Masters Assitantship: Disease Ecology

Assistantship Description:

A graduate assistantship for an outstanding Master=92s student is available at Guha Dharmarajan=92s Disease Ecology Lab located at the University of Georgia=92s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. The successful applicant would be enrolled in UGA=92s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources starting Fall 2017, and stationed at the Savannah River Ecology Lab in Aiken, SC when not taking classes. Research at the Dharmarajan Lab broadly focuses on the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of disease, and uses a multi-disciplinary approach to improve our ability to manage disease in natural populations. The incoming student=92s research is expected to focus primarily on elucidating the ecological and evolutionary factors influencing the transmission dynamics of arthropod-borne viruses (e.g., Zika virus) in natural mosquito populations.

Qualifications:

1. B.S. degree in wildlife biology, ecology, zoology, biology and/or related disciplines are encouraged to apply.

2. Applicants must be highly motivated with an exceptional work ethic and ability for independent thought.

3. Applicants should have an excellent academic background with well-developed oral/written communication and organizational skills.

4. Preference will be given to students with research experience (lab and/or field).

5. Students with an interest in addressing ecological and evolutionary questions through the integration of multiple research tools (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, GIS) and/or theoretical modeling are especially encouraged to apply.

6. Please note: Warnell requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and GRE scores of 1000 (~300 in new scoring system)

7. Please note: SREL is located on the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in Aiken, SC. A security clearance is required, and applicants must be able and willing to pass a background investigation.

Stipend and Benefits: This assistantship is based on a 40% stipend. Position will offer $20,138/year for two years. The student will receive a full-tuition waiver but will be expected to pay some mandated fees (details can be found at http://busfin.uga.edu/bursar/). All students on assistantship are required to have health insurance, and a portion of the premium for the University System=92s health insurance plan is paid by the University of Georgia.

Further information:

1. Details on Dr. Dharmarajan=92s lab can be found at www.gdharmarajan.com

2. Details on the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory can be found at https://srel.uga.edu/

3. Details on the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources can be found at www.warnell.uga.edu.

4. Details on the University of Georgia can be found at www.uga.edu

5. Details about the graduate program are available at https://www.warnell.uga.edu/graduate.

6. Details of the application process: https://www.warnell.uga.edu/graduate/future-student s/application-process.

7. Applications have to be sent electronically through UGA=92s Grad School: grad.uga.edu/index.php/prospective-students

8. Interested candidates must contact Dr. Dharmarajan prior to submitting an application to the Grad School

Application details:

1. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a suitable candidate is found.

2. For full consideration please apply by May 15th, 2017

3. Applicants should submit a letter of interest, CV (including GPA and GRE scores), and contact information for three references in a single PDF attachment to Dr. Guha Dharmarajan (guha@srel.uga.edu).

Contact: Guha Dharmarajan, Ph.D., Assistant Research Scientist

The University of Georgia=92s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory

Phone: 803-725-3241; Email: guha@srel.uga.edu

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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INSTITUTION.