GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS

Graduate Research Assistantships are available immediately in the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, to support qualified Graduate Student candidates (M.S. and Ph.D.). The assistantships include 12 month stipend, tuition waiver and health insurance.

The Plant Pathology Department offers a wide range of research opportunities in both basic and applied topics. Our graduate programs are designed around our students own research, extension, and career goals. Examples of opportunities for research at both the M.S. and Ph.D. levels include: molecular plant pathology, fungal molecular genetics, phytobacteriology, nematology, epidemiology, biocontrol, disease resistance and extension plant pathology. Opportunities also exist for inter-disciplinary programs in biotechnology, plant breeding, microclimatology, plant stress, pest management, and international agriculture. The department has state of the art facilities and instrumentation to support research interests ranging from the most applied to the most basic. Laboratory based research is conducted in Plant Sciences Hall with ancillary greenhouses, growth chambers and small plots available, as needed. Field research problems may be carried out with faculty in Lincoln or the Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff.

We are a medium-sized department of 16 faculty who are highly interactive and compatible. Our graduates are competitive in the scientific arena and are sought for positions in academe, government and the private sector. For more information please contact Amit Mitra, Graduate Committee Chair, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0722. E-Mail: amitra1@unl.edu,

Phone: (402) 472-7054.

1. Number of research faculty – 12, Number of Extension faculty - 4.
2. Number of graduate students and ratio of domestic to international
Students: 12 (1:5)
3. Number of PhD candidates and MS students: 5, 2
4. Is the TOEFL required? Yes, 550 old paper test, 220 computer, 75 new
5. Required scores for admission to the department on the GRE for
MS and PhD students, if different: No minimum but 50th percentile is expected.
6. Availability of departmental assistantships, or other funding. (Can
you give me a number?) State funded GRAs: 2007 Fall – none, 2008 Fall – at least three (availability of grant supported GRAs is likely but unknown at this time).
7. Level of stipend/assistantship for both MS and PhD students: $19,500 (plus $1,000 for health insurance and $11,000 for tuition)
8. Does assistantship include a tuition waiver? Yes
9. Deadlines for applications for International students. Early application is encouraged – by Jan 15 to be considered for state GRAs.
10. Can you complete the following: "When considering international
students for admission to our department, we put great emphasis on
the following things: " course work transcripts and letter of recommendation
11. Suggestions or information you think important that I didn't think
about? I advise students from abroad to establish contacts with the prospective US labs to explore if there is a match, interest and funding support before pursuing admission. This reduces unsuccessful applications and application fees.