RESEARCH

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Research groups

• Behaviour, Sensory and Neurobiology
• Ecological and Evolutionary Processes
• Plant and Pathogen Biology

The LESARS Studentships

Every year applications are invited for a prestigious 4-year Lady Emily Smyth Studentship within the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol. The studentship will be awarded to an outstanding individual with excellent academic records who shows potential for agricultural research at the highest level. In addition, we encourage academics within the University of Bristol to propose projects for study.

• Information for prospective students
• Information for prospective supervisors

Information for prospective students

Applications are encouraged from exceptional graduates who have displayed an interest in agricultural research and who wish to pursue this further. Applicants should have achieved, or expect to achieve, at least an upper second class degree in a biological, agricultural or related discipline.

Programme of Research

The programme of study will start on 1st October each year. During the first year of study the awardee will spend 4 months in three different laboratories working under different supervisors. The three projects will be selected by the awardee from a list of possible projects. This will enable the awardee to gain experience of a wide range of experimental approaches that encompass ecology, genetics and cell biology through to molecular biology, biological chemistry and computational biology. At the end of the year the awardee will develop a 3-year project with one particular supervisor and be expected to submit a PhD thesis within the 4-year time frame.

Funds

The studentship includes:

• Tuition fees
• £13,000pa stipend (for 2010)
• £5000pa to cover costs of consumables, further training and career development (relevant to the PhD)

How to apply

Applications for the 2009 studentship opened on 1st October 2008 and close at 5pm on the 31st December 2008. In the first instance students should submit, by mail, a comprehensive CV together with a letter outlining their short to mid-term career aspirations to Professor Alistair Hetherington. Unfortunately, only UK and EU CITIZENS can apply for this award. Interviews will be held in mid-February for the studentship. A list of projects will be made available to the shortlisted applicants prior to interview. Previous project titles include:

• Characterisation of candidate self-incompatibility (S) genes in Senecio squalidus
• Decomposition, biodiversity and pastureland fertility
• Investigating the evolution and function of stomata in cereals
• Gene silencing in plant developmental systems
• Organic farms, bumble bees and genetic diversity
• Identifying candidate crop orthologues of Arabidopsis root hair genes
• Development of study tools to investigate interactions between fungal pathogens, host resistance and putative biocontrol agents

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Information for prospective supervisors

In order to attract the best students the LESARS must offer the most up-to-date training on the cutting edge of agricultural research. Therefore University of Bristol staff are invited to submit projects for inclusion on the project list.

Submitting a project

Projects should be submitted to Professor Alistair Hetherington on less than 1 page A4 before 1st October 2009 and include:

1. Project title
2. Name of supervisor(s)
3. Project description (less than half page A4)
4. Project Aims
5. Training to be undertaken