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​​​​​​OPSR ​Plant Pathology Experiential Fund

Purpose of the Fund

The Plant Pathology Experiential fund  supports APS members to enhance their professional development, learn about career opportunities and/or gain technical expertise in support of ​​current research endeavors​.​

The APS Office of Private Sector Relations (OPSR), with support from APS Foundation, sponsors two Plant Pathology Experiential funds to promote career and research de​​velopment experience and opportunities​ with organizations classified within industry and/or government. This initiative was created in 2014 with seed funding from the Don and Judy Mathre Education Endowment and through the support of private sector companies. 

Donate to the APS Plant Pathology ​​Experiential Fund​

Call for Individual Applications

FY24 Funds available: $1,000 is available annually to APS members who are graduate students or post-doctorates for funding in support of a short-term learning experience with a non-academic institution. Funds are used to subsidize travel to the host organization. 

​​Deadline to apply: May 15, 2025

​Individual Applicant Eligibility​

  • Who should apply: APS members who are MS, PhD students, or postdoctoral scholars in plant pathology.

  • What to expect: a short-term experience with a government or private in​stitution outside of academia.

  • P​urpose: to support professional development to learn about career opportunities and/or gain technical expertise in support of current research endeavors.

  • Funds available:  $1,000 fund (1) available annually to subsidize travel to the host organization.

​​​Individual Application Requirements

  • Application Letter (one page) describing the objectives, approximate dates, and expected outcomes of the experience​.

  • Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages)

  • Host Acknowledgement a brief statement from the company or organization acknowledging​ their willingness to serve as host.

  • Advisor Approval a brief statement from the student and/or post-doctorate's advisor approving the short-term visit to the host institution/company​.

​Save all required materials into one PDF document prior to submitting the online application.​

Applications accepted through May 15, 2025.

Submit Application

Departmental Funding

​Applications for departmental funding will be accepted in FY26. 

  • $4,000 is available every two years to academia departments to support an on-site visit to 2+ non-academic organization​s to create and increase awareness of business operations and potential career opportunities​. 

Department Eligibility

  • ​​Who should apply: Academic research departments​​

  • What to expect: a short-term experience for students and post-docs with a government or private institution outside of academia.

  • Purpose: to enhance the awareness of business operations and potential career opportunities in institutions outside of academia.

  • Funds available: Funding available in 2026. Funds are to be used to subsidize travel to the host institution(s).​

  • Other details: This fund may contribute toward participation in the OPSR Private and Public Sectors Plant Pathology Tour​ when/if the tour takes place in the same year​.

Department Application Requirements​​

  • Application Letter (2 page maximum) describing the institution or company to be visited, approximate visit dates, estimated number of students/faculty/post-doctoral scientists/technical staff that might participate in the visit, and how the experience will add value to the department

  • Letter of approval stating the approval of the visit from the department head or chair of the university department.

  • Acknowledgement statement from the host organization of its willingness to accommodate a visit from that university department.​​

​Review and Selection Criteria

Recipients are selected by a review committee comprised of members of the OPSR and the APS Foundation Board. Applications are evaluated ​based on merit of individual applicants as well as the quality and expected outcome of the proposed experience.

Previous Plant Pathology Experiential​ Recipients

Individual

2024: Megan Buland, University of Kentucky​

2023: Mychele Batista da Silva, Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station

2019: Annakay Diana Newell

​2018: Shankar Shakya

2017: Mihir Mandal

2015: Jade Florence​​

Department

2024: Louisiana State University, Dept. of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology (PPCP) Graduate Student Association (GSA)

2022: University of Kentucky​​, Association of Plant Pathology Scholars

2017: University of Georgia, Plant Pathology Department

2015: Louisiana State University, Dept. of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology (PPCP) Graduate Student Association (GSA)