Peter B.E. McVetty Plant Breeding Scholarship in the Department of Plant Science

The purpose of this scholarship is to recognize students who have achieved academic excellence in a Master’s or Ph.D. program in plant breeding in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba. One or more scholarships will be offered to graduate students who:

· are enrolled full-time in their second year of a Master’s program, or in their second or third year of a Ph.D. program in plant breeding in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba;

· have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (or equivalent) based on the last 60 credit hours of study;

· have demonstrated achievement in plant breeding research applicable to the Canadian Prairies.

Applications should be submitted to Martha Blouw and must include:

· A covering letter describing: a) the status and progress of the applicant’s research program and coursework; b) the value of the applicant’s research project to cultivar development in the Canadian Prairies;

· An abstract of the applicant’s research project;

· A copy (photocopy is acceptable) of the transcript of the applicant’s graduate student program academic record;

· A letter of recommendation from one member of academic staff.

While the scholarship is open to all graduate students engaged in plant breeding research, preference will be given to graduate students engaged in canola/rapeseed plant breeding research.

VALUE: $5250

DEADLINE: December 4, 2019

Dr. McVetty joined the Department of Plant Science in 1979 and retired in 2014.  He rose through the ranks to become full professor, associate head, acting head and head of the Department of Plant Science.  He was an NSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair in High Erucic Acid Rapeseed research and development in the last decade of his career.   

In his 35 years tenure at the University of Manitoba, Peter McVetty touched the lives of many people including over 35 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates as well as hundreds of undergraduate students.  Many of these people have gone on to positions of power and influence in the private and public agricultural sectors globally.  He developed or co-developed 25 cultivars of canola, speciality canola, herbicide tolerant canola, high erucic acid rapeseed and herbicide tolerant high erucic acid rapeseed during his career at the University of Manitoba.  In recognition of his work, Dr. McVetty received an NSERC / Conference Board of Canada Synergy Award in 2001.  Canola / rapeseed research and development and Dr. McVetty were also featured on the 125^th Anniversary of the University of Manitoba Canada Post stamp, issued February 2002.