BSPP MSc Project Bursary Fund

The M.Sc. research project bursary scheme is open to all BSPP members and will provide modest support for M.Sc. students who are unable to find other sources of funding for the research element of their course. The fund will not support research costs. The objective of the bursaries is to allow graduates to complete their research project and to provide supervisors with an additional pair of hands to undertake short research projects for which funding is increasingly difficult to find.

Applications are invited from supervisors on behalf of their M.Sc. student. Students should have performed well in the taught part of the course and proven an aptitude and enthusiasm for plant pathology research. BSPP members will be restricted to making a single application annually. Bursaries will be awarded on a competitive basis.

The bursary is not transferable and students will receive a sum of 200 pounds sterling per week to cover their living expenses with 500 pounds in total for consumables. Bursaries will be for a maximum of 17 weeks. In the event of a successful application, please invoice the BSPP treasurer and a cheque (made payable to the University/College) will be issued. The University/College should arrange payment weekly in arrears subject to satisfactory attendance and performance. The final payment should be made only after a short report (1000 words maximum), completed by the student, has been submitted to the chair of the BSPP education committee via the supervisor. For details on the format of this report see instructions for bursary fund authors.

Please note that insurance cover for BSPP-supported bursaries is the responsibility of the institution hosting the student.  Such cover indemnifies any insurance claims on the BSPP during the tenure of the awards.

You can apply for an MSC bursary by downloading an application form in MS Word or Acrobat Reader formats below.
bsppmsc.doc (MS Word 104kb)
bsppmsc.pdf (Acrobat Reader 32kb)

Application forms must be returned by the closing date of 1 April to:

Dr James M. Fountaine (Education Officer)

Crop and Soil Systems Research, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK

Tel: 0131 535 4370; email: education@bspp.org.uk

 

Notification of the results of applications will be made by the end of April after consideration by the Education sub-committee of BSPP Council.

MSc bursaries Awarded 2012

At: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UH.
Title: Optimisation of a method for transformation of powdery mildew fungi.
Applicant: Professor James Brown.
Student: Clea Lachaux.

MSc bursaries Awarded 2011

Applicant: Dr Ingo Hein
Student: Pauline Van Weymers
At: Plant Pathology Programme, Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, Scotland, UK
Title: Characterisation of Phytophthora infestans resistance in wild diploid potatoes using diverse late blight elicitors and effectors.

Applicant: Dr Matthew Dickinson
Student: Laura Margarita Perilla Henao
At: School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Room C32 Plant Sciences, Sutton Bonnington LE12 5RD
Title: Identification and classification of phytoplasmas of insects and ornamental plants from
Bogota, Colombia.

MSc bursaries Awarded 2010

Applicant: Dr Eric Boa
Student: Hilda Dooley
At: Global Plant Clinic, CABI Bioscience, Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9TY.
Title: Review of plant health clinics in Karnataka, India: Impacts on stakeholders.

Applicant: Dr Simon Archer
Student: Fabio C.G. Da Silva
At: Department of Life Sciences, Division of Biology, Imperial College, Silwood Park campus, Ascot Berks, SL5 7PY
Title: The impact of Dothistroma needle blight on pure and mixed stands of Corsican pine (Pinus nigra subsp. laricio (Poir.) Maire) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Thetford Forest, East Anglia, UK: effects on height, diameter and volume.

MSc bursaries Awarded 2009

Applicant: Prof N. Magan
Supervisor: Prof N. Magan
Title: Environmental factors, mycotoxins and infection of oats by Fusarium langsethiae
At: Applied Mycology Group, Cranfield Health School, Vincent Building, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford MK43 0AL
Student: Eva Maria
Time:12 weeks

MSc bursaries Awarded 2008

No applications

MSc bursaries Awarded 2007

Applicant: Dr Simon Archer
Supervisor: Dr Simon Archer and Dr Sarah Thomas of CABI
Title: Investigation into the factors affecting the germination of conidia of Trichoderma isolates on leaves and pods of Theobroma cacao
At: Department of Biology, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ (or Division of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7PY)
Student: Chinwe Loan Ogu
Time: 17 Weeks (to commence April 30th 2007)

Applicant: Dr Akinwunmi O. Latunde-Dada
Supervisor: Dr Akinwunmi O. Latunde-Dada
Title: Regional variation in the race structure of Leptosphaeria maculans populations on winter oilseed rape in the UK
At: Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ
Student: Dasuni Pathmapani Jayaweera
Time: 17 weeks (commencing 30th April 2007)

MSc bursaries Awarded 2006

Applicant: Dr Simon A. Archer (At Department of Biological Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ)
Supervisors: Caitilyn Allen and associates at Madison (USA)
Title: Studies on the regulation of taxis in the plant pathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum.
At: The student will work at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.
Student: Guillaume Daverdin

MSc bursaries Awarded 2005

Student: Carlos Pires, Supervisors: Prof. Naresh Magan, Cranfield University
Project: Impact of environmental conditions and fungicide spray targeting on wheat ears for more effective control of Fusarium ear blight and DON contamination

MSc bursaries Awarded 2004

Student: Hale Ann Tufan, Supervisors: Dr. Lesley Boyd, John Innes Centre, Norwich
Project: Characterisation of yellow rust resistance in wheat as NBS-LRR type using an expressed, DNA marker system.

Student: Veronica Briz, Supervisors: Dr. Matthew Dickinson, University of Nottingham
Project: Localisation of brown rust proteins during infection of wheat.

Student: Sarah Archibald, Supervisors: Dr. Simon Archer & Dr. Anna Brown, Imperial College
Project: Red needle blight of Corsican pine: status in Britain, effects on growth of the host and population studies on the pathogen.

MSc bursaries Awarded 2003

Amaala A. Muhammad to work with Dr. Dave Henman (Rothamsted Research) & Dr. Simon Archer (Imperial College)

MSc bursaries Awarded 2002

Paula Azevedo Rodrigues, Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal, to work with Lesley Boyd, John Innes Centre, on genetics of non-host resistance in wheat to barley yellow rust.

Biswanath Das, Imperial College, University of London, to work with Prasad Sreenivasaprasad, Horticulture Research International, on characterisation of Rhizoctonia spp. involved in the rice sheath disease complex.

Alice Smith, University of Wales, Bangor, to work with Richard Shattock, University of Wales, David Cooke, Scottish Crop Research Institute, on relationships between Peronospora hariotii (downy mildew of Buddleja davidii) and P. grisea and P. sordida from species of Scrophulariaceae.