The Knutie lab in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut is recruiting highly motivated applicants interested in pursuing a PhD in disease ecology and evolution. The lab uses a combination of fieldwork, molecular techniques, and bioinformatics to explore questions related to the evolutionary ecology of host defenses against parasites, particularly in response to environmental change.  The PhD student will be expected to develop a novel research project in animal disease ecology and/or evolution using one of the PI=E2=80=99s host systems=  (birds or frogs) in the Galapagos Islands, Connecticut, Florida, or Minnesota. For more information about current research in the lab, please see:
http://www.knutielab.com

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply but preference will be given to applicants with a Master=E2=80=99s degree in Ecology and Evolution=  or a related field, at least one first-authored publication, and/or extensive experience with lab and field-based research. Although academic scores are important for admission to the program, motivation and a passion for science and nature are highly valued. Applicants from a minority background (e.g. ethnic, racial, gender, LGBTQ+, first generation college student) are encouraged to apply.

The application process requires submission of the formal graduate school application pages, transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of reference, a personal essay, and, for non-native speakers of English, TOEFL or IELTS scores. If admitted to the program, full financial support (TA and/or RA) is generally provided for five years. More information for prospective EEB Graduate students: http://eeb.uconn.edu/information-for-prospective-e
eb-graduate-students/

For full consideration, applications must be submitted by December 15, 2017. However, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Dr. Sarah Knutie (sarah.knutie@uconn.edu) before applying to the program to discuss research interests and your application.

Publications related to current projects:

Knutie, S.A., J.P. Owen, S.M. McNew, A.W. Bartlow, E. Arriero, J.M. Herman, E. DiBlasi, M. Thompson, J.A.H. Koop, D.H. Clayton. 2016. Galapagos mockingbirds are tolerant hosts of introduced parasites that affect Darwin=E2=80=99s finches. Ecology 97:940-50. doi: 10.1890/15-0119.1

Knutie, S.A., S.M. McNew, A.W. Bartlow, D.A. Vargas, D.H. Clayton. 2014.
Darwin=E2=80=99s finches combat introduced nest parasites with fumigated co= tton.
Current Biology 24: R355-6. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.03.058

Knutie, S.A., J.M. Herman, J.P. Owen, D.H. Clayton. 2017. Tri-trophic ecology of native parasitic nest flies of birds in Tobago. Ecosphere. doi:
10.1002/ecs2.1670

Knutie, S.A., C.L. Wilkinson, K.D. Kohl, J.R. Rohr. 2017. Early-life disruption in amphibian microbiota affects later-life resistance to parasites. Nature Communications. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00119-0

Knutie, S.A., C.L. Wilkinson, Q.C. Wu, N. Ortega, J.R. Rohr. 2017. Host tolerance and resistance of parasitic gut worms depend on resource availability. Oecologia 183:1031-40. doi: 10.1007/s00442-017-3822-7

Knutie, S.A., C. Gabor, K.D. Kohl, J.R. Rohr. In press. Do host-associated microbiota mediate the effect of an herbicide on disease risk in frogs?
Journal of Animal Ecology. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.12769

I am hiring a ģLab Specialistē (I.e. Lab technican) in the Conservation
Genetics Lab at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

The Lab Technician will be working on a project investigating the
relationship between fecundity and genetic diversity in the federally
threatened Meadđs milkweed (Asclepias meadii)   The technician will
conduct both field work and lab work to help provide information that will
contribute to the management of plant species of conservation concern.
Field work will require travel to collect samples and monitor natural
populations of endangered plant species.  Lab work will consist mainly of
genetic analyses but will also include seed germination experiments.
Funding is available for 2.5 years.

I am hoping to find someone with 1) a strong interest in plant ecology and
evolution, conservation biology and/or applied conservation genetics, 2)
at least a bachelor’s degree with coursework in genetics, evolution,
ecology, conservation biology, botany, or a related discipline, 3)
previous lab and field experience, and 4) the ability to travel to conduct
field work to monitor endangered plant populations.

