Assistant Professor, Zoology, Presidency University, Kolkata, India Nov. 12’-Present

• Lecturing graduate and post graduate classes in Zoology

• Guiding student research in forest ecology, crop protection, biotechnology and various aspects of entomology and microbiology

• Present research in weed and insect pest management, butterfly ecology, fungal metabolites.

Assistant Professor, Agri. Biotechnology, AKS University, India Aug. 12’-Oct. 12.

• Lecturing graduate and post graduate classes in agricultural entomology and plant pathology

Rhodes Post Doctoral Fellow, Rhodes University, S. Africa May 10’-June 12’

• Studies on insects, Eccritotarsus catarinensis and Neochetina species as biocontrol agents for water hyacinth

• Isolation and identification of potential phytopathogens of aquatic weeds

• Designing and performing experiments on integrating insects and plant pathogens to develop a potential biocontrol system against weeds

• Interaction studies between insect and fungal biocontrol agents of water hyacinth

• Studies on developing new eco-friendly bioherbicidal agents of aquatic weeds for industrial production.

• Postdoctoral Representative at the Faculty Council

CSIR-Senior Research Fellow, Tropical Forest Research Institute, India. Mar 08’-Mar 10’

• Demonstrated excellent technical competencies through multi-disciplinary laboratory research.

• Investigated the life cycle and behaviour of indigenous parasitoids as a natural biocontrol agent against forest insect pests.

• Rearing of Tricogramma and Braconid parasitoids and their host.

• Reported 8 new Braconid parasitoids species and deposit it under National Forest Insect Collection database at Forest Research Institute Dehradun, India.

ICAR-Senior Research Fellow, Directorate of Weed Science Research, India. Apr 05’-Mar 08’

• Research on enhancing the biocontrol potential of Zygogramma bicolorata insects to increase its efficacy against weed Parthenium hysterophorus.

• Studies on biology, ecology revolving around diapauses aversion, herbicide resistance and temperature tolerance of parthenium beetle.

• Biology and host range study of several phytophagous insects (Hymenia recurvalis, Spodoptera litura, Papilio demoleus).

• Mass rearing of insects.

• Isolated and identified potential indigenous fungal agents and studied their biocontrol efficacy against weeds.

PhD in BioSciences, R. D. University, Jabalpur, M.P., India.

M.Sc. in Zoology, Government Autonomous Science College, Jabalpur, M.P., India.

B.Sc. in Biology, M.H. College of Home Science and Science for Women, Jabalpur, M.P., India.

• Best Oral Presentation Award. Workshop on Economic and Ecological Impacts of Invasive. Alien Species’ Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. 21-23 February 2018.

• Awarded “ Young Scientist Award” 2015, by the Asia Pacific Weed Science Society.

• Awarded “UGC Research Awards” 2014-16.

• Awarded “Young Scientist Award” 2012, by the Indian Society for Weed Science, for research in weed biocontrol.

• Recipient of prestigious “Rhodes Post-doctoral Fellowship”, 2010-2012.

• Received “State Young Scientist Award”, in Life-sciences by M.P. Council of Science

and Technology, 2009.

• “Best Ph.D Thesis Award” from Indian Society for Weed Science. 2008

• Received “Junior Scientist Award” Society for Basic and Applied Mycology, SBAM, India for innovative research in integrated management of water hyacinth”, 2008.

• “Graduate Student Award” and travel grant at International Weed Science Congress, Vancouver, Canada, 2008.

• • Nandy Samapika, Das Tuyelee, Tudu Champa Keeya, Pandey Devendra Kumar, Dey Abhijit and Ray Puja (2020) Fungal endophytes: futuristic tool in recent research area of phytoremediation. South African Journal of Botany. In press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2020.02.015

  • Nandy Samapika, Mukherjee Anuradha, Pandey Devendra Kumar, Ray Puja and Dey Abhijit (2020) Indian Sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus): Recent progress in research on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112609.

