Bayer CropScience Offers Full Scholarship with the University of California

Posted by |11 July 2011

Bayer CropScience will award a full scholarship including tuition and travel costs for participation in the 2011 European Plant Breeding Academy, according to a press release.

With the scholarship the academy offers a maximum of 20 participants in a professional development course in advanced plant breeding designed and managed by the Seed Biotechnology Center at UC Davis, California. At the end of the two-year course, participants will have the skills and know-how to start a career as a professional plant breeder in the seed industry, according to the release.

“As Bayer CropScience grows and sustains our successful global seeds and traits business, we rely on teams of highly competent plant breeders who can understand and can optimize all of the modern plant breeding tools available,” says Mike Gilbert, global head of breeding & trait development, Bayer CropScience in a prepared statement. “We also appreciate a healthy source of skills and knowledge in the science of plant breeding and are pleased to contribute to opportunities such as these.”

The European Plant Breeding Academy relies on combined industry efforts from key partners in each country hosting a module including several associations. The first scademy program was offered in 2006 and has since attracted 66 participants from 17 countries and over 40 organizations. It involves six one week intensive modules over a two year period. The 2011/12 program commences in October 2011 with modules to take place in Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and the USA, according to Bayer CropScience.

For more information about the European Plant Breeding Academy and the Bayer CropScience Scholarship visit www.pba.ucdavis.edu.