A description of the lab and its members can be found here:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plant-conservation/plant-conservatio
n/conservation-in-action/conservation-genetics.aspx

A detailed position description can be found here:

https://missouribotanicalgarden.applicantpro.com/jobs/538994.html

Applications are only accepted online at the link above

Please contact Christy Edwards: Christine.edwards@mobot.org for questions!

—
Christine E. Edwards, PhD
Stephen and Camilla Brauer Conservation Geneticist
Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development
Missouri Botanical Garden
Mailing address: PO Box 299 | St. Louis MO 63166
Shipping address: 4344 Shaw Blvd. | St. Louis MO 63110
Phone: 314-577-9457 | Fax: 314-577-0847

Christine.Edwards@mobot.org

PhD Fellowship in Macroevolution/Paleobiology/Fishes at the University
of Pennsylvania

A PhD fellowship in Paleobiology is available in the Department of
Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania,
starting in Fall 2018. Prof. Lauren Sallan seeks a graduate student to
address major questions about evolution using the fossil record. These
include: how global change has affected life over time, how life
evolves at high levels (macroevolution), how ecology shapes evolution
long-term, the relationships of living and dead animals (phylogeny),
and the origins of living biodiversity. While research in the lab has
focused on fishes, any suitable group of fossils may be used.
Potential thesis topics include, but are not limited to: the long-term
effects of mass extinctions (e.g. the end-Devonian and end-Ordovician),
the roles of predation and competition in marine ecosystem evolution,
ecological characteristics of evolutionary radiations past and present,
the effects of long-term climate and environmental changes (e.g. the
Late Paleozoic Ice Age) on biodiversity, and major transitions in early
vertebrate evolution (e.g. origin of jaws, invasion of land). The
student can also develop a novel project that addresses similar
questions using quantitative, phylogenetic and/or descriptive methods.

This is fully-funded fellowship with stipend and tuition support
guaranteed for the length of the PhD. Applicants are encouraged to
contact Prof. Sallan (lsallan@upenn.edu) for more details. Additional
information on the fellowship is available on the departmental
website: www.sas.upenn.edu/earth. Applications for entry in Fall 2018
are due January 15, 2018, with interviews in February. Applications to
graduate school at Penn must be submitted online
at https://www.applyweb.com/upenng/

Lauren Sallan
-Martin Meyerson Assistant Professor in Interdisciplinary Studies
Earth and Environmental Science
University of Pennsylvania
-2017 TED Fellow
Office: Hayden Hall 162
Phone: (215) 898-5650
Email: lsallan@upenn.edu
Website: http://secure-web.cisco.com/1mxMjhiVTYyJ_TC5NIAfizSBgt69ZqKrrqL7QBmS1HFwrdVif503DhI8piXCtZHh2q5ybhkY_ybCcvyVxgclo7M7DsyFLxRe0dMmODqo5VnPPUvyP7giKE0oNRmzja6U49Ph5F39MqjnVc9X5CPfHrFz-3WRGMXabnERPFNIiu52bAPi18WmSP1n82L2sLmaZLws1IEYtX9vKJcLPVBXdLd2Ke_DMSiWGMBpcMI6gtoC-EqIZeBMYXFURYSMmz_q7ReTEbK-wiNBxSMkvCLiSAqxNNsZRHclQhD30FrFsFkoRv2ATRCLOMa_ZrN7qC1CEvs-TSwnIpVVPUk19ASfd2UovfqOwSM32eNFKwxRXRW1mGRj4PuQfViVV9qkYaLxCdm_cONSVtsh6jHr2wnNtrQEWlNBsl3hBzdud52oSkGqEL3OX4IUrv5vD0pQhou3Ld12jUQnH8p7V0QwYHpfcZg/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laurensallan.com

“Sallan, Lauren C” <lsallan@sas.upenn.edu>

I am recruiting graduate students to join me at the University of Oklahoma starting Fall 2018!  My lab focuses on understanding the impacts of temporal variability in stress on ectotherms, and integrates tools from gene expression through to species distribution modeling at multiple levels of biological organization.  In particular I am seeking a student who is fluent in either Python or R, with strong interests in ecological modelling and machine-learning methods for an NSF-funded Macrosystems project using machine learning to identify insects and understand predictors of species distribution, phenology, and biomass at the continental scale.  Students in my laboratory are also encouraged to pursue their own interests in these fields.

