Post by Phoebe Bintoro

As I complete my three-year BA in Natural Sciences (Plant Sciences) at the University of Cambridge, I am pleased to share that I have achieved First-Class Honours, ranking 3rd in my cohort. My final-year report, "Semi-discrete modelling of pine wilt disease: vector seasonality, parameter sensitivity, and epidemic control," was awarded the Percy Brian Award for the best research project in the Department of Plant Sciences. Many thanks to Nik Cunniffe and Rachel Russell for the invaluable support throughout the year! It was also a privilege to end the year with the Jardine Scholars Retreat at Murray Edwards College, which brought together current Scholars and Alumni for a weekend of discussion, reflection, and exploration. I am grateful to the Jardine Scholars Council and the Jardine Foundation for their continued support. Before returning to Cambridge for an integrated MSci in Systems Biology, I will be undertaking a summer research internship at Niab in collaboration with the Department of Plant Sciences at Cambridge, funded by the Royal Society of Biology and Defra under the Plant Health Undergraduate Studentship (PHUGS) programme. The research will assess yellow rust spore viability under high-altitude transport conditions relevant to intercontinental dispersal, which will then be incorporated into environmental suitability models. Looking forward to an exciting summer!