Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistantship Physiology and Drought Tolerance of Endophyte-Infected Switchgrass
A Ph.D. graduate research assistantship is available in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University at Blacksburg and the Institute for Sustainable and Renewable Resources in Danville, Virginia. The study will investigate endophyte-infected switchgrass physiological processes related to plant performance by measuring plant photosynthesis rate, water use efficiency, drought tolerance, and carbon sequestration following bacterial inoculation of switchgrass plants in both greenhouse and field settings. The work will be co-directed by Drs. John Seiler (Virginia Tech) and Chuansheng Mei (ISRR) and will provide a unique opportunity to work at both the whole- plant physiology and molecular levels and with an interdisciplinary team of scientists. This project is supported by the Department of Energy/USDA-Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy program. Switchgrass is one of the most promising feedstock crops in the overall sustainable bioenergy vision of the U.S. It is stress-tolerant and can grow on marginal lands; however, its yields can vary from site to site and from year to year. The utilization of naturally-occurring beneficial bacterial endophytes with switchgrass represents a practical and feasible way to develop a low-input and sustainable feedstock production system. The ultimate goal of the larger research project is to understand the molecular and physiological mechanisms by which the bacterial endophyte promotes switchgrass growth. An M.S. degree in plant physiology, ecophysiology, or related field is required. Previous experience with whole-plant physiological measurements is desired. The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation ( http://www.cnre.vt.edu/forestry) at Virginia Tech has excellent ecophysiology laboratories and strong programs in all aspects of forestry, including forest soils, watersheds and wetlands, and remote sensing and geospatial analysis. The Institute for Sustainable and Renewable Resources ( http://www.ialr.org/research/isrr ) is a state-of-the-art facility jointly affiliated with the Departments of Horticulture and Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech. The Institute has brought together expertise in plant tissue culture, plant molecular biology, genomics, molecular breeding, and information technology to facilitate the development and propagation of novel ornamental, crop, and forestry plant varieties. Strong supporting programs in Crop and Soil Environmental Science, Horticulture, Botany, and Chemistry exist at Virginia Tech (http://www.vt.edu). Ph.D. assistantships in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech start at approximately $21,000 per year. Tuition is waived for students on assistantship. Graduate research assistants are actively involved in the departmental teaching program. Interested students should contact: Dr. John Seiler, jsei...@vt.edu<mailto:jsei...@vt.edu> Professor of Forest Ecophysiology Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation (0324) Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (540) 231-5461 OR Dr. Chuansheng Mei, chuansheng....@ialr.org<mailto:chuansheng....@ialr.org> Institute for Advanced Learning and Research 150 Slayton Ave. Danville, VA 24540 (434) 766-6704
