Plant Sciences

Botany, also called plant science(s), plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek word βοτάνη (botanē) meaning "pasture", "grass", or "fodder"; βοτάνη is in turn derived from βόσκειν (boskein), "to feed" or "to graze". Traditionally, botany has also included the study of fungi and algae by mycologists and phycologists respectively, with the study of these three groups of organisms remaining within the sphere of interest of the International Botanical Congress. Nowadays, botanists (in the strict sense) study approximately 410,000 species of land plants of which some 391,000 species are vascular plants (including ca 369,000 species of flowering plants), and ca 20,000 are bryophytes.

Botany originated in prehistory as herbalism with the efforts of early humans to identify – and later cultivate – edible, medicinal and poisonous plants, making it one of the oldest branches of science. Medieval physic gardens, often attached to monasteries, contained plants of medical importance. They were forerunners of the first botanical gardens attached to universities, founded from the 1540s onwards. One of the earliest was the Padua botanical garden. These gardens facilitated the academic study of plants. Efforts to catalogue and describe their collections were the beginnings of plant taxonomy, and led in 1753 to the binomial system of Carl Linnaeus that remains in use to this day.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, new techniques were developed for the study of plants, including methods of optical microscopy and live cell imaging, electron microscopy, analysis of chromosome number, plant chemistry and the structure and function of enzymes and other proteins. In the last two decades of the 20th century, botanists exploited the techniques of molecular genetic analysis, including genomics and proteomics and DNA sequences to classify plants more accurately.

Modern botany is a broad, multidisciplinary subject with inputs from most other areas of science and technology. Research topics include the study of plant structure, growth and differentiation, reproduction, biochemistry and primary metabolism, chemical products, development, diseases, evolutionary relationships, systematics, and plant taxonomy. Dominant themes in 21st century plant science are molecular genetics and epigenetics, which are the mechanisms and control of gene expression during differentiation of plant cells and tissues. Botanical research has diverse applications in providing staple foods, materials such as timber, oil, rubber, fibre and drugs, in modern horticulture, agriculture and forestry, plant propagation, breeding and genetic modification, in the synthesis of chemicals and raw materials for construction and energy production, in environmental management, and the maintenance of biodiversity.

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Scholarships for Plant Sciences Majors

Bullet name award deadline Link
 

Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Up to $30,000 Varies See Details

Description

The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship is available to military veterans and their dependents who are pursuing studies in STEM fields. You must be a recipient of the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship to be eligible for this award, which acts as an extension to expiring benefits of those programs.

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Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

award

Up to $30,000

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship is available to military veterans and their dependents who are pursuing studies in STEM fields. You must be a recipient of the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship to be eligible for this award, which acts as an extension to expiring benefits of those programs.

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Bess Heflin Fellowship

University of Texas at Austin, Office of Graduate Studies

$19,000 Varies See Details

Description

The Bess Heflin Fellowship is open to graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin. You must be studying one of the following programs: plant biology or botany, nutrition, ecology, evolution and behavior, economics, zoology, history, microbiology, cell and molecular biology, government, anthropology, sociology, psychology, biological...

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Bess Heflin Fellowship

University of Texas at Austin, Office of Graduate Studies

award

$19,000

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Bess Heflin Fellowship is open to graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin. You must be studying one of the following programs: plant biology or botany, nutrition, ecology, evolution and behavior, economics, zoology, history, microbiology, cell and molecular biology, government, anthropology, sociology, psychology, biological...

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Diversity in Food and Natural Resources Scholarship

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Up to $15,000 Varies See Details

Description

The Diversity in Food and Natural Resources Scholarship is available to students entering the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. You must be enrolled in the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences. You must also demonstrate a contribution to diversity, high academic achievement, leadership and community involvement to be...

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Diversity in Food and Natural Resources Scholarship

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

award

Up to $15,000

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Diversity in Food and Natural Resources Scholarship is available to students entering the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. You must be enrolled in the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences. You must also demonstrate a contribution to diversity, high academic achievement, leadership and community involvement to be...