Geographical ecology is a significant core focus of the OU Department of Biology, where I am part of a Geographical ecology cluster hire, together with Dan Allen (stream and riparian ecology) and Katie Marske (comparative phylogeography).  Students will have the opportunity to interact with these and other talented faculty and students in the Geographical Ecology focus group and throughout the department:=20 http://www.ou.edu/content/cas/biology.html.  The University of Oklahoma is a Carnegie R1 institution of highest research activity, and provides a rich cultural and intellectual environment which has recently been ranked by the Princeton Review as in the top three universities in the USA for happiest students.

Lab resources include a wet lab for RNA sequencing preparation, physiological assays, and thermal performance measures, a separate microscope room, access to cloud computing resources, and an insectary for insect rearing.  Other Biology facilities on campus include a new Biology Core Genomics lab, the Oklahoma Biological Survey and the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History.  OU is also home to state-of-the-art climate and weather research, including the National Weather Center, the Oklahoma Mesonet, the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, and the South Central Climate Science Center.

Funding for graduate students is currently available in the form of 10-

month teaching assistantships with stipends, full tuition waivers and excellent health care coverage, numerous scholarships are available to support graduate student research during the summer, and the potential for NSF funding through the Macrosystems grant. Interested students should get in touch (kemarshall@ou.edu) with a brief summary of your research interests and relevant experiences and attach a resume/CV.  Candidates from groups underrepresented in STEM are particularly encouraged to apply.

Prospective students can read more about my work here: www.marshall-

lab.com.  OU Graduate studies:=20 http://www.ou.edu/content/cas/biology/graduate-studies.html

Dr. Elizabeth Crone=92s Lab in the Department of Biology at Tufts University is looking for a full-time post-baccalaureate research assistant. The research assistant will work on a Department of

Defense-funded Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program award investigating how phenological shifts affect butterfly population persistence

(https://www.serdp-estcp.org/Program-Areas/Resource-Conservation-and-Resiliency/Infrastructure-

Resiliency/Vulnerability-and-Impact-Assessment/RC-2700). The assistant may also have the opportunity work on other projects within the lab as needed.

During fall/winter, the research assistant will work primarily under the supervision of Dr. Leone Brown. Responsibilities will include (but are not limited to) helping to compile museum records and other

historical records for focal plant and butterfly species (possibly ants and parasitoids), literature searches, data compilation and management, and help with planning and organizing field research on

the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly in Maryland. The assistant will also aid the other main collaborators on the project as needed, including Dr. Cheryl Schultz at Washington State University, Dr. Sonia Altizer at the University of Georgia, Dr. Diane Debinski at Montana State University, and Dr. Norah Warchola at Tufts University. The assistant must be willing to travel to other universities and museums when necessary, and for the summer field season. Future work may include help with laboratory/field rearing and experimental manipulation of plants, butterflies, and parasitoids.

During spring/summer, the assistant will continue with the above projects where time permits, and will mainly coordinate with Dr. Elizabeth Crone to help lead the Baltimore checkerspot research portion of the project in Maryland. Fieldwork responsibilities will mainly include helping to coordinate with landowners and state biologists, regular surveys of butterflies (larval and adult stages), host plants, and nectar plants (~May-August), and data entry and management. Group housing will be provided in Maryland during the summer field season. A valid driver=92s license (and ideally personal

transport) will be necessary.

The desired candidate will have strong organizational skills, basic computing skills in Microsoft Word and Excel (at minimum), be a quick and willing learner, and be willing to work in hot, sunny, and muddy weather conditions with poison ivy, ticks, etc. Previous experience with data management and independent research are highly desirable. Salary will be ~$15-20/hour, commensurate with experience. We will consider a current senior in the Boston/Somerville/Cambridge area who is able and willing to work at least 10 hours per week until the field season begins, at which point full-time work will ensue.