  • Writuparna Dutta, Debika Bhunia, Supratick Seal and Puja Ray (2019). New distribution record of butterfly species from AJC Bose Botanical Garden, Howrah, India. Zoo's Print 34(12): 22–25.

  • Sushilkumar and Puja Ray (2018). Weed biological control research in India: progress and prospects. 50 years of Weed Research in India. 50th Year Celebratory Volume (Eds. Sushilkumar and J.S. Mishra). Published by Indian Society of Weed Science. 331-349.

  • Sushilkumar and Puja Ray (2018). Host plant preference of army worm (Spodoptera litura) on crop and weeds. Indian Journal of Weed Science. 50 (1): 100-102.

  • Writuparna Dutta and Puja Ray (2017). A glimpse into the compatibilities and conflicts between arthropods and fungal biological control agents of aquatic weed waterhyacinth. Phytoparasitica. 45 (3): 429-437.

  • Asad Shabbir, Puja Ray and Khawar Jabran (2017). The future of weed science in Asian-Pacific Region- Some perspectives for next 50 years. In: Chandrasena, Nimal and and Narayana Rao, Adusumilli. (Eds.). Commemorating 50 Years (1967-2017). 50th Anniversary Celebratory Volume, pp.111-124. Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society (APWSS); Indian Society of Weed Science (ISWS), India and The Weed Science Society of Japan (WSSJ), Japan. 2017. pp. 208.

  • Puja Ray and Nimal Chandrasena (2017). ‘Beautiful Blue Devil’ or ‘Cinderella’? Perspectives on opportunities to use water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) [Mart.] Solms). In: Chandrasena, Nimal and and Narayana Rao, Adusumilli. (Eds.). Commemorating 50 Years (1967-2017). 50th Anniversary Celebratory Volume, pp 125-139. Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society (APWSS); Indian Society of Weed Science (ISWS), India and the Weed Science Society of Japan (WSSJ), Japan. 2017. pp. 208.

  • Writuparna Dutta, Deblina Misra and Puja Ray (2017). Report on invasion of weed, Mikania micrantha H.B.K. at Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary, W.B. and its ecological impact. Sujalam Suphalam. 6-10.

  • Puja Ray and Writuparna Dutta (2016). A report on intergeneric mating among butterfly species in nature. Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 69(2): 259-261.

  • Puja Ray and Martin P. Hill. (2016) More is not necessarily better: The interaction between insect population density and culture age of fungus on the control of invasive weed water hyacinth. Hydrobiologia. 766: 189-200.

  • Cumali Ozaslan, Halil Bolu, Feza Can Cengiz and Puja Ray. (2016) A new host and natural enemies of Dialectica scalariella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Turkey. Turkish Bulletin of Entomology. 6(1): 9-14.

  • Puja Ray and Sushilkumar. (2015) Population dynamics and sex ratio of the two waterhyacinth weevils, Neochetina bruchi and N. eichhorniae in central India. Indian Journal of Weed Science 47(2): 188–192.

  • Writuparna Dutta, Durga Ray and Puja Ray (2015). Molecular characterization and host range studies of indigenous fungus as prospective mycoherbicidal agent of waterhyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes. Indian Journal of Weed Science 47(1): 59–65.

  • Puja Ray and Lakshmi Sumitra Vijayachandran (2013). Evaluation of Indigenous Fungal Pathogens from Horse Purslane (Trianthema portulacastrum) for their relative virulence and host range assessments to select a potential mycoherbicidal agent. Weed Science. 61 (4): 580-585.

  • Puja Ray and Martin P. Hill. (2013). Microbial agents for control of aquatic weeds and their role in integrated management. Invited review article. CAB Reviews. 8 (14): 1-9.

  • Puja Ray and Martin P. Hill. (2012). Impact of feeding by Neochetina weevils on pathogenicity of fungi associated with waterhyacinth in South Africa. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. 50: 79-84.

