[ECOLOG-L] PhD positions in Reproductive Coevolution and Sensory Ecology in the Morehouse Lab

2017-11-01 Thread Morehouse, Nathan (morehonn)
The Morehouse Lab at the University of Cincinnati is seeking highly motivated 
PhD students to join our vibrant research team. Current research foci in the 
lab include the co-evolution of color vision and color signaling in jumping 
spiders (https://goo.gl/cyueWW), the influence of female gaze on the evolution 
of complex courtship displays (also in jumping spiders), and co-evolution 
between male and female reproductive proteins in butterflies 
(https://goo.gl/2hg44e). I am particularly motivated to recruit students 
interested in this latter research topic, given the current balance of 
interests and expertise in the lab, but am also open to applications from 
students more attracted to our research on jumping spiders.

In addition to these new research initiatives, we have a number of other 
research projects that could provide opportunities for incoming students. I am 
currently adding more information about these on the lab website: 
www.morehouselab.com.
Students interested in joining the lab should contact me as soon as possible 
(nathan.moreho...@uc.edu) to discuss their 
interests and fit for the lab. Please include a brief statement of your 
research interests, how they connect with our current research, and your CV, 
academic transcripts, and GRE scores if available. Research support in the form 
of a one-year research assistantship is available for highly qualified 
applicants.

The University of Cincinnati is emerging as an international center of 
excellence in sensory biology and ecology. With a strong and growing faculty 
concentration in Sensory Biology, Behavior, and Evolution 
(http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/biology/research/Sbbe.html), UC provides 
a vibrant intellectual environment for research and student training. Matching 
research strengths in sensing and sensor technologies in UC’s 
nationally-renowned College of Engineering offer a number of cross-disciplinary 
training opportunities. Our Department of Psychology is home to the Center for 
Cognition, Action, and Perception (http://www.uc.edu/cap.html), which adds 
research dimensions in cognitive science and ecological psychology. In 
addition, Sensorium, a regional consortium of sensory biologists and ecologists 
established this fall through efforts of members of our SBBE group 
(http://www.sensoriumconference.org), 
offers additional connections to regional labs, including research groups at 
Purdue and Case Western.

The Department of Biological Sciences offers competitive support packages for 
qualified students. The University of Cincinnati and the Department of 
Biological Sciences have a strong commitment to diversity in science and 
graduate education. Students from underrepresented ethnic or racial minorities 
will be considered for the new Provost Graduate Fellowship, which provides a 
3-year $25,000 stipend plus tuition remission, and the Yates Fellowship, which 
awards grants to underrepresented minority candidates.

The University of Cincinnati is a top-25 public ‘research-intensive’ 
institution and is ranked among the nation’s best institutions for 
undergraduate education. Founded in 1819, our campus boasts award winning, 
modern architecture and is located in close vicinity to collaborative resources 
including the UC Medical campus, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the Cincinnati 
Zoo and Botanical Garden, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Cincinnati is a vibrant city on the banks of the Ohio River. The region is home 
to year-round cultural and entertainment opportunities such as the Cincinnati 
Symphony Orchestra and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, as well as 
numerous annual music and cultural festivals. Cincinnati is also home to major 
professional sports teams including the Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Reds, 
and FC Cincinnati – a new professional soccer team which draws over 20,000 fans 
per game. The city is located within the Hamilton County Parks system which 
provides extensive green space and opportunities for outdoor activities.

More information about the graduate program in the Department of Biological 
Sciences can be found here: 
http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/biology/graduate/future.html

Graduate applications are due January 1. To apply: 
http://www.grad.uc.edu/ApplyOnline.aspx

Sincerely,

Nate

Nathan Morehouse
___
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Cincinnati
711H Rieveschl Hall
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006
Office: (513) 556-9757
colorevolut...@uc.edu
http://www.morehouselab.com

"Il y a un autre monde mais il est dans celui-ci." - Paul Éluard



Re: [ECOLOG-L] interview questions for prospective postdocs and grads?

2017-05-18 Thread Morehouse, Nathan (morehonn)
Thanks for the input, Hao and Amy!

