Hi everyone, please see the following announcement for one to two assistantships available for Ph.D. students in the Crop and Soil Environmental Science Department at Virginia Tech. Please feel free to forward or contact me with any questions.
Ph.D. Assistantship available in Microbial Ecology Microbes mediate many important processes at the ecosystem and global scales, yet approximately 99% of all microbes are not culturable, meaning we know little or nothing about their distribution or role in the environment. Now, however, new molecular tools allow us to begin to answer very basic questions in microbial ecology. What microbes are present in a particular habitat? What kind of important or beneficial ecological functions might they provide? By combining new molecular methods with traditional culture based techniques we can seek to gain new insights into these important questions in a variety of habitats. Assistantship support is available for one or two incoming doctoral students focusing on microbial ecology in the Crop & Soil Environmental Sciences Department at Virginia Tech. Support is available to start in either spring or fall semesters of 2013. The Department offers ample resources for student research in environmental microbiology, including extensive laboratory and field equipment, opportunities to collaborate with a wide variety of colleagues within and beyond Virginia Tech, and access to a wide variety of natural and managed ecosystems for study. Students would work under the advisement of Dr. Brian Badgley, with the opportunity to conduct independent research on variety of topics in microbial ecology. Work in the laboratory focuses on the structure and function of microbial populations and communities in environmental matrices such as surface waters, sediment, and soil. Students will use a combination of field work and laboratory techniques such as culturing, genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, or genetic fingerprinting. A background in microbiology, ecology, environmental science, or other related field is required. Experience in molecular biology is beneficial but not necessary. Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Application: Formal application to the graduate program is required as described here: http://www.cses.vt.edu/academic-programs/graduate/index.html In the meantime, applicants may submit unofficial copies of the following materials to [email protected]: 1. A statement of interest describing past experience, research interests, and future goals. Please specifically address how your experience, skills, and goals match this particular position in my laboratory; 2. Curriculum vitae, including contact information for at least three references; 3. Academic transcripts; 4. GRE scores; and 5. TOEFL scores (if applicable) -- _______________________________ Brian D. Badgley, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Virginia Tech Crop & Soil Environmental Science Dept. 328-A Smyth Hall (0404) Blacksburg, VA 24061 phone: (540) 231-9629 FAX: (540) 231-3431
