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/.
Precision Horticulture Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship Opportunity at the University of Georgia
Precision Agriculture Applied to Vegetables and Specialty Crops Program
Dr. Luan P. Oliveira
Position Summary: The University of Georgia’s Department of Horticulture is seeking a qualified individual to pursue a Ph.D. degree in the area of Precision Agriculture applied to Vegetables and Specialty Crops. The position will be located at the Tifton Campus, Tifton, GA, USA.
Major Responsibilities: The successful candidate is expected to conduct research and Extension* activities in the following areas:
- Machinery and Mechanization
- Precision/Digital Agriculture
*Extension programs require publication and presentation of preliminary results on meetings and field days.
Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification:
- M.S. degree in horticulture, agronomy, agricultural engineering or a related field.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and/or Competencies: Excellent demonstrated verbal and written communication skills.
- A demonstrated commitment to high-quality research
- Previous proven knowledge and AI applied in agriculture
Application procedures: Interested students should contact Dr. Luan Oliveira by email, luan@uga.edu. Please write in the email’s subject line ‘PhD Graduate Assistantship’ and include the following information: 1) Statement of interest, 2) Resume, 3) GRE score (if available) plus TOEFL (if international student), 4) Official transcripts, and 5) At least three letters of recommendation.
Application to the graduate school at the 'Apply Now' webpage. Requirements for M.S. or Ph.D. application can be on the Horticulture Department's Prospective Student's webpage. To learn more about the graduate program in the Department of Horticulture at UGA, you can consult the graduate handbook.
Here is this assistantship description and a printable flyer available for downloading. Please contact Dr. Luan Oliveira for any other inquiries.
Luan P. Oliveira, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Precision Ag. Extension Specialist
Department of Horticulture
136 Engineering Building
2360 Rainwater Rd
Tifton, GA 31793
+12293867328
luan@uga.edu
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Horticulture Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship Opportunity at the University of Georgia
Blueberry Breeding Program – Dr. Ye (Juliet) Chu
The Department of Horticulture has funding available for a graduate research assistantship in blueberry genetic breeding program, starting in summer or fall 2023. This assistantship is geared for a Ph.D. level student with interests in plant breeding, genetics and genomics. Applicants do not need previous plant breeding experience, but should have a M.S. in Horticulture or a relate field. Experience in writing R scripts and other bioinformatic skill is preferred. The student will complete classwork and conduct research at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station located at Tifton, Georgia. Georgia produced 104 million dollars of blueberry in 2021 and ranked number four national wide. Georgia blueberry breeding program has over 60 years of history and released more than 40 cultivars. Our program is part of an integral research team including extension, pathology, entomology, post-harvest physiology and economics.
Please contact Dr. Ye Chu for inquiries.
Dr. Ye (Juliet) Chu, Assistant Professor - Blueberry Breeder
University of Georgia
Department of Horticulture, Tifton Campus
Room 100 NESPAL
2356 Rainwater Road
Tifton, GA 31793-5766
Office: 229-386-3583
Cell: 229-848-2082
ychu@uga.edu
posted: November 2022
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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
