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Apply

Eligibility

grape clusters on the vine
UC Davis' program in Viticulture and Enology ranks among the worlds' best. Photo: Greg Urquiaga/UC Davis.

The PABGAP program is open to any student from Fort Valley State University, Tuskegee University, or Florida A&M University interested in pursuing doctoral study in plant agricultural biology.

Prospective applicants to the PABGAP summer program must…

  • have junior, senior*, or first year master’s student standing at Fort Valley State University, Tuskegee University, or Florida A&M University;
  • hold a grade-point average of at least 3.0;
  • agree to complete appropriate upper division or graduate courses prior to the start of the summer

*we regret that we cannot admit seniors who plan to enter a PhD program in the fall immediately following PABGAP.

Application process

Scanning electron micrograph of tomato starch granules
Scanning electron micrographs of starch granules from postharvest tomatoes. The arrows indicate openings at the granule surface that may be related to degradation by enzymatic activity. Image courtesy of D. Beckles.

The PABGAP program application consists of….

  1. the web form at this link to be filled out by the applicant
  2. one letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Graduate students must send a letter from their major professor.
  3. college transcripts (unofficial transcripts are OK). To help track applications, please name this file pabgap_lastnamefirstinitial_transcript.
  4. a one-page statement of purpose that describes the applicant’s research interests, experience, and post-baccalaureate aspirations. To help track applications, please name this file pabgap_lastnamefirstinitial_application.

Email items (2)-(4) to Carole Hom (clhom@ucdavis.edu); please include PABGAP application and your name in the subject line.

Review of applications will begin on our target date, 10 November, and will continue until all positions have been filled. If you need an extension to complete your application, please contact Carole Hom.

All applications will be reviewed by a joint committee of faculty from Tuskegee University, Fort Valley State University, Florida A&M University, and UC Davis, with finalists potentially interviewed by videoconference. Applicants will be selected based on the strength of their record and fit of research interests to appropriate faculty.

We will strive to notify applicants of their status by 16 December.

Cover image from J of Cell Science
Researchers in the Drakakaki lab demonstrated that callose, a polysaccharide, is essential for cell division in a unicellular alga. https://journals.biologists.com/jcs/issue/133/19

Decoding the jargon

You are apt to see these terms later in your career. Remember them.

  • target date: that's when application review begins but we accept applications that arrive later than this...
  • ...until all positions have been filled: after the target date, if we filled all our slots yesterday and a stellar application arrives today, that person is out of luck.

In comparison, if a position description describes a...

  • deadline: if a stellar person applies after a deadline, they also are out of luck, no matter what.

Finally, if you have a concern...

  • contact us: if we know about a problem, we might be able to address it. But we're not clairvoyant so you need to be proactive.