Graduate Positions: USouthFlorida.2.Evolution | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Graduate Position in Conservation and Evolutionary Genomics

University of South Florida

The Cassin Sackett Lab at the University of South Florida is looking for a
highly motivated graduate student to study population genomics and the
evolution of tolerance to avian malaria in Hawaiian honeycreepers. The
student will use comparative genomics to investigate the evolution of
tolerance to *Plasmodium relictum* in several closely related species of
Hawaiian honeycreepers. This work is part of a large collaborative research
effort funded by NSF?s Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases
program, and work will be done in coordination with Rob Fleischer at the
Smithsonian Institution and Jeff Foster at Northern Arizona University. A
PhD student is preferred, but Master?s student applications will also be
considered.

The position is supported by a research assistantship for two years, with
additional time supported by teaching assistantships. The position will be
based in USF?s Department of Integrative Biology (http://biology.usf.edu/ib/).
Interested applicants should contact SackettL@usf.edu for inquiries. The
desired start date is summer/fall 2018.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have a bachelor?s degree in biology, computer science, or
a related field. We are looking for a student who is motivated,
hard-working, and passionate about topics in evolutionary biology. The
student should have or be willing to develop excellent organizational and
communication skills, bioinformatics skills, and experience in population
genetics and molecular evolution. Students should also possess the
desire/willingness to engage in outreach. The Cassin Sackett lab is
committed to increasing diversity in STEM, and we especially encourage
applications from women, minorities, veterans and other underrepresented
groups.

How to apply:

Interested candidates should notify me at SackettL@usf.edu of their intent
to apply; applications are due by February 15 following the guidelines at
http://biology.usf.edu/ib/grad/admission/ . Earlier applications are
encouraged.

—
Loren Cassin Sackett, Ph.D.
Research Affiliate, Smithsonian Institution
Assistant Professor, Integrative Biology
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL 33620-8100
http://secure-web.cisco.com/1BOzna4dzQhuAntn7TmKho8WQdBdheu1rzu0yq40qP053ETOMll1VOXjLa_jnwNsVnZFGh069AWmDYiUsz-MZlkMzATBz1zTuMLwPx_ER-iglcf_sJMKA4NFgG5JoAUoo-WP0mk5NSGvQyGcGw8PFDQbjPprC7m5uz5EDUAUi_mwyAWWjOfnibCxURZLmN2KB5XByQ8V993sX7dnddhjioIxT_7cyv0rpGYD3IVHaJ-vRHAizUsMsqOEYjOtjsx7ytHCQCInyIm6vQTXGKFWDbEkqjKbw3jjS0DEWXEH1zcISqQIoYMtG3deB9Sf-sFIsR1jb8zAOaxRzqKURRRfIyGYa-z0JAwltZKmSS3m-9DHYxd3LBTFVpb5R-uIP5HaBpoQPpoBsduKE2AqPLBVkMbC_UjCmYU4aM7FHvgjDwaSSDTwokcV-Cry2c4bBxMlH/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cassinsackett.com

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Graduate Positions in Conservation and Evolutionary Genomics

The Cassin Sackett Lab at the University of South Florida is looking for
highly motivated graduate students to join the lab. The lab uses ancient
DNA, field methods, next-generation sequencing and bioinformatic approaches
to answer fundamental questions in evolutionary biology, especially those
with conservation applications. Some major questions being asked in the
lab are:

? How do humans influence the evolution of wildlife? We study the
ways in which climate change, habitat alteration, and introduced diseases
impact the distribution of genetic variation, rates of gene flow, and the
probability of adaptation.

? What is the genomic basis of rapid adaptation to novel pathogens?
We examine the demographic and environmental constraints to adaptation and
whether genomic architecture of rapid adaptation differs from that of more
gradual adaptation (e.g., to climate).

Please visit the lab website for more details on current projects:
http://secure-web.cisco.com/1BOzna4dzQhuAntn7TmKho8WQdBdheu1rzu0yq40qP053ETOMll1VOXjLa_jnwNsVnZFGh069AWmDYiUsz-MZlkMzATBz1zTuMLwPx_ER-iglcf_sJMKA4NFgG5JoAUoo-WP0mk5NSGvQyGcGw8PFDQbjPprC7m5uz5EDUAUi_mwyAWWjOfnibCxURZLmN2KB5XByQ8V993sX7dnddhjioIxT_7cyv0rpGYD3IVHaJ-vRHAizUsMsqOEYjOtjsx7ytHCQCInyIm6vQTXGKFWDbEkqjKbw3jjS0DEWXEH1zcISqQIoYMtG3deB9Sf-sFIsR1jb8zAOaxRzqKURRRfIyGYa-z0JAwltZKmSS3m-9DHYxd3LBTFVpb5R-uIP5HaBpoQPpoBsduKE2AqPLBVkMbC_UjCmYU4aM7FHvgjDwaSSDTwokcV-Cry2c4bBxMlH/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cassinsackett.com

Students will be involved in a project that uses genomic approaches to
analyze genetic diversity in fleas, prairie dogs and related species, and
to investigate the potential for resistance to plague in prairie dogs.
Specific duties may include: 1) sampling historical museum specimens, 2)
field sampling of prairie dogs and fleas in the western U.S., 3) optimizing
genomic assays (e.g., SNP capture, highly multiplexed amplicon sequencing),
4) performing wet lab work to genotype individual prairie dogs (both modern
and historical) and/or fleas, 5) conducting bioinformatic analyses of
population genomics and adaptation, 6) writing and submitting manuscripts
related to the project.

The position is funded for its duration by a teaching fellowship, with the
possibility of 1-2 years on a research assistantship, pending funding. The
position will be based at the University of South Florida in the Department
of Integrative Biology, but requires funded travel to several museums
(e.g., at Berkeley, Harvard, and University of New Mexico). The position
will be based in USF?s Department of Integrative Biology (
http://biology.usf.edu/ib/). Interested applicants should contact
SackettL@usf.edu for inquiries. The desired start date is summer/fall 2018.

Qualifications:

How to apply:

Loren Cassin Sackett <loren.sackett@gmail.com>