The Crone Lab is a dynamic group of undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs and other professionals studying population ecology of butterflies, bees, masting trees, and orchids, to name a few (http://ase.tufts.edu/biology/labs/crone/). The Biology Department at Tufts University is largely housed in a newly renovated building with state-of-the-art facilities and allows for ample interaction among members of the department (http://ase.tufts.edu/biology/).

Please send inquiries and applications to Dr. Leone Brown at leone.brown at tufts.edu. Applications should include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and names and contact information for two

referees. Review of applications will begin on November 1st and will continue until the position is filled.

The Graduate Program in Ecology & Conservation Biology at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) invites applications for admission to our PhD and MS programs for Fall 2018. A core group of collaborative faculty within the departments of Biological Sciences and Environmental Science has research strengths in:

*  Population and Community Ecology (climate change, plant-animal interactions, food web dynamics, evolutionary ecology)

*  Conservation Biology (invasion biology, habitat assessment and modeling, landscape ecology and restoration, molecular ecology and conservation genetics)

*  Aquatic Ecology (behavior, ecotoxicology, evolution, microbial ecology, limnology, and fisheries, wetland research)

*  Geospatial Analyses (remote sensing, GIS, in experimental contexts for landscape, community and population studies)

=09

The Departmental Graduate Program comprises approximately 100 students supported by research and teaching assistantships. BGSU (18,000 students) is at the western end of Lake Erie, and in close proximity to remnant oak-

savanna, prairies and fragmented forest-agroecosytem complexes.  Bowling Green also features a low cost of living and is within easy driving distance of Columbus, Ann Arbor, Chicago, and Cleveland.

Interested students should identify and communicate with potential faculty research advisors from the list below.  Application deadline for Fall 2018 is Feb 1. Also see http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/biological-

sciences/graduate-programs/prospective-students.html. Core Faculty in Ecology & Conservation Biology

*Gabriela Bidart-Bouzat (gbidart@bgsu.edu): Evolutionary ecology, plant-

insect interactions

*Juan L. Bouzat (jbouzat@bgsu.edu): Molecular ecology and evolution, conservation genetics

*Tim Davis (timdavi@bgsu.edu ): Ecology of harmful algal blooms (HABs)

*Kevin McCluney (kevin.e.mccluney@gmail.com): Water, food webs, landscape ecology, freshwater sustainability

*Michael McKay (rmmckay@bgsu.edu): Aquatic microbial ecology, phytoplankton-trace metal interactions

*Helen Michaels (hmichae@bgsu.edu): Plant population ecology, restoration, molecular ecology, conservation genetics

*Jeffrey Miner (jminer@bgsu.edu): Aquatic community ecology, fishery biology

*Paul Moore (pmoore@bgsu.edu): Sensory ecology, chemoreceptor behavior

*Shannon Pelini (spelini@bgsu.edu): Invertebrate ecology, climate change ecology, community ecology, decomposition

*Karen Root (kvroot@bgsu.edu): Conservation biology, population viability analysis, reserve design

*Daniel Wiegmann (ddwiegm@bgsu.edu): Behavioral ecology, reproductive biology of fishes

Affiliated Faculty in the School of Earth, Environment, and Society

*Andy Gregory (agregor@bgsu.edu): Landscape ecology

*Anita Simic (asimic@bgsu.edu): Remote sensing and GIS applications, vegetation and soil science, hydrology and water resources, bioenergy sustainability, environmental resources mapping and modeling

The Department of Biology at the University of Texas at Arlington (http://www.uta.edu/biology/) invites applications for our PhD program beginning in Fall 2018.  Ph.D. students are awarded competitive stipends, tuition remission, and health benefits.  Research in the department includes a wide range of topics in ecology, evolution, genomics, microbiology, immunology, and cell and developmental biology.

For general inquiries about the program, please contact our graduate advisors: Shawn Christensen (shawnc@uta.edu) or Woo-Suk Chang (wschang@uta.edu).  For more specific questions about research directions, please contact potential advisers directly using the contact information on their webpages (https://www.uta.edu/biology/faculty.php).=20

We will start reviewing applications on December 15th 2017. The on-line application process requires submission of the formal graduate school application, transcripts, GRE scores (general test required), three letters of reference, and, for non-native speakers of English, TOEFL or IELTS scores. Applications can be submitted via the following link:=20 http://www.uta.edu/admissions/graduate/apply/how-to-apply.php.

