The Department of Biological Science at The University of Tulsa invites applications for several Doctoral or Master’s Research Assistantship Positions in Animal Ecology and Evolution that could start in Spring or Fall of 2019.
Ron Bonett’s lab (https://ronbonett.weebly.com) studies amphibian evolution and development, and currently has two available Graduate Student Research Assistantship positions. One is an NSF funded project to study endocrine system evolution in salamanders. The other involves State Wildlife Grant projects to study salamander biodiversity in the Ozarks Plateau and Ouachita Mountains. Contact: [email protected] Warren Booth’s lab (https://www.booth-lab.org) is primarily interested in understanding how urbanization affects the evolution of organisms. Using genomic approaches and urban insect pests as model systems, ongoing studies aim to unravel how organisms invade and spread within urban environments, and understand both unique and co-evolutionary patterns that are exhibited within urban vs. non-urban populations. An NSF funded project currently tests the impact of heteroplasmy and recombination on mitochondrial evolution in an ectoparasite. Our lab also studies the evolution of parthenogenesis in reptiles. Contact: [email protected] Charles Brown’s lab (http://www.cliffswallow.org) studies the evolution of social behavior, and focuses mainly on an NSF-funded 37-year field study of cliff swallows in western Nebraska. Current objectives are to examine how fluctuating selection favors different group sizes, how food resources and foraging behavior have changed over the last 30 years, and the extent to which the birds have developed tolerance to ectoparasites since their initial exposure to high levels of infestations in the early 1980’s. Contact: [email protected] Matteo Avella’s new lab (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=matteo+avella) focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms behind species specificity in gamete recognition across mammals, with particular focus on rodents and primates. Through the use of mouse genetics (mouse transgenesis and Cas9 gene editing), we address fundamental questions in sperm-egg recognition and fertilization. My new research lab currently has two graduate students Research Assistantship positions available. Contact: [email protected] Matthew Toomey’s new lab (http://www.mbtoomey.net) studies coloration and vision in animals with a focus on the mechanisms and functions of carotenoid and retinoid pigment metabolism. We seek students interested in integrating genomic, biochemical, and behavioral ecological approaches to understand the diversity and evolution of colorful displays and finely tuned visual systems. My new research lab currently has two graduate students Research Assistantship positions available. Contact: [email protected] The Department of Biological Science is in the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences (https://engineering.utulsa.edu/biological-science/) of The University of Tulsa (www.utulsa.edu) and offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Our graduate program in Biological Science typically enrolls 20 to 25 graduate students. The majority of graduate students are full-time and supported from Departmental Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships. Stipends vary depending on the position, but typically range from $17,500 to $22,000 per year, and are usually accompanied by waiver of 9 tuition hours per semester (full time). The Graduate School offers annual research and travel grants, as well as other competitive fellowships. We welcome diverse applicants as we foster inclusive research groups. Our department houses a fully functional user-run genomics core facility, confocal, SEM, and TEM microscopy, and animal colonies. Tulsa is close to a wealth of field sites in the Ozark Plateau, Tallgrass Prairie, and Ouachita Mountains. In general, eastern Oklahoma includes a wide variety of ecotones between eastern and prairie communities. The city of Tulsa is located on the Arkansas River in the rolling Osage Hills of northeastern Oklahoma, and is considered one of the most livable and affordable cities in the United States. The Tulsa metropolitan area has nearly a million people, with vibrant cultural and arts districts. The area also includes large city parks, biking trails and nearby lakes. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact faculty regarding the positions listed above prior to applying to the graduate program. Please include a statement of research and career interests, GPA(s), GRE scores, and names and contact information of three possible academic references.
