PhD POSITION IN THE LANDSCAPE GENETICS OF URBAN RODENTS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF RODENT-BORN DISEASE
TULANE UNIVERSITY Applications are invited for a PhD position in the Blum Lab (www.tulane.edu/~mjblum) in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University. Support is available for the position through a NSF-funded, Coupled Natural and Human (CNH) systems project on the population ecology of Norway rats and epidemiology of rodent-born pathogens in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The successful applicant will undertake doctoral thesis research on the landscape genetics of Norway rats and rodent-born pathogens to help reconstruct the process of coupled re-assembly of socio-ecological communities in an urban ecosystem recovering from a catastrophic disaster. This will involve conducting laboratory-based genetic studies, as well as leading or participating in field crews conducting trap-based rodent surveys and plot-based vegetation surveys across the New Orleans study region. The successful applicant also will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of scientists (including public health professionals, sociologists, geographers, ecologists, geneticists and mathematicians) to support the development of a computational metapopulation model of rodents that will be used to assess ecological and human-health outcomes of alternative control scenarios reflecting risk perceptions, rodent abundance, and habitat suitability. In addition to contributing to research collaborations, the successful candidate will be expected to develop his/her own research questions. Preference will be given to applicants whose research interests and expertise complement the CNH project, but outstanding applicants looking to broaden their field of interest will also be seriously considered. A BS or MS degree in ecology, evolutionary biology, population genetics, epidemiology, or a related field is also preferred. The position is available immediately, though the start date is flexible. To apply, email a cover letter, a CV, and the names and contact information of three references to: Dr. Michael Blum Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Tulane University New Orleans, LA 70118 mjb...@tulane.edu Questions about the position or project should be directed to Dr. Michael Blum (mjb...@tulane.edu). Applications will be reviewed beginning October 15, 2013.
