HONOLULU — The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa received $500,000 from Monsanto Company to establish the Monsanto Research Fellows Fund. The fund will assist graduate students pursuing a Masters or Ph.D. degree and post doctoral researchers at the College related to the study of plant science and protection.
“We are very grateful to Monsanto Company for its generous financial support of CTAHR students engaged in agricultural research – Hawai‘i’s future leaders of sustainable industries and a strong, diversified economy,” said UH Mānoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw.
The goal of the new fund is to enable eligible students to enhance their educational and professional development through fellowship programs, including financial support for student research and participation in national professional conferences.
“We are deeply appreciative of Monsanto’s investment in our college and students,” said Dr. Sylvia Yuen, CTAHR’s interim dean. “Because of workforce shortages, there is a critical need to educate the next generation of researchers preparing to tackle the difficult problem of producing more food on less land in a sustainable way, using less water and energy, to feed a growing population. This gift will allow CTAHR to attract the best and brightest young people to engage in this important work.”
This gift is part of the Monsanto Fellows in Plant Breeding Program, designed to prepare students for successful careers in plant breeding and encourage the development of future leaders in the agricultural industry. Monsanto additionally supports higher education in Hawai‘i through internships, scholarships, facility tours and contributions toward various educational programs.
“Many leaders and agricultural experts – including Governor Abercrombie, Chair Kokubun of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, and the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau – have expressed how vital it is for Hawai‘i’s agricultural industry to be strong and vibrant, not just today, but tomorrow and beyond as well,” said Fred Perlak, Ph.D., vice president of research and business operations for Monsanto in Hawai‘i. “This gift to CTAHR is an effort to do our part toward contributing to this greater goal.”
For more information on how you can support CTAHR, please contact Leslie Lewis at (808) 956-9702 or Leslie.Lewis@uhfoundation.org. You can also make a give online https://www.uhfoundation.org/GivetoCTAHR