Innovation P.E.I. fund available to graduates, post-doctoral fellows

Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are carrying out research have been benefiting from support from Innovation P.E.I.

The graduate student and post-doctoral fellowship fund, which has been running since 2009, assists students who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement and are working on industry-relevant research projects.

Masters students can qualify for up to two years of funding at $20,000 a year, PhD students can qualify for up to three years of funding at $20,000 a year and post-doctoral fellows can qualify for up to two years of funding at $40,000 a year.

Dr. Andrew Tasker, professor of neuropharmacology at the Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI, describes the funding as a “winwin program”.

“This fund has been of tremendous value in helping us advance the vibrant bioscience community in P.E.I.,” said Tasker. “By providing essential support to both the brightest young Island scientists as well as allowing us to attract new talent to P.E.I., the Graduate Student and Post-Doctoral Fellowship Fund helps us to pursue industry-relevant quality scientific research, while also promoting career development for our youth and the economic development of the province.”

The fund is open to both graduate students and fellows who have secured a supervisor within a graduate or fellowship program position on the Island and to supervisors of research programs who have not yet found a graduate to do the research.

Applications into the fund are being accepted until Feb. 20. For more information, visit http://www.innovationpei.com/ fellowship.