IGERT Plant System Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Training Program

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With the completion of plant genome sequences and with numerous large data sets emerging, an essential need has arisen to train students in plant systems biology at the interface of computational genomics, systems modeling and plant sciences. This entirely new interdisciplinary program will provide a unique training environment for graduate students and will position them at the frontier of systems biology to address major challenges facing plant scientists and agricultural biotechnology. The program will include focused mentoring of each student in two labs by two advisors from distinct disciplines. An entirely new curriculum, made possible through new faculty recruitment, will train students in post genomic plant sciences, proteomics, systems biology and network modeling and will include rigorous professional career preparation. A dynamic outreach program will assist in the recruitment of underrepresented students. Industry internships will draw upon the local active biotechnology arena. There are several broader impacts of this project. Interdisciplinary training in plant systems biology will stimulate innovations in the nation's agricultural and biotechnology industries, address global needs to feed the growing population and contribute to reducing environmental impacts of agriculture. Fresh water and food shortages are predicted to grow substantially in the coming decades. Plant biotechnology and molecular breeding will provide powerful contributions toward solving these problems. This comprehensive educational program will train graduate students at the interface of systems modeling and plant sciences and will have far-reaching impacts by producing highly trained scientists who will emerge as leaders in fields arising from the revolution in genomics information. IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.