Zurvan

Sustainable Biofuel Production

Developing methods for ascertaining potential impact of insect herbivores on energy flow and biogeochemical cycling in biofuel feedstock production systems. Quantification of insect population dynamics and biodiversity in the major biofuel feedstock crops in comparison with such parameters in prairie and maize as well as comparative assessments of biomass accumulation, photosynthesis and chemical ecology of biofuel crop plants in the presence and absence of insect herbivore.

Personalized Pesticides

Different compounds have different chemical and physical properties and
therefore, behave differently in a mixture. I looked at the volatilization of
constituents in a botanical insect repellent and study their emission pattern from
the mixture over time when applied on human subjects.

Plants as new source of Information

Based on recent scientific and technological advances, I proposed a new and interdisciplinary pest monitoring tool, which uses more reliable plant –based sources of information for early and accurate decision making in pest management.

Saber Miresmailli