PhD positions in plant evolutionary ecology at Virginia Tech
The Whitehead Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech is looking for motivated and independent graduate students to join the lab in Fall 2018. We study the ecology and evolution of plant interactions using a combination of field observational studies, experiments, lab work, and quantitative synthesis. General themes in the lab include: 1) Plant evolutionary responses to multispecies interactions 2) Chemical ecology of seed dispersal and fruit defense 3) Phytochemical diversity and multispecies interactions 4) Crop domestication impacts on plant defense and plant-insect interactions 5) Agricultural applications of chemical ecology I will work closely with students to develop their own projects that are related to these themes. Students may work in systems that are the current focus of research in the lab (e.g. tropical Piper plants and frugivorous bats; wild and domesticated apples and their insect herbivores, Physalis plants and their insect herbivores) or develop their own systems that are most suited to their research questions. Please see the lab website (www.speciesinteractions.com) for more information about our current research. The Whitehead Lab is part of the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior <https://www.biol.vt.edu/eeb/index.html> group in the Department of Biological Sciences. Students may also participate in interdepartmental programs such as the Interfaces of Global Change <http://www.globalchange.vt.edu/igc/> (www.globalchange.vt.edu/igc) program and the Translational Plant Sciences <https://translationalplantscience.org/> (https:// translationalplantscience.org) program. *Qualifications* Successful applicants should have: 1) a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (biology, ecology, botany, entomology, etc.); 2) strong written and oral communication skills; 3) some form of past research experience (could include undergraduate research, work experience, or MS research for PhD applicants); and 4) a genuine fascination with the natural world. International students and students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Other general qualifications are set by the Department of Biological Sciences and details are available in the Graduate Program section on the department webpage (https://www.biol.vt.edu). *Funding* Students will be supported with a combination of research and teaching assistantships in the Department of Biological Sciences. All positions will include a stipend and a tuition waiver. Students are also encouraged to apply for external fellowships such as the National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) or the USDA Pre-doctoral Fellowships (https://goo.gl/imnbz6). *Location* Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, VA, a town of about 43,000 nestled between the scenic Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. Its proximity to woodlands, lakes, streams, and other diverse habitats make it an ideal location for field studies and outdoor recreational activities. *To apply* First, please take the time to read through the information available on our website (www.speciesinteractions.com) and a few of our publications. If you find you are genuinely interested in the type of research that we do, send me an email at swhiteh...@vt.edu that briefly describes your background and interests and why you think you are a good fit for the lab and include a CV. Review of these materials will begin immediately and priority will be given to students that contact me with this information by Nov. 1. This will give us time to discuss research interests prior to the priority deadline for the Department of Biological Sciences on Dec. 15. Please see the department website (https://www.biol.vt.edu) for more details on the application process --- Susan R. Whitehead Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences Virginia Tech Latham Hall 408 434-841-1512 www.speciesinteractions.com
