Dr. Hafiz Maherali

Professor

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Biography

Hafiz Maherali is a Professor and the Director of the University of Guelph Phytotron within the College of Biological Science. He completed a B.Sc. in Biology from McGill University in 1992, followed by an M.Sc. in 1997 and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology in 1999 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He served as a postdoctoral fellow in Biology at Duke University from 1999 to 2002 before beginning his faculty position at the University of Guelph in 2003. His research focuses on two main areas: understanding the evolutionary causes of physiological variation in plants, particularly in ecophysiology, photosynthesis, and water acquisition. His work examines natural selection of physiological traits and links between genome size and plant physiology, aiming to elucidate the evolution and maintenance of nutritional symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi. Additionally, he investigates how these interactions influence plant structure and function, as well as the ecological variables that determine mutualistic benefits for diverse plant communities.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor & Director

— Present

University of Guelph Phytotron • Guelph, ON, Canada

Leading the Phytotron, a main plant growth research facility, focusing on advanced greenhouse technologies and ecological research.

Requirements for University of Guelph

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:21
Reading
Required:21
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:21
Total
Required:89
Prerequisites
Honours baccalaureate degree in a relevant field or DVM degree Identify a potential faculty advisor
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Two academic reference assessments
  • Statement of interest
  • English language proficiency test results (if applicable)
Specialization Notes

Department of Clinical Studies. Offers MSc by thesis (2 years) and MSc by coursework (1 year).