Virginia Tech has a long and distinguished history of research and teaching in the plant sciences, involving faculty in the Colleges of Agriculture, Science, and Natural Resources. The new Graduate Program in Molecular Plant Sciences allows students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in this discipline to work with internationally-known faculty specializing in a wide variety of research areas, including plant genomics, disease resistance, metabolic engineering, bioproduction and bioprocessing, and forest biotechnology.

Degree candidates who enroll in the new program will participate in several four-week rotations through laboratories of interest. The program of study will include selections from a range of course offerings, tailored to the background and interests of each student. At the end of the first or second semester of enrollment, a permanent advisor is selected in whose laboratory the dissertation research will be conducted.

The Molecular Plant Sciences program is limited to students seeking a Ph.D. degree. Salary, tuition, and fringe benefits are provided for all students accepted into the program.

Additional details, including information on participating faculty and how to apply, are available at http://www.molplantsci.org.vt.edu/.