Parul Mandal is a Ph.D. student in the Braun Turfgrass Lab at Kansas State University, where she is investigating the effects of seed coatings on the storage, germination, and establishment of cool-season turfgrass species. Her research aims to improve seed longevity and establishment success, offering practical solutions to enhance turfgrass management and seed storage technologies.
Parul holds an M.Sc. in Agronomy and Crop Management from Punjab Agricultural University and a B.Sc. in Agriculture from CCS Haryana Agricultural University in India. She is passionate about teaching and mentoring and is actively involved in leadership and professional development initiatives.
Her dedication has earned her several honors, including the prestigious 2024 Gerald O. Mott Award from the Crop Science Society of America, recognizing outstanding graduate students in crop science. Recently, she received the Bill Rose Foundation Travel Scholarship to present her research to seed industries and turfgrass professionals at Pure Seed Field Day, Oregon.
Outside of her academic pursuits, Parul enjoys reading, painting with oil pastels, and playing badminton.