Ph.D. Student Positions in Plant Pathology at the University of Florida

The Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida (UF) is currently recruiting motivated Ph.D. students for Fall 2026. We are seeking students to study fundamental and applied aspects of plant pathology and mycology within the context of agriculture and natural resources. UF Plant Pathology offers a dynamic research environment that includes 37 faculty advisors, 49 graduate students and 21 postdocs statewide. The Department is located at the main campus in Gainesville, Florida but many faculty are distributed across the state at nine of our Research and Education Centers and Kennedy Space Center. Due to Florida’s diverse climate, research in our department addresses a variety of plant pathogenic and beneficial microbes on crops including fruits and vegetables, row crops, ornamentals, forest crops and in natural habitats. The wide array of research on crop-pathogen as well as insect interactions in Florida provides unique opportunities for students in terms of research, Extension, and hands-on education. Starting in Fall 2026, we expect to have up to ten highly competitive graduate assistantships available in many areas of research including Bacteriology, Mycology, Virology, Epidemiology, Diagnostics, Disease Resistance, Data Science (Bioinformatics, Population Genetics, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Network Modeling), RNA biology and Integrated Disease Management. Our department is deeply committed to developing knowledge and technologies to protect U.S National and Global Crop Security. Graduate student applications are currently being accepted, but need to be submitted by November 1, 2025 for timely consideration . We may consider applications submitted after this deadline. Graduate student assistantships include a competitive stipend and health care coverage. We are seeking students with: A passion for biology and a BS or MS degree in an appropriate biological science Appropriate GPA Strong written and spoken English language skills Field and/or laboratory experience appropriate for research in Plant Pathology Strong organizational skills and the ability to complete projects To find out more about the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida and our graduate programs, please visit: http://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/ or contact our student services coordinator, Jessica Ulloa at julloa@ufl.edu

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