The Hardy Lab at Auburn University (http://hardylab.skullisland.info/) is recruiting one PhD student and one MS student to start in the spring semester of 2018. Each position will be supported fully through research assistantships, including a competitive stipend and tuition waiver.
The PhD student will work on an NSF-funded project to study the species diversification of aphids in North America. This will entail phylogeny estimation from genomic data, niche modeling from geospatial data, and comparative statistical analyses. Background in any of these areas would be great, but the only thing that is required is an interest in the evolution and biodiversity of insects. The MS student will study the evolutionary genetics of host-use adaptation in scale insects. This will entail a greenhouse-based selection experiment coupled with transcriptome sequencing and comparison. No prior knowledge of these methods is required – just an interest in how plant-eating insects evolve (or in how gene expression changes with niche breadth). The experiments have been designed. What’s needed is an enterprising student to do them. If you are interested (or are interested enough to want more information) please send an email to Nate Hardy ([email protected]) with your CV and few words about yourslef. Applicants must meet requirements of admission to the Auburn Graduate School (http://www.grad.auburn.edu/). There is a rolling admission system. These vacancies will stay open until filled. Nate Hardy Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology Auburn University 301 Funchess Hall Auburn, AL 36849 phone: 334 844-1171 skype: llln8lll [email protected]
