Graduate position: Plant Evolutionary Genomics

The Puzey lab (http://puzeylab.weebly.com) at the College of William
and Mary (Williamsburg, VA) is recruiting a graduate student (M.S
Biology) interested in using genomics to understand the development of
complex spatial patterns in plants. Positions for MS program start Fall
2018. Please contact Josh Puzey (jrpuzey@wm.edu) for more information.

The successful applicant will be passionate about evolution, interested
in plants, and keen to use genomic techniques to address their research
questions. Students working the Puzey lab get exposure to a wide range of
analyses and techniques including next-generation sequencing, population
genomic analyses, and molecular ecology.

Details about the M.S. program in Biology at W&M can be found here
(http://www.wm.edu/as/biology/graduate/). Full-time students are supported
by teaching assistantships and full tuition waivers. Most students
complete their master’s degree in two years and go on to pursue either
a Ph.D. or M.D. degree. Our program also provides the training required
to enter technical positions in industry and government. Recent grads
are pursuing Ph.D.s at Duke, UC Davis, Johns Hopkins, and University of
Toronto; others are following career paths in biotech, pharmaceuticals,
resource management, and environmental consulting.

jrpuzey@gmail.com

Institution: Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada (www.trentu.ca)
Supervisor: Dennis Murray (Lab website: http://www.dennismurray.ca)

The Integrative Wildlife Conservation (Murray) lab has a project available for a graduate student (PhD or MSc) to assess responses of amphibians to environmental stressors (e.g., pathogens, contaminants, food limitation, predation risk), exploring the heritability and plasticity of traits within and across generations and life stages. Our recent investigations in this area highlight the opportunity to test fundamental questions in stress ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation biology via experimental, field and molecular techniques. The student will have the opportunity to develop specific research questions within the scope of the larger project.

The funding package includes a competitive stipend, foreign tuition waiver (if the student is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident) as well coverage of all research expenses. Successful PhD candidates will have an MSc in Biology, Ecology, Conservation Biology, or related field, and demonstrated evidence of peer-reviewed publications. All applicants must have strong quantitative, laboratory and/or field skills, and an interest in working collaboratively as part of a larger group. The student will join the Integrative Wildlife Conservation laboratory at Trent University
(www.dennismurray.ca) and be part of an interdisciplinary team addressing innovative solutions to environmental change (www.create-enviro.ca).

To apply, please send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, unofficial academic transcript, and contact information for 3 references, to: Dennis Murray
(dennislmurray@gmail.com) Application deadline is Feb 16th, but review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a suitable candidate is found. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute provides the opportunity for an intern to gain experience with the study of the ecology and conservation of threatened Virginia turtle species. The intern will assist with three projects. The first is an ongoing population monitoring project examining the distribution and status of wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) populations across northern Virginia. The second is a master’s research project examining wood turtle movement at the landscape level. The third project is a new study that is part of a multi-state grant to determine the status and distribution of spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata) across their range. The intern will assist with aquatic visual encounter surveys and trapping for both turtles. They will also assist with radio telemetry for one or both species and outreach activities to promote conservation in the Commonwealth.
Duties and responsibilities:

This is a paid internship opportunity wherein the intern will support the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Through this internship, interns
will:

Radio-locate turtles and manage GPS data
Provide technical assistance to stakeholders and help manage a collaborative wood turtle database
Complete a required brief report at the conclusion of their tenure

Qualifications:

Candidates should have graduated from a college or university within the last 12 months and have undergraduate coursework in ecology, conservation biology or a closely related field.  Knowledge and field experience with ecology and conservation issues is required, as well as the ability to devote long hours in cold and wet conditions in remote field settings.
Candidates should take directions easily and work well with others, yet have the ability to work independently. Individuals with previous mark-recapture and aquatic survey experience, and spatial data management and analysis skills (e.g. GIS) are especially encouraged to apply.  Applicants should have plans for continued education or a career in ecology or conservation.

Stipend:
The stipend is $700-900 per month (dependent on education level, coursework and skills).

Housing:
Housing is provided at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.

Parking:
Parking is available at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.

Term of appointment:
This is a six-month internship, starting March 5, and is a full-time appointment (40 hours per week). There is an opportunity for extension up to one year.

Application deadline(s):
Monday, January 22, 2018

Status:
Open

Location:
Front Royal

Internship Category:
Animal Programs

How to Apply:

To apply, go to: https://solaa.si.edu/solaa/SOLAAHome.html. Select “New to SOLAA? Create Account Here” and complete the information to create an account.

Information that will be requested (in SOLAA) includes:

Basic personal information
Professional resume or CV
A one-page statement of your interest in pursuing this position. The statement should mention relevant experience, career goals, your reasons for wanting this internship and what you hope to gain from the experience. Your statement is very important during application evaluations.
Transcripts from your current and/or previous institutions. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
Two letters of reference (One must be from a current or former supervisor)
Schedule of availability

Once you create your account and provide the information above, you will see a screen where you select the type of appointment you are interested in. You will select:

Type of appointment: “Internship”
Unit of interest: “National Zoological Park”
Program: “National Zoological Park Internship Program”
Project: “SCBI – Wood Turtle Ecology”

IMPORTANT: Your application is considered complete when you hit “Submit.”
Your SOLAA submitted application with references must be received by the deadlines as noted above.
For Additional Information

Questions about this internship should be sent to Alison Ochs at ochsa@si.edu.

The newly established Blaimer lab in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at NC State University is seeking to fill a graduate student position (PhD or MSc, depending on prior experience) beginning in the Fall semester. Our research group focuses on applying cutting-edge molecular technologies to address relevant questions in insect evolutionary biology, systematics and community ecology, mainly by studying ants and other Hymenoptera. We value collection-based research and actively conduct field surveys for ants and other insects, with a particular focus on canopy diversity.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with a keen interest in evolutionary biology and entomology, and broadly matching research interests to the above. Thesis projects will likely be tied into ongoing research in the lab, but specifics can be developed according to the student’s interests. Potential projects, for example, could be centered around the evolution of ant community structure, both locally in North Carolina or within ongoing research in Madagascar, or could investigate color pattern evolution in large carpenter bees in the context of mimicry. Systematic, taxonomic, or other collection-based project components are further encouraged. Preference will be given to students interested in working on Hymenoptera, and particularly on ants.

NC State University’s Entomology Department offers a highly-rated research environment and is situated in a vibrant and scientifically stimulating atmosphere in the Research Triangle, with both UNC and Duke University, as well as NESCENT and the North Carolina Museum of Sciences close by. Our NC State Insect Museum is a mid-size insect collection that provides state-of-the-art training opportunities in specimen-based research techniques and curation. Raleigh is a lively town with an inexpensive, yet high standard of living, and its surroundings offer numerous recreational activities.

Interested students should contact me directly at bonnie_blaimer@ncsu.edu with a brief description of research interests and experience and a CV, preferably by January 31. Note that the departmental website is currently being redeveloped and information found online about the NCSU Entomology graduate program may not be up-to-date.

Bonnie B Blaimer
Assistant Professor
Director, NCSU Insect Museum
Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7613 bonnie_blaimer@ncsu.edu