Subject: Graduate position in quantitative community and spatial ecology

The Shoemaker lab is accepting applications for 1-2 graduate students (Masters or Ph.D.) who will start fall 2019 at the University of Wyoming in the Program in Ecology or the Botany Department. Our lab’s research broadly focuses on understanding spatial and temporal community dynamics and coexistence. We combine ecological theory and modeling with experimental tests of underlying mechanisms across a variety of systems, using protist microcosms, grassland manipulations, and long-term datasets. Our research focuses on how spatial heterogeneity, dispersal, and stochasticity alter coexistence of competing species and underlying community composition. More information on our research can be found at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flaurenshoemaker.weebly.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C6dee99f309ad4e9484d708d61e1521f8%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729473459601649&sdata=VYAV6YJxTKkqSSZpdwaK0Wm7GNsRou3jqz6wID4lcig%3D&reserved=0.

Qualified applicants should have previous research experience that matches any of the lab’s general research themes, and students with strong quantitative backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply. We are interested in students from a diversity of backgrounds, including ecology, biology, mathematics, and computer science. We value diversity and encourage students from underrepresented groups to apply. Graduate students will be supported in part by a new 5-year, $20 million NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 grant to the University of Wyoming. Additional details can be found at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uwyo.edu%2Fepscor%2Fmicrobial-ecology%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C6dee99f309ad4e9484d708d61e1521f8%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729473459601649&sdata=ynRAWkVe6lOiJZV8z3pCFup27ZL4q1HSo6CPDcNg0AA%3D&reserved=0.

To apply, contact Dr. Lauren Shoemaker at lshoema1@uwyo.edu with (1) a CV that includes relevant research or work experience, GPA, and relevant previous classes and (2) a brief description of your research background, future research ideas, and interest in joining the lab. This will allow us to discuss research interests and fit before submitting an official application. The application deadline is January 31 (Program in Ecology) or February 1 (Botany), however applicants are encouraged to express interest as soon as possible.

The University of Wyoming has a total enrollment of 12,000 full-time students with active ecological research across multiple departments, including Botany, Zoology and Physiology, Ecosystem Science and Management, and the Program in Ecology. The university is located in Laramie, a mountain town with a relatively low cost of living that is close to multiple field sites, several mountain ranges, and within easy driving distance of Colorado’s Front Range corridor (Fort Collins, Boulder, and Denver). The University of Wyoming is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law and University policy.  Please see https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.uwyo.edu%2Fdiversity%2Ffairness&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C6dee99f309ad4e9484d708d61e1521f8%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729473459601649&sdata=44sp0KtaDPbAUJU9%2FGjiHZj5yDPdtwVZEjzlbaUwW%2Bg%3D&reserved=0.

Subject: Graduate student positions in plant-microbe interactions

The Schaeffer Lab in the Department of Biology at Utah State University (USU) is looking for MS/PhD students starting Fall 2019. Potential to start earlier however may be possible for the right candidate.

The lab uses experiments and field studies, coupled with chemical, molecular, and bioinformatic techniques, to examine the ecology and evolution of cross-kingdom interactions between plants, insects, and microbes in both natural and human-modified ecosystems. Many research topics can be pursued, including but not limited to, the chemical and evolutionary ecology of plant-pollinator-microbe interactions, microbial-assisted biocontrol of plant disease and invasives, among others. Students are welcome to work on systems in which research is already being pursued in the lab; however, I strongly encourage development of independent lines of research, as well as pursuit of external funding to support those efforts.

The Department of Biology and USU offer excellent opportunities for education, training, funding, and collaboration. All graduate students in the department are provided with a competitive stipend and benefits for up to 3 (MS students) or 6 (PhD students) years through a combination of fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. Moreover, abundant opportunities for collaboration exist, given the vibrant research community that spans across the Biology department, Ecology Center, and two USDA-ARS labs focused on pollinating insects and poisonous plants respectively. Finally, being centered in the Cache Valley of northern Utah, Logan offers abundant
recreation opportunities, given close proximity to the Wasatch Range, as well as National parks.

