The Department of Biology at Georgetown University has multiple opportunities for doctoral study in ecology, evolution and behavior (EEB). Georgetown faculty are dedicated to the development of doctoral candidates into insightful and skilled scientists, scholars and teachers. Funding for graduate study is supported by a combination of assistantships, teaching fellowships and research grant support. Our program and institution welcomes students of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Students interested in any of the opportunities listed below are strongly encouraged to contact the relevant faculty member(s) via email. The Department of Biology graduate program is described at http://biology.georgetown.edu/graduate/applicants/. Information about graduate school application procedures and deadlines can be found at http://grad.georgetown.edu/pages/admissions.cfm.
Molecular basis of adaptation: Dr. Peter Armbruster seeks a highly motivated PhD student to join his laboratory’s research program on the molecular basis of adaptation in natural populations. The Armbruster lab is currently focusing on the invasive and medically important mosquito Aedes albopictus. This mosquito invaded the US in 1985 and spread rapidly over approximately 15 degrees of latitude. A major focus of work in the Armbruster lab is the use of transcriptome sequencing and genomics approaches to elucidate the genetic basis and molecular physiology of photoperiodic diapause in Ae. albopictus. Interested students should contact Dr. Peter Armbruster ([email protected]). For further information on the Armbruster lab see: http://faculty.georgetown.edu/paa9/ Ecological interactions, behavior & learning: Research in Dr. Martha Weiss’ lab focuses on ecological interactions (between plants and animals, as well as predator and prey), with an emphasis on behavior and learning. Ongoing or recent projects include investigations of the ecological factors supporting shifts in host plant usage, butterfly and caterpillar learning, retention of memory across complete metamorphosis, and the ecological context of defecation behavior. We are also working on development of hands-on science curricular materials, mostly related to plants and insects, for use in K-12 classrooms. We seek an outstanding graduate student interested in these or related projects. For more information see the Weiss Lab website: http://www.weisslab.org/ Butterfly responses to climate change: Dr. Leslie Ries is seeking a PhD student interested in field, laboratory and data-intensive approaches to ecology to join her lab’s research program on butterfly responses to climate change. The Ries lab uses both experimental approaches, measuring thermal tolerances of caterpillars in the lab and data- intensive approaches, exploring large-scale spatiotemporal patterns using data sets mostly derived from citizen science monitoring programs. Students with previous independent research experience and/or excellent quantitative or computational skills will be given precedence. In addition, the ability to start work during the summer of 2018 would be highly advantageous. Interested students should contact Dr. Leslie Ries ([email protected]). For further information on the Ries lab see: http://www.butterflyinformatics.org/ Disease ecology and network epidemiology: Dr. Shweta Bansal is seeking outstanding PhD students to collaborate on mathematical modeling projects for infectious disease dynamics. The Bansal Lab (http://bansallab.com) focuses on the feedback between host behavior and disease transmission using tools from network theory, statistical modeling, and computer science. Current study systems include influenza in humans, pathogen spread in ant colonies, and foot and mouth disease in cattle, with support from the NIH and NSF. Interested students should contact Dr. Bansal ([email protected]) with a description of their research interests. Population genetics and molecular evolution: Dr. Matthew B. Hamilton is seeking students interested in using DNA sequence or genetic marker data to test fundamental hypotheses in population genetics and molecular evolution. On-going empirical projects include using genomic or transcriptome sequence data to infer possible causes of molecular clock variation in plants or in arthropods, estimating genetic effective population size, and testing for ecological-evolutionary coupling through genetic variation and effective population size in a salt marsh community of a foundation plant and insect herbivores and predators. The lab also develops software for estimation of population genetic parameters, and carries out simulation studies to better predict population genetic patterns. The ideal project in the Hamilton lab would combine empirical genetic marker data collection with mathematical or computer simulation work to develop novel expectations or hypothesis tests. Interested students should contact Dr. Hamilton ([email protected]). For further information on the Hamilton lab see http:// http://hamiltonlabpage.weebly.com/.
