Omar Martinez joins Center for Pollinator Health at DREC

Dr. Omar Martinez has joined Delta Research and Extension Center as a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Pollinator Health.
[Photo credit]: Laura Smith

Dr. Omar Martinez has joined the Center for Pollinator Health at Delta Research and Extension  Center as a postdoctoral fellow.

A native of Colombia, Dr. Martinez earned his PhD in biological science from the University of São Paulo and has  worked with professional beekeepers and queen breeders in Brazil, Colombia, New Zealand, and the United States. This  experience will be invaluable as he interacts with Mississippi’s professional beekeepers and queen breeders.

“Omar is a valuable asset who can easily connect with beekeepers in the state and effectively lead collaborative projects to  address real-world challenges in the apiculture industry,” said Dr. Esmaeil Amiri, MSU Extension Assistant Professor for  the National Pollinator Center.

Dr. Martinez has spent the last 20 years in Brazil studying honey bee queens, and at DREC he is leading two projects  focused on investigating the long-term effects of biotic and abiotic stress during queen development.

“The honey bee queen is the only reproductive individual in her colony and her vigor has a great impact on the growth and  production of the colony,” Martinez said. “As a result, I am keen on furthering my knowledge in this area and integrating  it with my practical expertise by studying queen health and performance.”

Dr. Martineznoted that part of DREC’s mission, to extend to stakeholders knowledge and insights gained through applied  research, initially attracted him to the Mississippi Delta. “Delta Research and Extension Center’s focus on simplifying  scientific knowledge and translating it into layman’s language through extension activities aligns perfectly with my own  interests and aspirations,” he said. “I have always been eager to engage in such activities and I look forward to actively  participating in them.”

The landscape of the Delta was also a draw to Martinez, who grew up in a farming family in Colombia. “Being in Delta  always reminds me of home,” he said. “The extensive involvement in extension activities and direct interaction with  the farming community make DREC a truly exceptional place to work. Working alongside other agricultural research  disciplines and having direct contact with professional farmers while being a part of a prestigious university like  Mississippi State University offer a unique and unparalleled opportunity that is not easily found in other institutions or  universities.”

Delta Research and Extension Center was established in 1904 and encompasses nearly 5,000 acres. DREC seeks to  increase the yields of commercial agriculture and aquaculture producers while preserving the Mississippi Delta’s  environment and natural resources.