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J. Albert Finkel and Irma Jane Finkel Scholarship

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County

Up to $20,000 Varies See Details

Description

The J. Albert Finkel and Irma Jane Finkel Scholarship is available to students from Bartholomew County attending Purdue University. You must be enrolled in the School of Agriculture to be eligible for this award.

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J. Albert Finkel and Irma Jane Finkel Scholarship

Heritage Fund - the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County

award

Up to $20,000

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The J. Albert Finkel and Irma Jane Finkel Scholarship is available to students from Bartholomew County attending Purdue University. You must be enrolled in the School of Agriculture to be eligible for this award.

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Dr. Gregory D. Bossart Memorial Scholarship

One Health Commission

$5,000 July 31, 2025 See Details

Description

The Dr. Gregory D. Bossart Memorial Scholarship is available to graduate students. You must be majoring in wildlife biology, epidemiology, veterinary, medical, public health, basic or social sciences, or other post - graduate program focusing on the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment using a One Health...

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Dr. Gregory D. Bossart Memorial Scholarship

One Health Commission

award

$5,000

deadline

July 31, 2025
See Details

Description

The Dr. Gregory D. Bossart Memorial Scholarship is available to graduate students. You must be majoring in wildlife biology, epidemiology, veterinary, medical, public health, basic or social sciences, or other post - graduate program focusing on the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment using a One Health...

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San Antonio Livestock Exposition Scholarship

Sam Houston State University - College of Arts and Sciences

$3,000 August 20, 2025 See Details

Description

The San Antonio Livestock Exposition Scholarship is available to entering freshmen majoring in agriculture at Sam Houston State University. You must be a Texas resident, take at least 12 credit hours per semester, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and comply with S.A.L.E to be eligible for this award.

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San Antonio Livestock Exposition Scholarship

Sam Houston State University - College of Arts and Sciences

award

$3,000

deadline

August 20, 2025
See Details

Description

The San Antonio Livestock Exposition Scholarship is available to entering freshmen majoring in agriculture at Sam Houston State University. You must be a Texas resident, take at least 12 credit hours per semester, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and comply with S.A.L.E to be eligible for this award.

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John Deere Ag Tech Scholarship - FSCC

Fort Scott Community College

$3,000 August 01, 2025 See Details

Description

The John Deere Ag Tech Scholarship is available to students at Fort Scott Community College who are enrolled in the John Deere Tech program and have a minimum GPA of 2.0.

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John Deere Ag Tech Scholarship - FSCC

Fort Scott Community College

award

$3,000

deadline

August 01, 2025
See Details

Description

The John Deere Ag Tech Scholarship is available to students at Fort Scott Community College who are enrolled in the John Deere Tech program and have a minimum GPA of 2.0.

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Total Landscape Care Scholarship Contest

Total Landscape Care

$2,500 Varies See Details

Description

The Total Landscape Care Scholarship Contest is open to students planning a career in landscaping and/or majoring in a related discipline. You must submit a short essay and be at least 18 years of age in order to be considered for this award.

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Total Landscape Care Scholarship Contest

Total Landscape Care

award

$2,500

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Total Landscape Care Scholarship Contest is open to students planning a career in landscaping and/or majoring in a related discipline. You must submit a short essay and be at least 18 years of age in order to be considered for this award.

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Kenneth R. Imig Scholarship

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of ACES

$2,500 Varies See Details

Description

The Kenneth R. Imig Scholarship is available to students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of ACES. You must be a resident of Iroquois County and demonstrate financial need and an interest in agriculture to be eligible for this award.

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Kenneth R. Imig Scholarship

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of ACES

award

$2,500

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Kenneth R. Imig Scholarship is available to students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of ACES. You must be a resident of Iroquois County and demonstrate financial need and an interest in agriculture to be eligible for this award.

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Charles Ennis Rice Agricultural Scholarship

Arizona Western College

Up to $2,500 Varies See Details

Description

The Charles Ennis Rice Agricultural Scholarship is open to students at Arizona Western College. You must be majoring in agriculture and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to be eligible for this award.

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Charles Ennis Rice Agricultural Scholarship

Arizona Western College

award

Up to $2,500

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Charles Ennis Rice Agricultural Scholarship is open to students at Arizona Western College. You must be majoring in agriculture and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to be eligible for this award.

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