*PhD opportunity: **Biodiversity and community ecology** of coastal marine ecosystems (*University of Virginia)
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is recruiting one Ph D student to study the biodiversity and community ecology of shallow marine ecosystems in coastal Virginia. The s tudent will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/) , and join UVA's highly interdisciplinary Department of Environmental Sciences ( http://www.evsc.virginia.edu/) and collaborative Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research program (https://www.vcrlter.virginia.edu/) . The student will undertake observational and experimental field studies of benthic invertebrate and fish assemblages in temperate coastal ecosystems *, as well as analyze existing long-term community data*. Focal study habitats include seagrass meadows, oyster reefs, and salt marshes within the c oastal lagoon –barrier island system of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The student will have opportunities to contribute to highly collaborative long-term studies in the Virginia Coast Reserve and Santa Barbara Coastal ( http://sbc.lternet.edu/) LTER programs. Although research in the Castorani Lab is primarily motivated by fundamental ecological questions, there are opportunities for applied research related to coastal habitat restoration (seagrass , kelp, oysters ) and commercial aquaculture (oysters , clams). At the time of enrollment, highly-qualified applicants will have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology, ecology, fisheries, or a related field. Ideal candidates will have e xperience in field ecology, ideally having carried out experiments with in marine or aquatic ecosystems ; knowledge of the biology of marine organisms; strong quantitative skills ; and data analysis experience using R. UVA has a highly interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences (http://www.evsc.virginia.edu/academics/graduate/), offering training and conducting research in ecology, geosciences, hydrology, and atmospheric sciences. Graduate students accepted into the program are typically supported through a mixture of teaching assistantships and research assistantships that provide a competitive stipend , tuition, and health insurance . Those interested should send the following items, as a single PDF, to Dr. Max Castorani (castor...@virginia.edu): ( 1 ) a brief description of their background, career goals, motivations for pursuing a graduate degree, research ideas, and why they are *specifically* interested in joining the Castorani Lab; ( 2 ) a CV with academic and professional experience (including GPA ); (3 ) contact information for 2–3 references; and (4) a writing sample. The application deadline is January 15, 201 9 for enrollment in Fall 201 9 , however serious applicants should express their interest as soon as possible.
