Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) (PhD)
Institution(s): MIBTP is a BBSRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership between the universities of Aston, Birmingham, Harper Adams, Leicester and Warwick.
Website: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/mibtp/
Contact e-mail: MIBTP@warwick.ac.uk
Course duration: 4 years (1 year training + 3 years research project)
Course start date (2022): 26/09/2022
Number of students admitted to course per annum and number/proportion studying plant health or crop science: 50 students per annum up to 17 studying plant health or crop science
Application deadline(s): (please also note any deadline for applications for funding if different from the deadline for course entry): October / November
Admissions criteria: Students from a wide diversity of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Projects are available for excellent students from both theoretical (computational, mathematical) and experimental bioscience backgrounds. Academic requirements: Those who have a 1st or a 2.1 undergraduate degree in a relevant field are eligible. Evidence of quantitative training is required. For example, AS or A level Maths, IB Standard or Higher Maths, or university level maths/statistics course. Those who have a 2.2 and an additional Masters degree in a relevant field may be eligible. Those who have a 2.2 and at least three years post-graduate experience in a relevant field may be eligible. Those with degrees abroad (perhaps as well as postgraduate experience) may be eligible if their qualifications are deemed equivalent to any of the above. For further information please contact MIBTP@warwick.ac.uk.
Type of funding available: Full funded PhD studentships. Studentships include fees (cost of UK fee rate); a tax free annual stipend (at least £15,609* p.a – to rise in line with UKRI recommendation); a travel allowance in year 1, a travel / conference budget; a generous consumables budget and use of a MacBook Pro for the duration of the programme.
Course description: MIBTP recognises the need for skills training, cohort development and professional internships. Therefore, all students will start their degree with a programme of hands-on training from experts in both theoretical and experimental approaches to bioscience. Our training programme includes taught modules in quantitative biology, science communication, responsible research and innovation and enterprise skills, which ensure all our graduates have certain key attributes; a series of masterclasses, which allow our students to personalise their experience and gain individual cutting-edge skills; and personal professional development opportunities, which will ensure our students’ success in the next stage of their careers. Our training programme also includes short rotation projects and students can choose a PhD project once they have experienced these differing research environments. PhD projects are focused in vital research areas such as Sustainable Agriculture and Food, Understanding the Rules of Life, Renewable Resources and Clean Growth and Integrated Understanding of Health.
Potential Supervisors: More than 50 potential supervisor in the field of plant health. For further information please visit the websites below: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/lifesci/research/plantcropsci/ https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/food-security/research/index.aspx https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/research/
Examples of career paths followed by graduates from this course: Our PhD students complete their thesis within 4 years and move on to the new adventures in academia (e.g. postdoctoral researchers, lectures in national and international institutions), education (e.g. secondary school science teachers, education officers), Civil Service jobs (e.g. DEFRA and FERA scientist), science communication (e.g. scientific editors, scientific advisors) and industry (e.g. seed specialists, plant breeders, plant pathologists).
