committee once again for selecting me as the winner of the Agronomy 2024 Travel Award! It is always very nice for your work to be acknowledged and to have the opportunity to participate in a conference and present the results of your research. The experience gained from such a procedure is vital and restores one’s motivation batteries for the next research endeavor. 

7. As a successful young investigator, what advice would you give to early career researchers who are just beginning their careers?

For me, every study has its ups and downs, and you will learn valuable lessons from both. Move forward and stay focused.

8. What qualities do you think young scientists need?

Nothing more than a passion for their job!

9. What are your plans for the future, and how do you hope to build upon your current work?

Currently, I have a postdoc position at the University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece. I hope that in the future I will further contribute to the field of stored-product insect species and continue on this path.

10. As the winner of this award, would you like to take a moment to share your thoughts with our readers, or express gratitude towards those who have played a significant role in your research accomplishments?

Firstly, I want to say from my heart that I am happy about winning this award! Secondly, one person who played a significant role in my career is Professor Christos Athanassiou, and I would like to thank him for allowing me to work with him from my first career steps until now. Last but not least, thank you to my family for supporting and believing in me throughout my professional journey. Thank you all!