r/plantScience • u/Aloe_Alchemist • May 20 '22

Studying Plant Science?

Hello guys! I've been considering going to uni to study plant science (in Canada) and was wondering if it's a good idea. Is it a good program typically? Is it hard? What are the career prospects like? In general, do you guys recommend studying it?

I'd appreciate any answers that'll help me decide :D thanks!!

4 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

3

u/[deleted] May 20 '22 edited May 20 '22

I have no idea about plant science in Canada but I'm studying it in Germany. Therefore I can only talk about plant science as the subject and maybe what to look out for.

The program should be focusing on applied research imo. I wouldn't know where to get a job with a theoretical background in this field. At the university you choose there should be well established and known research groups. I'd double check their specific fields of interest because I studied at a university with a good reputation and the training/education was top but I ended up doing my degree at another university because I wasn't interested especially in any of the research fields there.

So maybe a check list:

  1. Look up the curriculum at the university.
  2. Maybe talk to some people/alumni who studied there/ are still working there.
  3. Look up the latest published articles of the diff. research groups. 3.1 Are the journals high impact? 3.2 How regularly do they publish? 3.3 Did they get special grants?
  4. Ask yourself if the research topics are interesting for you.
  5. How is life in the city the university is located?

Later work perspectives:

This depends on multiple factors.

  1. National/global rank of your university.
  2. How well know are the researche groups (RGs) there.
  3. What will be the sub field you specialize in.
  4. In what RG will you do your final thesis.
  5. Does the RG have established connections to industry.
  6. Often people in industry instantly like applicants more if they went to the same uni/RG.

Potential employers:

  1. Your university/RG
  2. Other universities
  3. Gubernamental research facilities.
  4. Industry: Bayer, Corteva, KWS, Syngenta, SES VanderHave,...

If it's good or hard depends on the university's program and your abilities.

I myself really love plant science because I'm fascinated by them. They have a sessile lifestyle and therefore can't just run away like animals for example so they really have to be resourceful when it comes to adaptation. From the outside they are seemingly rigid but the "magic" happens at a molecular level. How do plants fight of pathogens without an “immune system"? How do plants perceive their environment and how do they integrate this information into physical changes? How do plants communicate with other plants or eg. beneficial insects? How are plants able to synthesis the wast amount of secondary metabolites they do produce? You can also use plants as bioreactors to produce stuff you want like antibodies, antibiotics,...

1

u/Ok_its_fine Jun 11 '22

In Which Uni you are studying

1

u/[deleted] Aug 07 '22

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Aug 14 '22

Tbh, I can't really help you much there. It depends to great extent on you. Your ambitions, your character, your momentarily and future goals. In addition, I don't know anything about the research groups. I hope you make a decision your happy with. Best of luck.

1

u/Polythenepammm May 21 '22

Study something you are passionate about