The Department and University have numerous resources including state-

of-the-art labs, an Animal Care Facility, a Genomics Core Facility, a Center for Human Genomics, and the newly established Shimadzu Institute for Research Technologies =96 a major partnership between UT Arlington and Shimadzu Scientific Instruments that offers extensive resources for imaging, proteomics and analytical chemistry. The Department also benefits from access to core UT-system genomics and computational resources at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) =96 one of the leading advanced computing centers in the U.S.

Arlington is a city of approximately 365,000 and is conveniently located in the center of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Within a 25-mile radius of the center of Arlington is a workforce of over two million people. The city has 82 public parks, including River Legacy Parks, a 1,300-acre oasis on the Trinity River in the heart of north Arlington. Arlington is the home of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the Texas Rangers Ballpark, and Six Flags Over Texas. Cost of living is relatively low for a major metropolitan area. The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is the fourth largest airport in the U.S. More information on the city of Arlington can be found at www.experiencearlington.org.

The Farrer lab at Tulane University is recruiting Ph.D. students to study plant-microbe interactions, invasive species, and global change. Specific research projects are flexible and dependent on the student=92s interest.

The Farrer lab examines the interactions that structure plant and microbial communities in space and time, and how global change alters these interactions with consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem function. Current work in the lab is focused on understanding how microbes are key intermediaries in how plants respond to climate change. Climate change alters microbial communities, shifting abundances of mutualistic and parasitic microbial taxa, which can influence plant composition and diversity. The lab is starting up work in coastal wetlands, investigating how saltwater intrusion and sea level rise will influence communities in the Gulf Coast. The lab also has ongoing research in the alpine tundra in Colorado and California grasslands. For more information, see the lab website: https://emilyfarrer.wordpress.com/

Support is available from a combination of Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships, and students are encouraged to apply for their own fellowships through NSF or other agencies.

The successful candidate will have a proven capacity for writing and communication, excellent interpersonal skills, and strong quantitative skills (e.g. statistics, bioinformatics). A BS or MS degree in ecology, microbiology, or a related field is also preferred.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV, GPA and GRE scores, and the names and contact info for three references to Dr. Emily Farrer (efarrer@tulane.edu) as well as apply to the degree program  (http://tulane.edu/sse/eebio/academics/graduate/apply.cfm). **Applications are due January 15, 2018**

The time has come again! MCC is hiring Crew Leaders to lead our adult crews in 2018. Do you know someone who wants to experience Montana and give back to our public lands? Are you someone who is looking for skills that will give you a better shot at landing that Forest Service job you’ve been wanting? If any of these apply to you, click a link below for more information.

Crew Leader (http://mtcorps.org/join/field-crews/crew-leader)

Senior Crew Leader (http://mtcorps.org/join/field-crews/senior-crew-leader)

Wildland Restoration Team Leader (http://mtcorps.org/join/field-

crews/wildlands-restoration-team)

Veterans Green Corps Crew Leader (http://mtcorps.org/join/veterans-green-

corps)

Happy Trails, Nate Hess

Communications Coordinator

Montana Conservation Corps

The Graduate Program in Plant Biology and Conservation is a partnership between Northwestern University (NU) and the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG). PhD, MS thesis-

based, and MS internship-based degrees are offered. All degree programs offer a unique opportunity to study ecology, evolution, and environmental issues at the interface of basic and applied plant science. Students apply to the program through Northwestern University and take their courses at both NU and CBG with faculty from both institutions. The Plant Conservation and Science Center at CBG is a valuable resource for students, and the Chicago region provides a vibrant community at the forefront of research in conservation and sustainability.

To learn more, contact program director, Nyree Zerega (nzerega@chicagobotanic.org) or visit our website: http://www.plantbiology.northwestern.edu/

Application deadlines:

PhD: December 1, 2017

MS (thesis-based): February 15, 2018

MS (internship-based): Applications will be reviewed beginning February 15 and review will continue through April 30, 2018. Admissions are on a rolling basis.