The Seed Biotechnology Center at the University of California, Davis, will host a short course, “Program Management for Plant Breeders (PMPB),” Sept. 22-24 at its Davis, California, campus.
More than 70 U.S. and international participants have participated in the program since its inception in 2013.
The course is designed to enhance the management skills of professional scientists who are leading and directing plant breeding and laboratory programs in modern agricultural research and development operations of agribusiness companies and the public sector.
After completing the course, participants will have a better understanding of where their plant breeding or research program fits in the overall strategy of the organization. Participants will be asked to establish a vision and goal for their program, as well as define key strategies and capacities.
The course will also help participants:
- Comprehend the financial aspects of their program — managing budgets, expenses, capital projects and period reporting.
- Lead and manage people towards a common goal — learning the principles of effective hiring, retention, evaluation, promotion, training, mentorship and motivation.
- Create effective and efficient programs — understanding the principles of work flow, scheduling, safety and legal compliance.
- Learn issues surrounding intellectual property and contracts, treaties and agreements.
The curriculum was developed specifically for this course. Lead instructors include industry experts Fred Bliss, Tom Francis and Rale Gjuric.
For questions or additional information, contact Sally Mohr at sjmohr@ucdavis.edu or at 530-752-5775. For more information, visit http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Program_Management_for_Plant_Breeders/.
