Graduate Student Research awards

Departmental Graduate Student Research Assistantship Awards

Direct link to application portal: https://gsr.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/

Funds for GSR awards are provided to the Department of Plant Sciences by UC ANR from the McDonald and other Endowment. The funds are aimed at supporting graduate student researchers who do work that improves the state of California agriculture and/or environment. 

The Department of Plant Sciences at the University of California, Davis, awards approximately ten new Graduate Student Research (GSR) Awards on an annual basis. A maximum of two years of funding can be awarded to students pursuing an MSc degree, and a maximum of four years of funding can be awarded to pursuing a PhD degree. MSc. students may use the funding until the end of their third year and PhDs may use this funding until the end of their sixth year. Students who changed from MSc to PhD need to reapply for the GSR to get additional two years of funding. In addition to a monthly stipend, the GSR award covers in- and out-of-state tuition and fees and the cost is shared by the department and the student’s major professor. Prospective graduate students who have applied to UC Davis graduate programs and current UC Davis graduate students can apply for this departmental GSR award.

Areas of research emphasis in the Department of Plant Sciences include but are not limited to agroecology, plant breeding, plant genetics and genomics, plant-microbial interactions, plant physiology, ecosystem management, restoration ecology, plant biochemistry, post-harvest physiology, urban ecology, and weed science. Additionally, Graduate Students who have a focus on extension and UC-wide collaborative applied research may be given departmental GSR awards in support of research focusing on the Agricultural and Natural Resources of California. Thus, students working with major professors who are Professors of Cooperative Extension are particularly encouraged to apply. A number of the GSRs each year will be dedicated to these students.

Minimum Qualifications/Requirements to be Eligible

  • Candidates must be accepted by a graduate group/program by the fall quarter of the year of application and have been accepted by a major professor.
  • Only graduate students whose major professor is a member of the Department of Plant Sciences are eligible for a departmental GSR award. If the student is co-supervised by two major professors, at least one must be a member of the Department of Plant Sciences.
  • Only graduate students who conduct research to fulfill the requirements for a thesis (MS Plan I) or dissertation (PhD) qualify for a departmental GSR award.
  • Minimum GPA of 3.4 (undergraduate record) or 3.5 (graduate record). If a student has a lower GPA, but feels that there are circumstances that warrant the application being evaluated, then they should submit an application and motivate for an exception in their CV. Examples might include mature students whose past GPA is unrepresentative of their current CV; or students whose low GPA reflects personal or other difficulties during undergraduate degrees. Students with grades in non 4.0 GPA systems will be evaluated as best as possible.
  • The deadline to submit the completed GSR award application packet is March 31 of each year. The letter of reference and the major professor statement are also due by this date.
  • Applicants will be notified of the results in early April.
  • Awards for successful applicants will begin in fall.

Required Application Materials 

Prospective students:

  • Complete the online application form as follows:
    • Indicate if you are a
      • prospective student (planning to start as a UC Davis graduate student in the upcoming fall).
      • currently first-year UC Davis graduate student; or
      • continuing student (have been in a UC Davis graduate program for a year or more)
    • Select if your proposed or current research is collaborative research.
  • Candidate Statement: The three-page statement must include the following sections combined in one document:
    • Page 1 titled: “Past Experience and Vision for Future Career”
    • Page 2 titled: “Proposed or Current Research”. This statement should detail hypotheses and objectives. Concepts within the proposal can be discussed with your prospective major professor, but the writing of the proposal should be your own work.
    • Page 3 must include:
      • A reference list
      • Optional: one relevant research figure
      • If applicable: a heading “Collaborative Research” detailing proposed or current collaborative nature of their research, including names and positions of collaborators. These should be limited to students at UC Davis with active collaborations with researchers at other UC units (see below for more details).
    • Format: The statement should be written in a font no smaller than 10 pt, line spacing no less than single spaced, and margins with at least one inch.
  • Resume or CV: Can include, but is not limited to, scholarly papers and reports, honors and citations, grants, and previous graduate degrees.
  • Statement from prospective major professor: You will need to enter the name and e-mail address of your major professor in the online application. They will be emailed requesting a brief statement indicating agreement to serve as your major professor and understand the cost-sharing involved in this award.
  • Letter of reference: You will need to enter the name and e-mail address of your recommender in the online application, and an e-mail will be sent to them with instructions on uploading the letter. This letter should be provided by a past academic/research mentor/employer, unless you have worked for several months with your prospective major professor and feel they know you well enough to provide this letter.
  • Undergraduate and any graduate transcripts: These should be scanned and uploaded with your online application. 

Current UC Davis graduate students:

Continuing UC Davis graduate students need to submit the same materials as prospective students, with the following differences: 

  • Letter of reference: The letter of reference needs to be submitted by your major professor. You will need to enter the name and e-mail address of your major professor in the reference section of the online application, and an e-mail will be sent to them with instructions to upload the letter.
  • Evidence of research progress: Students who have been graduate students at UC Davis for at least one year at the time of application must also include evidence of research progress within this one-page limit in the “Proposed or Current Research” section of the Candidate Statement. Examples of research progress are publications, presentations, posters, grants obtained, research outreach activities, highlights of research project results, and other relevant research activities undertaken at UC Davis. 

Potential for research accomplishment is the most important factor in choosing successful candidates. Students contemplating application for departmental support should prepare their candidate statements carefully with this objective in mind.

GSR Awards for Collaborative Research

Several GSRs will be awarded for collaborative research involving students at UC Davis and researchers at other UC units. These students will be evaluated annually to assess the substantive nature of the collaboration with non-UC Davis partners. Evidence of collaboration would typically include co-authorships, dissertation committee members, people who have active sharing of resources, equipment, expertise, and plant material. If the collaboration is no longer substantive, the student/major professor will be made aware of required improvements to maintain the GSR award. 

Principles of Community Award

Each year, one GSR will be awarded to a student specifically to recognize their potential or achievements in supporting the department’s commitment to principles of community.  The principles of community are foundational values for the Department of Plant Sciences.

This award is based on review of the entire application, and will be awarded to recognize:

a) past and potential future personal contributions to principle of community -- the student’s capacity to broaden our department by bringing with them perspectives vision and experiences that are under-represented in the Plant Sciences; and/or

b) past and potential future research contributions to principle of community including inclusion, collaboration, participation, communication, and empowerment -- the student’s current or proposed research includes collaborative engagement with non-university groups that our department has traditionally lacked engagement with (including but not limited to tribes, farm workers, small farm, and economically struggling communities in rural and urban areas). Students who choose to be considered for this award will write a one-page statement describing how they and their research meet these criteria. Please note that students who receive this award will NOT be subject to any additional review or reporting requirements; once awarded, this GSR is like any other departmental GSR award.

 

While the use of AI tools to research a project is encouraged, we would like students to use their own skills for writing the proposal. If AI tools have been used, applicants should provide a declaration statement as to what and how Al tools were used.

Be aware that the application for admission to a graduate group/program is separate from the application for a Graduate Student Research Award in the Department of Plant Sciences.

If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Paglia at [email protected] or (530) 752-1715 for further information.