Kwena Mokoena

Visiting Scholar

About

Kwena Mokena is originally from Limpopo Province, South Africa. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 2020 and his Master of Science degree in 2022 at the University of Limpopo. He is currently registered as a PhD student at the same institution. He is a recipient of the Fulbright Program and is currently a visiting researcher at the University of Connecticut under the supervision of Dr Breno Fragomeni. His research focuses on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify genetic markers (SNPs) and genes associated with heat stress tolerance, to improve livestock productivity in warming climates.

Education

• PhD, University of Limpopo, School of Science and Agriculture- South Africa
• MSc in Animal Production (Breeding and Genetics), University of Limpopo – South Africa, 2022
• BSc in Agriculture (Animal Production), University of Limpopo – South Africa, 2020

Research Interests

• Use of data mining algorithms in animal breeding.
• Genome-wide association (GWAS).
• Bioinformatics analysis.
• Crossbreeding of chickens.
• Development of breeding programs for communal farmers.

Hobbies/Non-Academic Interests

• Hiking
• Travelling
• Car enthusiast