Graduate Positions in Synthetic Ecology and the Evolution of Symbiosis (Fall 2017)
Graduate assistantships are available to support Masters or PhD students in the Hom Lab at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). We are generally interested in understanding how biotic and abiotic factors facilitate the formation, persistence, and evolution of species interactions, notably those that are symbiotic. We are particularly fond of studying interactions involving fungi and algae and use a predominantly synthetic approach to address our questions (see Science 345:94-98). Our lab is seeking bright, highly motivated, and disciplined students with an appetite for discovery and adventure to join us in pursuing research projects of mutual interest in areas that include (but are not limited to): experimental evolution, synthetic ecology, Eco-Evo-Devo, eukaryotic metagenomics, bioinformatics, applied microbiology, and the ecology and biodiversity of microbial consortia in both laboratory and field contexts. We offer students substantial flexibility to define their own research project(s) and/or to contribute to one or more ongoing projects in our growing research portfolio. Members of our lab come from all over the world and we are deeply committed to community outreach and the continual expansion of our international collaborations (e.g., see http://mycophygolife.org). Stipend support will be a combination of research and teaching assistantships, and includes tuition waivers and health benefits. The desired start date for these positions is August 2017. The University of Mississippi is a Carnegie R1 institution undergoing an exciting phase of growth. The university is located in Oxford, a diverse and idyllic college town in northern Mississippi, about 1 hour south of Memphis, TN. The comedian, Lewis Black, described it best when he said: “Oxford is to Mississippi what Austin is to Texas.” Oxford is not only about football and baseball, but is also home to a vibrant music, arts, and literary community with strong historic ties to William Faulkner and The Blues. We strongly encourage women and underrepresented minorities to apply. Those with a particular interest in STEM education and outreach within an underserved region are also highly encouraged to apply—there are great opportunities to serve. For consideration and/or more information, please contact Dr. Hom (erik -at- olemiss.edu<http://olemiss.edu>), +1-662-915-1731, http://darwinsdaemon.com) preferably before January 15, 2017. Requirements for graduate admissions can be found here: http://goo.gl/t1CfcR. To apply, please send a single PDF file that includes: 1) a cover letter explaining your specific research interest(s) and qualifications/research experience, 2) your curriculum vitae, 3) a scientific writing sample, 4) school transcript(s), 5) GRE scores (note: quantitative and verbal scores should each be >150), and 6) contact information for at least 3 references. — Erik F. Y. Hom Assistant Professor | Department of Biology Program Director, ARISE@UM | http://arise.olemiss.edu University of Mississippi | 401 Shoemaker Hall | University, MS 38677-1848, USA phone: +1-662-915-1731 | mobile: +1-415-480-4780 | http://darwinsdaemon.com
