Dr Kim Ritman was a foundation member of PBRI and Australia’s Chief Plant Protection Officer. He had a distinguished career in Plant Health, championing early career researchers to build scientific capability in plant biosecurity. Kim was also instrumental in efforts to celebrate and promote the International Year of Plant Health in Australia in 2020.

In honour of Kim’s efforts, PBRI members are supporting the Ritman Scholarship to recognise students with a commitment to plant health.

The scholarship will support students to attend the PBRI Symposium on 11 & 12 May 2022. The recipients will present a short presentation on their field of research and its importance to plant health.

The scholarship will be used to cover Symposium registration fees, travel, meals, and accommodation costs. The scholarship may also be used to develop skills in a plant health field through a laboratory exchange.

Applicants must:

  • Be a full-time post-graduate student working on a plant biosecurity related topic
  • Provide an abstract of their post-graduate research (300 words)
  • Provide a brief biography (250 words) detailing their interest in plant biosecurity and why they would like to attend the conference
  • Provide a budget detailing their proposed expenditure
  • Confirm approval to attend the Symposium from a university or research supervisor
  • Present a short talk at the symposium on their research and
  • Provide a 500-word article outlining how they benefited from the conference and what they considered to be the highlights.

Applications must be completed in the form below and emailed to the PBRI Program Director jo.luck@horticulture.com.au

Download the application form pdf | Word

Applications have been extended to 6 pm, 21 March 2022.