Graduate Positions at Wake Forest University in Plant Ecology and Evolution
Wake Forest University Department of Biology is seeking outstanding graduate applicants to join our plant ecology and evolution group. Our research spans a broad spectrum of topics in ecology and evolution, including phylogenomics, speciation, physiology, plant-animal interactions, demography and biodiversity. Our group is focused on investigating core questions in ecology and evolution with an emphasis on modern and novel techniques. Students in the program come from a variety of backgrounds (botany, zoology, evolution, ecology, informatics, etc.). Opportunities exist to start new projects, or join on-going research projects at field sites in Peru, Tanzania and Wyoming, and work with large-scale datasets (genomics, camera-trap networks, remote sensing, etc.). *James Pease (http://peaselab.github.io) works with phylogenomic datasets to disentangle complex evolutionary patterns of hybridization and adaptation. Current projects involve using multi-genomic datasets from a diverse set of plant groups (ranging from the Andes to local species) to characterize molecular patterns of speciation and adaptation, and develop new computational methods and approaches to large-scale data analysis (peas...@wfu.edu). *T. Michael Anderson (http://wfu.me/andersonlab/ or https://www.snapshotserengeti.org/) conducts research in the Serengeti, one of the last great “grazing ecosystems” remaining on earth and a magnificent natural laboratory to study interactions among soil, vegetation, large herbivores and carnivores across a striking natural environmental gradient. (ander...@wfu.edu) *Miles Silman (http://users.wfu.edu/silmanmr/labpage/) works in the wilds of the Andes and Amazon and focuses on understanding biodiversity distribution and the response of forest ecosystems to climate and land use changes, past and future. Current projects include using an Andes-to-Amazon gradient as a natural laboratory for understanding tropical forest responses to climate change and private- and public-sector ecosystem services projects that encourage sustainable land use by generating revenue for conservation and enhancing governance. (silma...@wfu.edu) *Bill Smith lab (http://users.wfu.edu/smithwk/smithwk.htm) is a plant ecopysiologist with experience working in more extreme environments such as deserts, the alpine, and coastal barrier islands. A current focus is on ecophysiological mechanisms driving the elevation of alpine treelines in the Rocky Mountains and the critical involvement of seedling establishment in the treeline ecotone. (smit...@wfu.edu) Wake Forest University, located in the friendly, affordable city of Winston-Salem NC, is a top-ranked private university with a vibrant graduate program in biology (currently with 35 graduate students). Situated between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, Winston-Salem provides abundant outdoor and recreational opportunities. The position includes a competitive stipend and comes with a minimum of five years of guaranteed TA support. Positions are available starting August 2017. Interested candidates should submit a brief letter of introduction, CV and contact information for two references to one or more potential faculty mentors listed above.
