Manila, The Philippines
September 7, 2011
Monsanto Philippines, Inc. is visiting local government units and universities to encourage students who are interested in pursuing research in wheat or rice plant breeding to apply for funding from the Monsanto Beachell Borlaug International Scholars Program (MBBISP).
According to Chat Garrido-Ocampo, Monsanto Philippines Corporate Affairs Lead, applications for the next round of funding from the MBBISP will be accepted from November 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012. MBBISP provides funds to scholars pursuing a doctorate degree in wheat or rice plant breeding.
"This is a competitive scholarship program that's why this early, we are encouraging interested applicants to check the prescribed requirements so that they can successfully comply with them. We are also making ourselves available should applicants need further information or assistance in meeting the requirements," Ocampo said.
"Our goal is to have more Filipino students being awarded this scholarship which provides a full package of support, including a generous student stipend, tuition, applicable fees, health insurance, research fees and travel, as well as funds for the collaborating institution and advising professor," Ocampo added.
Last year, only one student from the Philippines, Ms. Mariafe Calingacion, qualified for the said scholarship. Calingacion is currently pursing her Ph.D. in plant physiology at Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands under the supervision of Professor Harro Bouwmeester and Dr. Robert Hall. She holds a Masters in agricultural chemistry from the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. Calingacion's research will help breeders provide farmers with rice varieties that have higher yield as well as rapid consumer adoption.
The MBBISP provides funding to students from anywhere in the world to complete their Ph.D. program at any university in the world that grants a Ph.D. in rice or wheat breeding. Part of the research program must be completed in one of the following developed areas: Australia, Canada, the United States or Western Europe if students are enrolled in a developing country university. The program also calls for award recipients to conduct at least one season of field work in a developing country if they are enrolled in a university in Australia, Canada, USA or Western Europe. Meantime, Ocampo clarified that working for the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Centers like IRRI, CIMMYT, ICARDA, CIAT or AfricaRice does not qualify as working at a Western country institution but at a developing/transition country institution.
Interested applicants can find more details at www.monsanto.com/mbbischolars. Monsanto established this program in 2009 in honor of two of the world's most pre-eminent rice and wheat breeders -- Drs. Henry Beachell and Norman Borlaug. Their lifelong work laid the foundation for the remarkable increases in rice and wheat production that continue to help feed the world today.
Topics
Species
