Assistantships
The Department of Horticulture invites applications to our MS and PhD programs. Our graduate program emphasizes scientific study and original research. Each student’s program is tailored to meet the needs of that student. Graduates from our program are targeted to fill positions in academia, government, international organizations, and the private sector.
Prospective students can choose among the major commodity areas of fruit and nut crops, vegetables, and ornamentals. Within these commodities, specialization is available in many areas, including environmental conservation, plant physiology, post-harvest, plant development, plant nutrition, biochemistry, product utilization, pest management, sustainable horticulture, breeding, and biotechnology. Departmental assistantships, which include tuition waivers, are available for graduate students starting in Spring, Summer, or Fall 2019.
Applications will be evaluated based on the academic strength and research background of the applicant, as well as the fit with ongoing research programs in the department. For more information, see http://www.caes.uga.edu/departments/horticulture/graduate.html; or contact the graduate coordinator, Dr. Dayton Wilde. Applications must be submitted on-line at the Graduate School Apply Now page.
All graduate assistantships include a stipend and tuition waiver. Graduate students also have health insurance through the university. Graduate students pay a $25 matriculation fee/semester, as well as any university fees. For more information about fees, see: http://busfin.uga.edu/bursar/bursar_tuition_1819/.
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Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship Opportunity
Cucurbit Breeding & Genetics
This is an exciting opportunity for an energetic and creative individual to pursue a Ph.D. degree in the area of Cucurbit disease resistance breeding at The Cucurbit Breeding, Genetics and Genomics lab (https://mcgregorlab.uga.edu/) of Dr. Cecilia McGregor at the University of Georgia (Athens). The applicant will be part of a multi-state team of breeders, plant pathologists, extension specialists and economists working towards implementing strategies to limit losses to cucurbit anthracnose in the eastern U.S. The primary goal of this position is to identify host resistance to anthracnose in cucumber and watermelon.
Key Responsibilities:
- Field phenotyping of the watermelon and cucumber core collections for resistance to anthracnose.
- GWAS to identify genomic regions associated with resistance.
- Resistance trait introgression using marker assisted selection.
- Communicate research outputs through publication in high quality journals, presenting at conferences, and engaging with colleagues and industry.
- Contribute to the effective supervision of interns, fellows, and undergraduate students (as appropriate).
- Show leadership through collaboration and active participation in priority activities for the lab.
Preferred Qualifications:
- B.S. or M.S. degree in plant breeding, plant pathology, molecular genetics, genomics or another relevant field.
- Experience with field trials and disease phenotyping.
- Strong writing and communication skills.
- Strong time management skills to successfully conduct course work and research.
- A demonstrated commitment to high-quality research.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0.
- US driver’s license.
Position available: Spring 2024. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
How to apply: Interested students should contact Dr. Cecilia McGregor (cmcgre1@uga.edu).
Please include the following information: 1) Statement of interest, 2) Resume, 3) GPA and Transcripts.
Application to the graduate school can be made online at https://grad.uga.edu/index.php/prospective-students/apply-now/ and the requirements for M.S. or Ph.D. application can be find https://hort.caes.uga.edu/graduate/admission.html. To learn more about the graduate program in the Department of Horticulture at UGA, you can consult the graduate handbook here: https://hort.caes.uga.edu/content/dam/caes-subsite/horticulture/documents/graduate-students/Horticulture%20Graduate%20Program%20Handbook%20April%202022.pdf