I absolutely agree that things like GPA should be taken in the broader context 
of other metrics. The question I’ve been grappling with is not necessarily what 
to use to predict future success in the lab, but rather whether I can get more 
information out of interviews than is already available from CVs (GPA, 
publication and funding, etc.), letters of interest, and recommendations from 
references. Each of these has specific benefits and shortcomings for predicting 
success.

I’ve been trying out a more structured interview style over the past several 
days while interviewing prospective postdocs, and it has been going well (at 
least for me). The particular insight for me of structuring an interview 
beforehand is that it forces the hard thinking of what you want to ask and why 
before you enter the interview. As a result, you’re more likely to ask better 
questions, be more consistent between interviews, and move beyond gut reactions 
or snap judgements. I’ve also decided to flip questions from being really open 
ended to asking the interviewee to solve a more specific problem. For example, 
instead of “Tell me how you balance competing projects,” I’m asking “Imagine a 
situation in which you have two important deadlines, but you discover you can’t 
meet both. What do you do?”

This approach reminds me of recommendations for search committees seeking to 
avoid implicit biases when evaluating faculty applicants. A common piece of 
advice is for the search committee to agree upon a set of evaluation criteria 
and a clear ranking scheme before reading any applications. Then all committee 
members endeavor to rank all applicants based on the criteria. Of course, this 
system can be gamed in favor of people “you just liked”, but one has to 
consciously cheat the system to introduce such biases.

Cheers,

Nate

Nathan Morehouse
___
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Cincinnati
711H Rieveschl Hall
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006
Office: (513) 556-9757
colorevolut...@uc.edu<mailto:colorevolut...@uc.edu>
http://www.morehouselab.com<http://www.morehouselab.com/>

"Il y a un autre monde mais il est dans celui-ci." - Paul Éluard

From: "Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news" 
 on behalf of Hao Ye 
Reply-To: Hao Ye 
Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 2:42 PM
To: "ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU" 
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] interview questions for prospective postdocs and grads?

Hi,

Kahneman's book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" has some discussion on the topic of 
intuition and judgment in interview situations:
http://www.businessinsider.com/daniel-kahneman-on-hiring-decisions-2013-1

I do think there is something to be said for more structured interviews where 
assessments are done on the spot, rather than waiting until afterward when halo 
effects could introduce bias.

And while I think the "standard" metrics (GPA, GRE, undergraduate institution) 
do have some predictive skill (at the very least, other people use them in 
deciding whether to award fellowships or collaborate), I think it could be 
useful to assess these under a single umbrella of "external validations" so as 
to isolate these factors from other considerations relevant to the position.

Best,
--
Hao Ye
h...@ucsd.edu<mailto:h...@ucsd.edu>

On Wed, May 17, 2017 at 5:52 AM, Amy Tuininga 
mailto:tuinin...@mail.montclair.edu>> wrote:

Hi Nathan,

I think we all struggle with this.

If your goal is to attract and hire individuals with high GPAs who will do well 
in courses, then I agree, this approach of no interview, or a very structured 
interview (I'd like to hear more of what that entails) will work.

If your goal, on the other hand, is to hire individuals who are high 
functioning in multiple settings, I don't think GPA is the single best 
predictor.  I think more factors need to be considered. If someone has a test 
for that, I would be interested.

Thank you,


Amy R. Tuininga, PhD
Director, PSEG Institute for Sustainability 
Studies<http://www.montclair.edu/csam/pseg-sustainability-institute/>

Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
CELS 100G
Montclair, NJ 07043

973.655.3667
tuinin...@mail.montclair.edu<mailto:tuinin...@mail.montclair.edu>

On Tue, May 16, 2017 at 4:08 PM, Morehouse, Nathan (morehonn) 
mailto:moreh...@ucmail.uc.edu>> wrote:
Hi all,

I recently read a piece in the New York Times titled, rather revealingly, “The 
Utter Uselessness of Job Interviews” (https://nyti.ms/2oNQ0im), which 
highlights recent social science research on the utility, or lack thereof, of 
unstructured job interviews for assessing job candidates. Over the years, I 
have relied heavily on unstructured interviews for evaluating prospective 
researchers wanting to join my lab group. A loosely conversational interview 
struck me as friendlier, and in principle, able to pr

[ECOLOG-L] interview questions for prospective postdocs and grads?

