Research Opportunities

Agriculture has become one of the most important applications of scientific knowledge. The challenge of feeding a planet while sustaining the health of the environment and agricultural workers requires expertise in biological science.

The University of Lethbridge, with financial support from the McCain Foundation, is funding research for students in a Master of Science program majoring in Biological Sciences (focusing on Sustainable Agriculture). Successful applicants will have a BSc degree, or equivalent, and meet all the admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies. All qualified applicants will be considered for one of six McCain Biology Sustainable Agriculture MSc Awards valued at $20,000/year for two years.

Additional financial support may be available. Thesis research projects related to water, plants, climate change, natural products, microbiology, toxicology, and genetics are central to Sustainable Agriculture and can be supervised by professors with relevant expertise in the Department of Biological Sciences. Interested candidates should contact a potential supervisor and provide a one-page letter describing their motivation and experience related to Sustainable Agriculture.

Successful applicants will join a unique cohort of students and professors to exchange ideas about science and leadership in sustainable agriculture. The program will offer outstanding training in experimental science, novel courses, and new networking opportunities. The University of Lethbridge is part of a vibrant student-based city in the Food Corridor of Canada that specializes in agriculture and science.

For information about potential supervisors and application procedures see: /future-student/graduate-studies/master-science

Please note we offer a variety of funding opportunities for students in our graduate programs. Award opportunities for graduate students are listed in our awards database here: /graduate-studies/award-opportunities.

A M.Sc. position is available in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada) to study powdery scab of potatoes. The project will focus on the presence and population levels of the causal agent Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranean in soil, disease development, assessment of pathogenicity of Spongospora isolates to major potato cultivars and their sensitivity to commercially available and new fungicides. The work will include surveys of commercial potato fields for powdery scab, genetic characterization of Spongospora isolates for aggressiveness, and establishment of region-specific threshold(s) for initial inoculum of the pathogen at which disease can develop.

The projects will involve work in both a laboratory and field setting, as well as intensive collaboration with other plant pathologists. Travel to potato fields across Southern Alberta will be required. The ideal candidates should have knowledge of plant pathology, plant science, and molecular biology, with good academic standing.

Experience in potato cultivation and agronomy will be beneficial. Interested students are encouraged to send a CV, unofficial university transcripts, and a brief statement of research interests to Dr. Dmytro Yevtushenko (dmytro.yevtushenko@uleth.ca) and Dr. Michael Harding (Michael.Harding@gov.ab.ca).

Please see the admission requirements and application steps for the M.Sc. program.