PhD Assistantship Available: Ecological Genomics of Drought Stress in Prairie Grasses
We have a position available for a PhD student to study the ecological genomics of drought stress. The project will include studies of the responses of native prairie grasses to variation in precipitation using the ecologically dominant prairie grass big bluestem as a model. The work is part of a project funded by the USDA Plant Biology Abiotic Stress program. The project will include common garden transplant experiments and genomic approaches to test for the signature of adaptive genetic differentiation among natural populations of big bluestem across the precipitation gradient of the Great Plains. This collaborative research group assembles investigators with complementary expertise in Plant Ecological Genomics (Johnson www.ksu.edu/johnsonlab/, Garrett www.ksu.edu/pdecology), Genomics (Ahkunov [email protected]), Evolutionary Genetics (Morgan(http://www.ksu.edu/morganlab/) and Restoration Ecology (Baer, SIU (www.plantbiology.siu.edu/Faculty/Baer/index.html) to elucidate the response and adaptation of prairie grasses to abiotic stresses. This work will take place in the laboratories of Drs. Johnson, Akhunov, and Garrett, with close collaboration with Drs. Morgan and Baer. There will also be opportunities to interact with other researchers in the context of the Ecological Genomics Institute (www.ecogen.ksu.edu). Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in ecological or evolutionary genomics. Preference will be given to individuals with experience in modern molecular approaches and genomics tools. Review of applicants will begin Dec.15, and continue until the successful applicant is identified. The starting date is summer 2010. The position offers competitive salary of $25,000 and benefits. Applications should include a cover letter with a statement of research interests and timing of availability, a CV, and names and contact information for three professional references. Please send your application through e-mail to Loretta Johnson ([email protected]). To ensure that your application is received, please include the following in the subject of your e-mail: ‘Application for Ecological Genomics Assistantship’. Kansas State University is located in the college town of Manhattan (population ~45,000) in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas, about 2 hours away from Kansas City. Kansas State University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and actively seeks diversity among its employees.
