GRADUATE STUDENTS ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR IPNI SCHOLAR AWARDS

April 1, 2008 — The International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) is offering financial awards to a limited number of graduate students in 2008. The IPNI Scholar Awards in the amount of US$2,000 (two thousand dollars) each will be conferred to graduate students in sciences relevant to plant nutri­tion and management of crop nutrients.

“The application process has changed for this year,” notes IPNI President Dr. Terry Roberts. “The application is only available on-line. Graduate students attending a degree-granting institution located in any country with an IPNI program are eligible and encouraged to apply.”

The application instructions are available at the IPNI website: www.ipni.net/scholar.

The IPNI Scholar Award is made directly to the student, and will be granted independent of any assistantship, scholarship, or other award that the student presently holds. No specific duties will be required of the recipient.

Graduate students who are candidates for either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree and currently attending a degree-granting institution are eligible. In the case of Ph.D. candidates, preference will be given to students who have a minimum of one-year remaining before completion of their studies. Priority will be given to the relevance of the proposed research in support of IPNI’s mission. Students in the disciplines of soil and plant sciences, including agronomy, horticulture, ecology, soil fertility, soil chemistry, crop physiology, and other areas related to plant nutrition are encouraged to apply. Winners of the IPNI Scholar Award are not eligible for reappointment; the awards are for one time only.

In order to complete the application process, candidates will need the following:

1. Electronic copy of transcripts of all college work, including cumulative and final grade average records (GPA and percentile).
2. Electronic copy of three letters of support, one of which should be from the major profes­sor. Letters must be signed and written on official letterhead, and must include the phone number and e-mail address of the letter writer.
3. A description of the focus of the applicant’s thesis or dissertation research presented in a manner that will permit evaluation of its originality, depth, and scope, plus innovative approaches and relevance to IPNI’s mission.
4. Applicants will be asked to briefly describe any honors or awards received, employment, career goals, and other activities.