Major funding available to P.E.I. graduate students

Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who are carrying out research on P.E.I.can now apply for some financial help from Innovation PEI.

Funding is for two to three years depending on study category, and ranges from $20,000 a year for Masters and PhD students to $40,000 a year for post-doctoral fellows.

Economic Development and Tourism minister Heath MacDonald says it helps the researchers develop new skills and products and may encourage them to stay on P.E.I.

"You know it could be any type of industry, active industries on Prince Edward Island, whether it's bio-science or food technology or the I-T business in that regard," said MacDonald.

"It's very important for businesses on Prince Edward Island in these areas and can help the post-secondary and then obviously help P.E.I. as a whole. But you know our focus is on the graduates."

The fund has been of tremendous value, added Dr. Andrew Tasker, a neuropharmacology professor at UPEI.

"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," he said in a statement.

Applications are being accepted until Feb. 20.