Meet Evili Martins | OSU HCS Alumna Class of 2024
Evili Martins is the Greenhouse Manager at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). She received her MS (2024) in Horticulture from our department under the advisement of Dr. Michelle Jones.
While here in HCS, Evili's research focused on "Humic and Fulvic Acids Promote Growth and Flowering in Petunias at Low Fertility". Prior to receiving her MS, Evili received a degree in Agricultural Sciences from EARTH University in Costa Rica.
Thankfully, Evili had time to share a bit about her experiences at Ohio State + some advice for students considering studying horticulture...
How’d you initially become interested in horticulture?
I grew up on a farm in the Amazon region of Brazil, in a state called Rondônia. My parents and grandparents are farmers, and I did high school in an institution that integrates it with an agriculture technician course. My interest in agriculture increased, and I went to do my undergrad in Costa Rica, but only in the very last year of undergrad was when I do an elective course in ornamental plants, and that's when horticulture started to call my attention.
After undergrad, I came to Ohio to do an internship with the Ohio Program, where they sent me to work at Green Circle Growers. That was my first time working in a large-scale greenhouse, and that experience made me realize that horticulture was the field of study I wanted to be in. After my internship with GCG, I applied for a master's degree in Horticulture at many universities, however, I did not reach the score on the English Test, because yes, failure is part of the process, but I can't complain. I decided to go to the Netherlands to do a trainee in floriculture and when I was there, I applied again and got approved at The Ohio State and came back to Ohio.
How did your time in HCS help prepare you for your career?
HCS has a great program with excellent professors. My advisor was Dr. Michelle Jones and the lab team (hugs for you all) they were incredibly research-focused, and I learned so much from their guidance. With their support, I conducted numerous experiments in the greenhouse, where I was taught to identify problems and develop solutions. These experiments were specifically aimed at addressing the challenges that farmers face in floriculture production and finding practical solutions to overcome them.
How have you been settling into your role as Greenhouse Manager at BGSU?
I've recently joined the Biology Department at BGSU, and it's been a wonderful experience so far. The faculty and staff are incredibly welcoming, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work with both undergraduate and graduate students. As the Greenhouse Manager, I oversee the maintenance of our tropical and cactus plant collections and assist students and professors with their research experiments. We also host school groups for tours, where I enjoy sharing my knowledge and passion for plants. Next year, I’m planning to teach a course where I’ll dive deeper into the fascinating world of plants—an experience I'm really looking forward to!
What’s a normal day look like for you?
I do all the plant care such as watering, spraying, fertilizing, and transplanting, and help students with their questions regarding their experiments at the greenhouse.
What do you most look forward to each day on the job?
Improving our plant collection and optimizing the space for research experiments, considering we have a small greenhouse.
Any advice for students considering graduate school or studying horticulture?
Look for a professor doing research on a topic of your interest, and also talk to their students, when possible, to ask more about their experience in the department. Horticulture has many areas where you can thrive, I found the one that makes me happy to work with.
Closing thoughts?
One thing I didn't mention before is the connections I made at HCS, which I very much appreciate as a professional. No one knows everything, and it makes me happy that I can reach out to any of the professors and staff with questions. Clearly, as a greenhouse manager, I need to do many other tasks that do not involve only plants, and for that, I am glad we had a great and very well-organized team of greenhouse staff at HCS in Wooster, and I could see myself adopting many of their practices in here, and a special thanks to Karli, Kesia, and Mariah.
Feeling inspired to start your own graduate school journey? We have you covered.