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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Potato LEAF Scholarship

Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF)

$10,000 June 13, 2025 See Details

Description

The Potato LEAF Scholarship is available to graduate students who are conducting research for the benefit of the potato industry. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership abilities, potato-related areas of graduate study, benefit to the U.S. potato industry/commercial value, extracurricular activities, and grades.

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Potato LEAF Scholarship

Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF)

award

$10,000

deadline

June 13, 2025
See Details

Description

The Potato LEAF Scholarship is available to graduate students who are conducting research for the benefit of the potato industry. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership abilities, potato-related areas of graduate study, benefit to the U.S. potato industry/commercial value, extracurricular activities, and grades.

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Farmer Lee Jones Scholarship

The Trotter Project

$10,000 May 15, 2025 See Details

Description

The Farmer Lee Jones Scholarship is available to students majoring in agriculture. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to be eligible for this award.

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Farmer Lee Jones Scholarship

The Trotter Project

award

$10,000

deadline

May 15, 2025
See Details

Description

The Farmer Lee Jones Scholarship is available to students majoring in agriculture. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to be eligible for this award.

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Massachusetts Flower Growers Association Scholarship

University of Massachusetts at Amherst - Stockbridge School

Up to $6,000 May 15, 2025 See Details

Description

The Massachusetts Flower Growers Association Scholarship is available to students enrolled at Stockbridge School. You must be a resident of Massachusetts, be majoring in horticulture and demonstrate academic merit to qualify for this award.

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Massachusetts Flower Growers Association Scholarship

University of Massachusetts at Amherst - Stockbridge School

award

Up to $6,000

deadline

May 15, 2025
See Details

Description

The Massachusetts Flower Growers Association Scholarship is available to students enrolled at Stockbridge School. You must be a resident of Massachusetts, be majoring in horticulture and demonstrate academic merit to qualify for this award.

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Debbie Lewis Scholarship for Women in Wine

United Sommeliers Foundation

$5,000 June 25, 2025 See Details

Description

The Debbie Lewis Scholarship for Women in Wine is open to female students who are pursuing wine education/certification in wine-related fields. Preference is given to students in the following programs, but other programs are also considered: Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced or Masters Candidates, WSET Diploma or Masters Candidate, Undergrad...

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Debbie Lewis Scholarship for Women in Wine

United Sommeliers Foundation

award

$5,000

deadline

June 25, 2025
See Details

Description

The Debbie Lewis Scholarship for Women in Wine is open to female students who are pursuing wine education/certification in wine-related fields. Preference is given to students in the following programs, but other programs are also considered: Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced or Masters Candidates, WSET Diploma or Masters Candidate, Undergrad...

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LDEI Impactful Change Scholarship

Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI)

$5,000 May 16, 2025 See Details

Description

The LDEI Impactful Change Scholarship is available to female full-time students who are pursuing a degree from an accredited educational institution in culinary or pastry arts education, food systems or agriculture/farming, hospitality management, dietetics and/or nutrition or the beverage industries. You must be at least 21 years of age and...

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LDEI Impactful Change Scholarship

Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI)

award

$5,000

deadline

May 16, 2025
See Details

Description

The LDEI Impactful Change Scholarship is available to female full-time students who are pursuing a degree from an accredited educational institution in culinary or pastry arts education, food systems or agriculture/farming, hospitality management, dietetics and/or nutrition or the beverage industries. You must be at least 21 years of age and...

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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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