Prospective students should email me (schaeffer.robert@gmail.com) with a note expressing research interests, as well as a description of your past research experience. Please include your C.V. and contact information for three references. Ideal applicants will have: background in plant or microbial ecology, or related subject; strong written and oral communication skills, strong quantitative and/or bioinformatic skills; ability to work independently or part of a collaborative team.

Please visit the lab webpage for more information:
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.robertnschaeffer.com&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C11e4f02a5dc24191b84208d61e15161e%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729473252297454&sdata=ogE8juR%2FiqR19adjw4Sw9Ew%2FkXNczBxCsYm0UZ%2BSRMg%3D&reserved=0

Robert Schaeffer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor (starting Jan 2019)
Department of Biology
Utah State University
schaeffer.robert@gmail.com

Toxic Risks to Bees in Urban and Agricultural Landscapes

Drs. Reed Johnson and Mary Gardiner, The Ohio State University, Department of Entomology, are seeking PhD students to investigate the impacts of toxic exposure on bee health and conservation in urban and agricultural environments. Soils in urban Cleveland, OH contains elevated levels of Pb, Cd, Cr, and other contaminants. Pesticide use in agricultural areas expose bees to potentially harmful levels of neonicotinoid insecticides, particularly through dust generated during corn planting.  Both urban and agricultural areas are being studied as potential sites for arthropod conservation, thus it is vital to understand if a legacy of soil contamination or insecticide exposure influences their value for bee biodiversity and productivity. Students could quantify the impacts of pesticide or heavy metal exposure by studying bee foraging behavior, reproduction, and/or pollination services in wild or managed bees. The successful candidates would conduct a combination of laboratory and field-based research. Students with experience working with bees, extracting DNA, conducting PCR analyses, and using bioinformatics tools are strongly encouraged to apply. Selected students would begin their programs in Fall, 2019.
Minimum requirements to apply include previous research experience, a
3.6 or higher undergraduate GPA and a 75th percentile or higher average on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE.

To learn more about our projects please email us a brief statement of your interests along with a CV or resume.

Reed Johnson
johnson.5005@osu.edu
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fentomology.osu.edu%2Four-people%2Freed-johnson&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C45b33949189144b2023708d61e14ff7c%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729472868648002&sdata=i0s7fU2OwKzWRCmGuV3H8aWZlXsrue9ys8yIzUKNUSc%3D&reserved=0

Mary Gardiner
Gardiner.29@osu.edu
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fu.osu.edu%2Fgardinerlab&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C45b33949189144b2023708d61e14ff7c%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729472868648002&sdata=PEoUOi3bEBxvUZSEqQU3yIfOvQriFLRtfLmGbeA9eCc%3D&reserved=0

Subject: Ph.D. position in grassland plant community dynamics and climate change

The Damschen Plant Community Ecology Lab in the Department of Integrative Biology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison is accepting applications for a Ph.D. student position that will start in fall 2019.
Our lab seeks to understand the impact of local and regional processes on plant community composition and diversity within the context of global change impacts and potential conservation and restoration solutions. Our research lies at the interaction of basic and applied community ecology, using long-term datasets and large-scale experiments to test basic theory with relevance to applied conservation management.
While we work across ecosystem types, we focus on fire-maintained grasslands and savannas. More information about our research group can be found here: https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdamschenlab.zoology.wisc.edu%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C52526eacddc64a5281e908d61e14f7bd%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729472732874891&sdata=ESmbt9MQe%2BvWvLUypOujmhBPGe1%2F7l1%2B6E9apNi5T9U%3D&reserved=0

Outstanding Ph.D. student applicants with research interests that match with any of the overarching themes of our lab are encouraged to apply.
In particular, students interested in how disturbance regimes interact with climate change to affect plant communities are encouraged to apply.
We have recently received funding from the National Science Foundation to determine how disturbance by fire affects grassland and savanna plant community responses to winter climate change in Wisconsin and would like to accept one student to work on a thematically related dissertation project.

