I am currently seeking graduate students at the Ph.D. or Master’s level to study the ecological drivers of population dynamics and invasion. In the Johnson lab, we are particularly interested in how global change can alter population dynamic regimes from invasive species, pest management, and conservation perspectives; e.g., how climatic changes affect forest insect outbreaks and invasion, and how urbanization alters the outbreak patterns of a forest defoliating moth. We ask research questions at multiple spatial scales, from habitat to landscape to geographic scales, and at temporal scales up to several centuries. We take a multi-tool approach to addressing ecological questions, including field research, analyzing existing large datasets, and population modeling. Most research in the Johnson Lab is on forest insect pests, but I am open to students interested in other taxa. Strong quantitative skills are a plus. Interested students can visit the lab webpage for more information (www.vcuderekjohnson.com)
The Johnson lab is located in the Department of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University (http://biology.vcu.edu/) in Richmond, VA. VCU is the largest public university in Virginia. We are located in Richmond, VA on the James River, within easy reach of the Virginia coastal plain, Blue Ridge Mountains, Chesapeake Bay, and Virginia barrier islands providing excellent opportunities for research in diverse natural systems. VCU’s Rice Center for Environmental Life Sciences, located 30 minutes from campus, encompasses 342 acres of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems along the James River and provides an outstanding resource for field-based research by both faculty and graduate students. Facilities include new office and lab space, conference center, and boat house. For more information, see www.vcu.edu/rice/. Applicants to the Ph.D. program would apply to the VCU Integrative Life Sciences graduate program (http://lifesciences.vcu.edu <http://www.vcu.edu/lifesci/phd/admissions/index.html>), which provides competitive stipends for Ph.D. students. The application deadline is February 1, 2016. Applicants to the Master’s program would apply to the VCU M.S. Program in Biology (http://biology.vcu.edu/graduate-program/ms-program-in-biology/). The application deadline is January 15, 2016 Those who are interested or require more information should contact me at [email protected] to discuss the position before applying. Sincerely, Derek Johnson Derek M. Johnson 1000 W. Cary St. Department of Biology Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA 23284 www.vcuderekjohnson.com (804)827-0274
