WGRF commits $1.5 million toward graduate scholarships

Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) announced a $1.5 million-dollar investment in graduate scholarships at the University of Saskatchewan, University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta.

The scholarships are available to students pursuing their Masters or PhD in any of WGRF’s priority research areas. WGRF funds a broad range of research in variety development and crop production in 15 different western Canadian field crops.

WGRF established graduate student scholarships at the three prairie universities in 2011. The scholarships have previously been administered on a rotating basis between each university receiving $100,000 every three years.

“Over the next five years WGRF will be investing $300,000 per year in Graduate Scholarships,” said Terry Young, WGRF Board Chair. “WGRF has made it a priority to increase research capacity in Western Canada, this increase in funding towards graduate scholarships will help support the training of highly qualified professionals that can move into research or other positions impacting western Canadian crop production.”

“As senior researchers in government and postsecondary institutions near retirement, the need to recruit the best and brightest students into agricultural research is important,” said Garth Patterson, WGRF Executive Director. “We look forward to a continuation of the long-standing relationship between WGRF and these three prairie universities to advance agricultural research for the benefit of Western Canadian farmers,”

“WGRF’s increase in scholarships speaks to their commitment to invest in agriculture through supporting our future scientists and leaders,” said Mary M Buhr, dean of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan. “We are deeply grateful to WGRF for all their support in the past, and especially for this very significant investment in our graduate programs.”

View full media release at westerngrains.com.