Qualified applicants should have a strong background in ecology and evolution and experience identifying and sampling plant communities.
Students who have a background in statistics, are willing to develop their quantitative skills, and have programming experience using R are preferred. Strong writing, communication, collaboration, and mentoring skills are also required. The position will be funded by research and/or teaching assistantships.

To apply, contact Dr. Ellen Damschen several weeks before the application deadline at damschen@wisc.edu with a CV or resume, undergraduate GPA, GRE scores and percentiles, and a brief description of research background, interests, and how they may fit with the broader research in the Damschen Lab. This will allow time to assess whether your research interests fit with our research group before submitting an official application. We value diversity and encourage students from underrepresented groups to apply. Official applications to our graduate program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are due December 1, 2018.
Instructions on how to apply can be found on our departmental webpage at
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fintegrativebiology.wisc.edu%2Fgraduate-program%2Fprospective-&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C52526eacddc64a5281e908d61e14f7bd%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729472732884900&sdata=TicwzXWxWQTFmzMv4WH0uFEmLfrIhwnWewg%2FTABTGyE%3D&reserved=0
students/. Please indicate in your application that you are interested in applying to the Damschen Lab. Note that our departmental graduate program name is “Zoology”, but this is a broad program that does not place limits on the taxonomic scope of questions being pursued (plant ecologists welcome!). The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a strong program and rich history in ecological and conservation science. More about ecology at UW-Madison can be found at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fecology.wisc.edu%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C52526eacddc64a5281e908d61e14f7bd%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729472732884900&sdata=xkzQ6P6%2BQ%2BxzOL3RrNcDMKEk8flGojfbG%2FG6OH%2BK1w4%3D&reserved=0.

Subject: Volunteer Research Assistant in Avian Seed Dispersal

SUMMARY: 1 volunteer research assistant is needed for approximately 4 months beginning December 15th 2018 to assist a PhD student investigating avian seed dispersal in the Dominican Republic.

ORGANIZATION: Avian Ecology Lab, Old Dominion University (Virginia, United States)

RESEARCH LOCATION: Jarabacoa, La Vega, Dominican Republic

POSITION DESCRIPTION: The volunteer field assistant will be trained to identify approximately 40 species of birds and 50 species of fruit- bearing plants in order to carry out avian biodiversity and plant phenology surveys. Other data collection protocols will include focal foraging observations on marked populations of plants, collecting samples from seed traps, collecting/identifying fruits and botanical samples, and data entry. The volunteer will be expected to assist with some manual labor activities such as plot fence repair and maintaining rustic trails along transects. The field crew will work 5-6 days per week with the sixth day typically devoted to service and conservation projects overseen by local partners. Such work may involve invasive species control, forest restoration project, and development of educational materials for local school groups.

For more information about the project, visit:
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstudent.wp.odu.edu%2Fsschu001%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cmiranda.l.davis%40uconn.edu%7C81677ed2c5d840a05afb08d61e14e21d%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636729472371308408&sdata=tEr1v4z7bvSuHjlWq%2FV7K%2B5qXHK9uhhlIzbptYMW1hw%3D&reserved=0

LOGISTICS & COMPENSATION: Accommodations will be provided at a rental house that operates as a field station. Meals, consisting of typical Dominican food, will be provided to the volunteer at no cost during their stay. Reimbursement will be provided for food expenses for daily field trips to distant sites. All costs for in-country transportation and lodging will be provided by the project (with the exception of recreational trips on off-days). Transportation to field sites (i.e.
rural farms) will be as a passenger in a 4×4 SUV or as a passenger on a motor-bike. No funds are available for air travel to/from the Dominican Republic, and volunteers are expected to cover these costs. The target start date for this position is December 17th, 2018 (flexible) and the assistant must be able to commit to a minimum of 16 weeks on the project.

