Forest Genetics and Tree Improvement

Introduction

We are always interested in receiving applications from excellent students who wish to pursue programs leading to a M.Sc. or Ph.D. in the areas of forest genetics and tree improvement. Application forms, scholarship information, and all additional information are available from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.

General

We have a well qualified and enthusiastic faculty carrying out research in the general area of 'Forest Biology'. In addition, there are opportunities to interact with faculty with related ecological and physiological interests, and to utilize the facilities provided in the Departments of Botany, Geography, and Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science. Also, our Department has established ties with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, which has it's headquarters in Edmonton, and the Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre in Edmonton.

The University of Alberta is the second largest in Canada and boasts a large science library with an excellent collection of books, government reports, and journals in areas such as forest genetics and tree improvement.

Computing

Our group has the capability to analyze complex genetic data under several platforms. We have twelve Pentium Pro, Pentium III and Pentium IV PCs under Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, and Millennium, two Power Macs and a G4, and SUN Ultra under Unix.

Laboratory

Our group is in the Genetics laboratory of the Department of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. This facility is well equipped for a host of genetic analysis applications. We have six gene amplification machines for high throughput PCR work, and a LI-COR 2-Dye DNA Sequencing and Genetic Analysis system for automated genome sequencing, genotyping, and linkage analysis.  

Plant Growth Facilities

Plant growth facilities are mainly located at the Agriculture/Forestry Centre campus. These facilities consist of 15 greenhouse compartments, 3 growth rooms, 2 plant tissue culture rooms, and approximately 40 plant growth cabinets. Each greenhouse compartment is connected to a computer-controlled automatic fertigation system and contains high pressure sodium lamps for supplemental lighting. Controlled temperature (5-300C) growth rooms and cabinets range from 0.4-14 square metres. The plant tissue culture rooms contain 48 square metres of lighted growing area, for tissue culture, molecular biology and biotechnology research.

Contact Us

Should you be interested in Forest Genetics and Tree Improvement research and feel that you can contribute to this program, send an email to francis.yeh@ualberta.ca detailing your qualifications, research interests and career goals. You may want to find more information about the University of Alberta and the City of Edmonton.