Graduate Education

Plant Sciences fellowships

The Plant Sciences Institute has competitively awarded graduate fellowships for outstanding candidates who intend to pursue a Ph.D. degree in the plant sciences and who are applying to any of the 18 programs listed below.

When applying to one of these programs, please indicate that you are interested in pursuing a Plant Sciences Institute Fellowship.

The Plant Sciences Fellowships have the following features:

Also available to students interested in the plant sciences are many other sources of financial support including USDA National Needs fellowships in plant biotechnology, NSF IGERT fellowships in bioinformatics, and research assistantships and teaching assistantships in all fields. For further information contact the individual programs.

Programs for graduate study and research in the plant sciences

Iowa State University offers numerous opportunities for graduate study in the plant sciences and associated disciplines. Approximately 400 graduate students and 200 faculty are pursuing research focused on basic and applied plant science at Iowa State. In most cases, students are funded by fellowships or assistantships.

At Iowa State, graduate education is structured around the graduate major. Some graduate majors draw faculty from only a single department while others draw faculty from many departments. Some of the graduate majors listed below include students and faculty who are not engaged in plant related research projects. Students wishing to focus on plant study are restricted to supervision by faculty who are actively pursuing plant-based projects.

Each graduate major program determines its own admission policies; so, you are invited to contact one or more of the programs listed below for specific information. The Web sites listed provide a wealth of information, but personal contact is also very important for determining whether a particular program is appropriate for you.

Graduate Majors:

Biochemistry (MS and Ph.D.) Metabolism, enzyme action, cell structure and function of both plant and non-plant life.

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (MS and Ph.D.) A broad based interdepartmental program which uses computational techniques to advance biological research in plants and animals.

Biophysics (MS and Ph.D.) Structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids.

Chemical and Biological Engineering (MS and Ph.D.) Because of the biological emphasis of a number of the research groups in the department, there are Fellowship-eligible projects in metabolic engineering, biorenewables conversion and utilization, and product recovery from plant materials.

Crop Production and Physiology (MS and Ph.D.) Crop physiology, ecology, and management; forage quality and utilization; seed production; weed biology.

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (MS and Ph.D.) Evolution and ecology of both plant and animal systems.

Food Science and Technology (MS and Ph.D.) Industrial processes that transform plant and animal products into processed foods.

Forestry (MS and Ph.D.) Agroforestry, urban forestry, and forest products.

Genetics (MS and Ph.D.) A broad based interdepartmental program spanning all aspects of modern plant, microbial and animal genetics.

Horticulture (MS and Ph.D.) Science, production, and creative utilization of plants for the betterment of humankind.

Microbiology (MS and Ph.D.) Coordinates graduate education and research in prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiology, virology, microbe interactions with animals, plants and arthropods, and the responses of those hosts to the microbes.

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MS and Ph.D.) A broad based interdepartmental program emphasizing molecular cell and developmental biology of both plants and animals.

Plant Breeding (MS and Ph.D.) Improvement of crop plants through the study and application of quantitative genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and agronomic practice.

Plant Pathology (MS and Ph.D.) Study of plant-pathogen systems at the population, organismal, and molecular levels.

Plant Physiology (MS and Ph.D.) Plant biochemistry, plant molecular biology and plant physiology.

Soil Science (MS and Ph.D.) Soil chemistry, soil fertility, soil management, soil microbiology and biochemistry, soil morphology and genesis, soil physics.

Sustainable Agriculture (MS and Ph.D.) Study of relationships between food security, environmental quality, rural development, and farming practice.

Toxicology (MS and Ph.D.) Study of natural and artificial chemicals in the environment and in food.

Environmental Science (MS and Ph.D.) Study of scientific, political, and social issues that impact the supply and quality of water for natural and human needs.

Fellowships and assistantships

Students pursuing a research-based graduate degree in the sciences at Iowa State University are normally supported on fellowships or assistantships for twelve months per year. Assistantships may be for research or teaching. Fellowships are restricted to research and advanced study. University-based fellowships are offered by the Plant Sciences Institute, by the Office of Biotechnology, and through training grants. Assistantships are funded by departments, by grant-funded faculty, and by the Graduate College. All university-based awards are made through individual programs, and are available only to students who have been admitted for advanced study by a graduate major.