FIELD STATION & AMENITIES: Assistants should expect to share a dormitory-style room with a male roommate. Potable water, (cold) showers, and wireless internet are available at the field station.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPECTATIONS: Competitive candidates for this position will have a demonstrated interest in botanical or wildlife research in the field. The applicant must be in good physical condition with a willingness to tolerate difficult working conditions. We regularly hike
10 km each day off-trail, often carrying 20-30 lbs of equipment, going up and down steep slopes, frequently crossing barbed wire fences. Strong organizational skills are expected for this position to adequately manage data collection and entry as well as the ability to work independently at times. Intermediate verbal communication skills in Spanish is highly preferred, and applicants will be tested on this ability during the interview. These communication skills are essential, since the volunteer will spend most of the time working in a team setting with a Dominican field crew leader as well as communicating with private land owners and our conservation partners.

OTHER COMMENTS: This position is ideal for undergraduates or recent graduates looking for experience in field ecology, wildlife/plant sciences, and conservation biology for their careers. Undergraduates considering applying should communicate with their academic advisor to inquire about the possibility of using the experience to count for course credits.

APPLICANT INSTRUCTIONS:
Please send…
(1) A one-page cover letter detailing your interest in the position and summarizing your relevant background and professional goals. I especially want to know how you see this experience benefiting your career development.
(2) A resume or CV detailing your education and experiences relevant to the qualifications discussed above (2 page max).
(3) Information for 2-3 references who, preferably, know your work habits in a field or laboratory/office setting. Provide name, title, and email for each of these persons.

DEADLINE & INTERVIEW TIMELINE:
Materials must be received by October 15th 2018 to guarantee consideration, though interviews may begin sooner. Decisions will be made when a qualified candidate is found, following phone/Skype interviews and consulting references.

Email all materials as a single PDF file attachment using the subject header “Volunteer Research Assistant Application” to:

Spencer Schubert
Department of Biological Sciences
Old Dominion University
Email: sschu001@odu.edu

The McGlothlin lab at Virginia Tech is looking for enthusiastic and
motivated Ph.D. students beginning in fall 2019. Students will develop
independent dissertation projects in evolutionary genetics or evolutionary
ecology that complement work in the lab. Ongoing projects in the lab
examine molecular evolution of toxin resistance genes in snakes, lizards,
and birds, evolutionary quantitative genetics of Anolis lizards,
and social evolution theory (http://www.mcglothlin.biol.vt.edu/research/).

The McGlothlin lab is part of the growing Ecology, Evolution, and
Behavior and Integrative Organismal Biology groups in Virginia Tech’s
Department of Biological Sciences. Interested students should contact Joel
McGlothlin (joelmcg@vt.edu), providing a description of your research
interests and experience, a CV or resume, and contact information for
three references. Applicants interested in applying for a NSF GRFP
are encouraged to get in touch as soon as possible to discuss project
ideas. For full consideration, applications to the department should be
received by December 15, 2018.

Additional information:
McGlothlin lab: http://www.mcglothlin.biol.vt.edu/
Graduate program: https://www.biol.vt.edu/Graduates.html
Grad app: https://www.biol.vt.edu/Graduates/how_to_apply.html
Biological Sciences at VT: https://www.biol.vt.edu/
Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at VT:
https://www.biol.vt.edu/research/Ecology_Evolution_and_Behavior.html

Joel W. McGlothlin
Virginia Tech, Dept. of Biological Sciences
Derring Hall 2125, 926 West Campus Dr.
Blacksburg, VA 24061
http://www.mcglothlin.biol.vt.edu
Email: joelmcg@vt.edu
Phone: (540) 231-0046
Office: Derring Hall 4038

Joel McGlothlin <joelmcg@vt.edu>

The Stephenson Lab at the University of Pittsburgh, Dietrich School of