Meet Sushmita Karmokar

Hello, and welcome to my blog. I’m Sushmita Karmokar, a food technology and nutrition science graduate from Bangladesh. I’m preparing for the next big step: a PhD. This first post is a short introduction to who I am, what I have worked on, and the kind of research I hope to do next.

Where my journey started

My interest in science goes back to school. My results in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination earned me a National Board Scholarship from the Ministry of Education. It was an early encouragement that told me hard work in the classroom could open real doors.

I went on to study in the Department of Food Technology and Nutrition Science at Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU). There I discovered how much the food we eat shapes our health, from the chemistry of what is on the plate to the way diet affects chronic disease. NSTU also recognised my academic results with a university merit scholarship.

Learning to share research

One of my proudest moments as a student was winning first place in the poster presentation at the 2nd National Food Technology and Nutrition Science Scientific Seminar, organised by my department at NSTU.

Turning months of work into a single page that strangers could understand at a glance was harder than I expected. It also taught me a lesson I still carry with me:

Good research is only half the job. The other half is explaining it clearly to people who have never seen your data.

A lesson from my first poster presentation

I was also honoured to receive the National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh. It supports students carrying out research in science and technology, and it gave me the confidence to keep going down the research path.

Science outside the classroom

Nutrition is not only a laboratory subject. It matters most when it reaches people. That is why volunteering has been such an important part of my journey:

• Technical Volunteer, UNICEF Bangladesh: I supported the national Vitamin A Campaign 2020, which helps protect children from deficiency-related illness.
• District Volunteer, UNICEF Bangladesh: during the COVID-19 pandemic, I helped build a Community Information Hub so people could get reliable information at a time when rumours spread fast.
• Event organiser: I helped organise National Nutrition Week 2019, Pohela Boishakh 2019, an intra-department chess tournament in 2020, Food Day 2020, farewell programmes and many other events.

These experiences showed me how public health work actually happens: careful planning, clear communication and a lot of teamwork.

Learning from experts

I try to learn beyond my own coursework whenever I can. Some of the programmes that shaped my thinking:

• International CME in Diabetic Kidney Disease and Renal Transplantation 2019, organised by the Kidney Foundation, Bangladesh.
• International webinar on “Food and Mood”, organised by the Food and Nutrition Department and IQAC of Maharani Kasiswari College, with the Bangladesh Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition.
• Three-day online workshop on “Renal Nutrition”, organised by Wayne State University.

Two of these focused on kidney health, and they made me curious about how diet can support people living with chronic disease. That question is a big part of why I want to continue into a PhD.

What I’m looking for next

I’m now looking for a fully funded PhD position starting in Fall 2027. I would love to join a research group working on nutrition and health, where I can contribute careful, well-communicated research from day one and keep learning from people with different expertise.

On this blog I’ll share notes from workshops, lessons from research and volunteering, and my experience of applying for a PhD. If you’re a researcher whose work connects with mine, or a student on a similar path, I would be glad to hear from you at contact@sushmitakarmokar.com.