The Whitehead Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech
is looking for motivated and independent graduate students to join the lab
in Fall 2018. We study the ecology and evolution of plant interactions
using a combination of field observational studies, experiments, lab work,
and quantitative synthesis. General themes in the lab include:
1) Plant evolutionary responses to multispecies interactions
2) Chemical ecology of seed dispersal and fruit defense
3) Phytochemical diversity and multispecies interactions
4) Crop domestication impacts on plant defense and plant-insect interaction=
s
5) Agricultural applications of chemical ecology
I will work closely with students to develop their own projects that are
related to these themes. Students may work in systems that are the current
focus of research in the lab (e.g. tropical Piper plants and frugivorous
bats; wild and domesticated apples and their insect herbivores, Physalis
plants and their insect herbivores) or develop their own systems that are
most suited to their research questions.
Please see the lab website (www.speciesinteractions.com) for more
information about our current research.
The Whitehead Lab is part of the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
<https://www.biol.vt.edu/eeb/index.html> group in the Department of
Biological Sciences. Students may also participate in interdepartmental
programs such as the Interfaces of Global Change
<http://www.globalchange.vt.edu/igc/> (www.globalchange.vt.edu/igc) program
and the Translational Plant Sciences
<https://translationalplantscience.org/> (https://
translationalplantscience.org) program.
*Qualifications*
Successful applicants should have: 1) a bachelor=E2=80=99s degree in a rele=
vant
field (biology, ecology, botany, entomology, etc.); 2) strong written and
oral communication skills; 3) some form of past research experience (could
include undergraduate research, work experience, or MS research for PhD
applicants); and 4) a genuine fascination with the natural world.
International students and students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged
to apply. Other general qualifications are set by the Department of
Biological Sciences and details are available in the Graduate Program
section on the department webpage (https://www.biol.vt.edu).
*Funding*
Students will be supported with a combination of research and teaching
assistantships in the Department of Biological Sciences. All positions will
include a stipend and a tuition waiver. Students are also encouraged to
apply for external fellowships such as the National Science Foundation
Pre-doctoral Fellowship (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) or the USDA Pre-doctoral
Fellowships (https://goo.gl/imnbz6).
*Location*
Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, VA, a town of about 43,000 nestled
between the scenic Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. Its proximity to
woodlands, lakes, streams, and other diverse habitats make it an ideal
location for field studies and outdoor recreational activities.
*To apply*
First, please take the time to read through the information available on
our website (www.speciesinteractions.com) and a few of our publications. If
you find you are genuinely interested in the type of research that we do,
send me an email at swhitehead@vt.edu that briefly describes your
background and interests and why you think you are a good fit for the lab
and include a CV. Review of these materials will begin immediately and
priority will be given to students that contact me with this information by
Nov. 1. This will give us time to discuss research interests prior to the
priority deadline for the Department of Biological Sciences on Dec. 15.
Please see the department website (https://www.biol.vt.edu) for more
details on the application process