  • Puja Ray and Martin P. Hill. (2012). Fungi associated with Eichhornia crassipes Mart. Solms-Laubach (Pontederiaceae) in South Africa and studies on their pathogenicity. African Journal of Aquatic Science. 37(3): 323–331.

  • Sushilkumar and Puja Ray (2011). Evaluation of augmentative release of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) for biological control of Parthenium hysterophorus L. Crop Protection. 30: 587-591.

  • Sushilkumar and Puja Ray (2010). Activity enhancement of Zygogramma bicolorata, a biocontrol agent of Parthenium hysterophorus, by temperature regulated diapause aversion. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 20(9): 903-908.

  • M. Yousuf and Puja Ray (2010). Record on species of Apanteles Foerster (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from central India. Bulletin of Pure and Applied Sciences. 29A: 31-46.

  • M. Yousuf and Puja Ray (2010). Description of two new species of Apanteles Foerster (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from Chattisgarh, India. Entomon. 35(1): 1–8.

  • Puja Ray and M. Yousuf (2009) Record of two new species of Apanteles Foerster from Central India. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society. 106 (3): 335-338.

  • Poonam Dubey, Puja Ray and A.K. Pandey. (2009). First record of entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill on Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister, a biocontrol agent of Parthenium hysterophorus L. Journal of Plant Protection Research. 50(1):53-55.

  • Puja Ray, Sushilkumar and A.K. Pandey (2009). Influence of photoperiod on growth and mycoherbicidal potential of Alternaria alternata, a biocontrol agent of waterhyacinth. Journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology. 39(3):458-461.

  • M. Yousuf and Puja Ray (2009). Braconids (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) as major parasitoids of insect pests (Review Article). My Forest. 45 (4): 371-384.

  • M. Yousuf and Puja Ray (2009). Record of Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) from central India and their role in insect pest management. Journal of Biopesticides. 2(2): 145-149.

  • M. Yousuf and Puja Ray (2009). Description of a new species of the genus Rogas Nees Von Esenbeck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from India. World Journal of Entomology. 4(3): 184-187.

  • Puja Ray, Sushilkumar and A.K. Pandey. (2009). Impact evaluation of Neochetina spp. on different growth stages of waterhyacinth. Journal of Plant Protection Research. 49(1): 7-13.

  • Puja Ray, Durga Ray and A.K. Pandey. (2009). Assessment of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides as mycoherbicidal agent against Parthenium hysterophorus L. Pestology. 33(10): 26-28.

  • Puja Ray, Sushilkumar and A.K. Pandey (2008). Deleterious effect of herbicides on waterhyacinth biocontrol agents Neochetina bruchi and Alternaria alternata. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 18 (5): 523-533.

  • Puja Ray, Sushilkumar and A.K. Pandey (2008). Survey and selection of potential pathogen for biological control of waterhyacinth. Indian Journal of Weed Science. 40: 75-78.

  • Puja Ray, A.K. Pandey and Sushilkumar (2008). Alternaria alternata: a potential biocontrol agent of waterhyacinth. Journal of Basic and Applied Mycology, 7: 43-45.

  • Puja Ray, Sushilkumar and A.K. Pandey (2008). Efficacy of pathogens of waterhyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), singly and in combinations for its biological control. Journal of Biological Control. 22 (1): 173-177.

  • Sushilkumar and Puja Ray (2007). Biology of Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on some of its major weed hosts. Entomon. 32 (4): 287-290.

  • Puja Ray, A.K. Pandey and Sushilkumar (2007). Investigations on the effect of nutrition and physical factors on biomass, toxin production and damage potential of Alternaria alternata, a biocontrol agent of waterhyacinth. Journal of Basic and Applied Mycology, 6: 73-79.

  • Nitish Singh Parihar, Vaishali Chaudhary, Puja Ray and A.K. Pandey (2007). Mycoflora associated with the major broad leaved weeds infesting soybean fields. Journal of Basic and Applied Mycology, 6: 80-81.