Undergraduates – would you like to experience the exciting world of plant science research, tackle a key science challenge, and be paid for it?

We’ve worked with plant scientists to create twelve fantastic projects that address major plant health challenges identified by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Applications for the 2023 round of studentships have now closed. The next round of studentships will open in spring 2024

We are grateful to Defra, British Society for Plant Pathology, Association of Applied Biologists, SCI Horticulture Group and the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation for funding this programme.

Why apply for a studentship?

These placements are a great way to:

• Find out what it’s like to contribute to a real research project
• Get research experience and learn new skills to boost your CV
• Meet and work with scientists who can help to answer your career questions

Read about what some the 2022 students gained from their studentship here.

Who can apply?

The scheme is open to undergraduate students registered at a UK institution for the majority of their science degree.

Students in the first year of their course are not eligible for this award.

Students will normally take up the award during the summer vacation in the middle years (i.e. 2/3, 2/4 or 3/4) of their degree but final year undergraduates intending to continue to study for a Masters or PhD may also be considered.

Mature students are eligible to apply.

The Royal Society of Biology is committed to ensuring equal opportunities in the life sciences, and supports diversity throughout lifetimes at school and higher education, in the workplace and training.

Other conditions

Students will take part in an online mini-symposium during their placement. On completion of their project, students will be required to submit a poster about their project and complete a short feedback questionnaire.

A selection of students’ posters may be included in relevant Royal Society of Biology publications.

-----Projects taking place in 2023-----

Investigating wireworm species (Harper Adams University)

Identification of agriculturally important wireworm species through DNA barcoding: determining species dominance and morphometric comparisons
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at Harper Adams University.
Supervisor: Dr Ben Clunie

Insect competition and its effect on oilseed rape (Rothamsted Research, Harpenden)

The more the merrier? Understanding the consequences of cabbage stem flea beetle larval intraspecific competition on larval development and parasitism rate.
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden
Supervisor: Dr Samantha Cook

Using biostimulants to improve plant health (University of Stirling)

Improving plant resilience to enhance biocontrol efficacy
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at University of Stirling
Supervisor: Dr Matthew Tinsley

Investigating disease in Roses (RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey)

Reduction of Rose black spot disease using silicon products
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person, at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey
Supervisor: Dr Liz Beal

Changing insect behaviours through trap-cropping (Harper Adams University)

Trap cropping to sustainably management aphid vectors of barley yellow dwarf virus
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at Harper Adams University.
Supervisor: Dr Tom Pope

Investigating disease resistance in wheat (NIAB, Cambridge)

Characterisation of resistance to Septoria tritici blotch in synthetic wheat
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person, at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), Cambridge
Supervisor: Dr Kostya Kanyuka

Investigating wheat genes for disease resistance (Rothamsted Research, Harpenden)

Exploring resistance to take-all root disease in wheat by high throughput genotyping and functional characterisation of wheat defence genes
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden.
Supervisor: Dr Nida Ghori

Investigating how fungi improve plant health (University of Lincoln)

Understanding entomopathogenic and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal interactions within the rhizosphere
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at the University of Lincoln
Supervisor: Dr Sandra Varga

Investigating a novel tree virus (Fera Science, York)

A novel nepovirus infecting Tilia spp. – filling the gaps of the biological desert.
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at Fera Science, York
Supervisor: Dr Ines Vazquez-Iglesias.

Investigating how climate change affects wheat diseases (John Innes Centre, Norwich)

Investigating the future threat of wheat stem rust in the UK in a changing climate
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at The John Innes Centre, Norwich
Supervisor: Professor Diane Saunders

Detecting stress in raspberry plants (James Hutton Institute)

Validating hyperspectral imaging as a novel high throughput technique for early detection of pests and diseases in fruit plantations
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee
Supervisor: Dr Dominic Williams

Investigating pathogenic fungi on Scots Pine (Forest Research, Roslin)

Biology and impact of the fungus Curreya pithyophila in association with the adelgid Pineus pini on Scots pine in Scotland
Project Location: This project will be managed in-person at Forest Research, Roslin, Midlothian
Supervisor: Dr Sarah Green

Plant Health Undergraduate Studentships aim to:

• Address skills and capacity challenges in plant health science by providing attractive opportunities for research experience to suitable undergraduates, offering them the opportunity to undertake supervised research with leading research groups.
• Facilitate training of undergraduates in research practice.
• Encourage research proposals and generate research outcomes in areas relevant to Defra’s plant health priorities.
• Build networks of research groups, emerging scientists and employers with a focus on plant health.

Plant Health Undergraduate Studentships projects address at least one of the following priorities identified by Defra, related to plant health:

• Risk assessment and horizon scanning   
• Inspections, diagnostics and surveillance   
• Management of pests and diseases  
• Resilience and Adaptation   
• Plant Health Behaviours    
• Evaluation frameworks