The Baeza lab in Integrative & Evolutionary Biology of Marine Organisms at the Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University ( http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/biosci/) is seeking motivated and creative students to join the lab as MS/PhD students in Fall 2015.
The Baeza lab is interested in various topics in the fields of Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Phylogenetics & Phylogeography, as well as Fisheries Biology. We use marine invertebrates, some of them economically valuable, as model systems. Our research is both hypothesis and curiosity driven, and we use a combination of molecular phylogenies, natural history observations, basic modeling approaches, and manipulative experiments to accomplish our research goals. Our current research program has two main foci: (1) non-applied research on the behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology of marine invertebrates in order to understand the diversification process and (2) applied research aimed at generating information relevant for proposing measures for the sustainable use of exploited marine invertebrates. The model systems we are using include various groups of marine decapods crustaceans, including crabs, shrimps, and most recently, spiny lobsters. Potential research topics include the following: (1) testing sex allocation theory in sequential and simultaneous hermaphrodites (e.g., with shrimps from the genus *Lysmata* and *Thor*); (2) the evolution of mating systems (in brachyuran crabs); (3) testing sexual selection theory and understanding the link with disease avoidance (in Caribbean spiny lobsters); and (4) diversification and the conditions driving this process (using selected clades of tropical marine crustaceans). More about our research can be found here: http://baezaantonio.wix.com/antoniobaeza. Check our publications in ResearchGate ( https://www.researchgate.net/profile/J_Baeza) and Academia ( https://clemson.academia.edu/AntonioBaeza). Passion and enthusiasm for science, seriousness, well-developed written and oral communication abilities, and strong quantitative skills are necessary. A background in Marine Biology and Invertebrate Zoology are desired. Minority students are encouraged to apply. Interested and qualified students should send an email describing their motivation and research interests together with a short CV, transcripts, and scores from the GRE and TOEFL/IELTS (if applicable) to J. Antonio Baeza ([email protected]). Strong candidates will be encouraged to apply to the Biological Sciences MS or PhD program to meet the January 5th deadline. Graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, generally are financially supported via Teaching Assistantships. More information about the application process can be found here: ( http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/biosci/graduates/applying.html). Sincerely, J. Antonio Baeza -- J. Antonio Baeza Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University South Carolina, USA & Research Associate Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Florida, USA & Adjunct Faculty Universidad Catolica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Website: http://baezaantonio.wix.com/antoniobaeza Website ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/J_Baeza/ Website Academia: http://si.academia.edu/JAntonioBaeza