2017-05-16 Thread Morehouse, Nathan (morehonn)
Hi all,

I recently read a piece in the New York Times titled, rather revealingly, “The 
Utter Uselessness of Job Interviews” (https://nyti.ms/2oNQ0im), which 
highlights recent social science research on the utility, or lack thereof, of 
unstructured job interviews for assessing job candidates. Over the years, I 
have relied heavily on unstructured interviews for evaluating prospective 
researchers wanting to join my lab group. A loosely conversational interview 
struck me as friendlier, and in principle, able to provide the flexibility to 
extemporaneously delve deeper into certain topics. But this NYT piece, and the 
research it stems from, suggests that such interviews are at best unhelpful in 
identifying the candidate with the highest aptitude, and at worse, 
counterproductive. And I have to admit to leaving many interviews feeling like 
I didn’t necessarily cover the ground I needed to, or that I didn’t derive much 
new insight beyond what I had gleaned from application materials.

So I’m re-thinking my approach by moving instead to a much more structured 
format for interviewing. I’m emailing to ask for recommendations for questions 
that people have found helpful when interviewing prospective postdocs and grad 
students. What questions have you used over the years that have provoked 
particularly useful responses?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Nate

Nathan Morehouse
___
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Cincinnati
711H Rieveschl Hall
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006
Office: (513) 556-9757
colorevolut...@uc.edu
http://www.morehouselab.com

"Il y a un autre monde mais il est dans celui-ci." - Paul Éluard


[ECOLOG-L] Postdoc in Visual Ecology at U Cincinnati

2017-04-27 Thread Morehouse, Nathan (morehonn)
The Morehouse Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of 
Cincinnati is seeking to fill a post-doctoral position as part of a new 
initiative to investigate co-evolution between color vision and color signaling 
in the spider family Salticidae.  Salticids, also known as jumping spiders, are 
highly visual animals.  Research in the Morehouse Lab has begun to reveal 
surprising diversity in the color sensitivities of the principal eyes in this 
species-rich group, ranging from dichromacy to tetrachromacy.  A number of 
salticid genera are also brightly colored, including the Habronattus jumping 
spiders of North America, and the peacock jumping spiders of the Australian 
genus Maratus.  However, how these patterns of diversity in color vision and 
color ornamentation are evolutionarily linked remains unknown.  The 
postdoctoral researcher will join a small team investigating how evolutionary 
shifts in color sensitivities may have driven patterns of diversity in color 
signaling across the Salticidae.



The position will involve international field work for taxonomic sampling and 
characterization of habitat light environments, lab based techniques such as 
retinal microspectrophotometry and hyperspectral imaging, and computational 
approaches including color space analyses and phylogenetic comparative methods.



The postdoc is expected to contribute to the mentorship of graduate and 
undergraduate researchers.  The Morehouse Lab is also extensively involved in 
educational partnerships and art-science collaborations.  The postdoctoral 
researcher will be expected to contribute substantively to these 
community-oriented activities.  The position is guaranteed for one year, 
preferably starting in August 2017, with the possibility of renewal based on 
performance and available funds. Review of applications will begin in early May 
and continue until the position is filled.



Qualifications

Ph.D. in biology or closely related discipline. Fundamental knowledge in visual 
ecology is a must. Some experience with spiders and/or comparative methods is a 
plus.



Salary

48,000 USD/year



Intellectual Environment

The Morehouse Lab studies the traits males and females use to interact with 
each other during reproduction, with a particular focus on visual signaling and 
courtship. We strive to test theory by understanding mechanism. Current 
projects in the lab are focused on co-evolution between visual systems and 
visual signals, color use during courtship and foraging, and evolutionary 
dynamics between male seminal fluid proteins and the female reproductive tract. 
We are also committed to supporting science education and science literacy in 
Cincinnati and beyond, and have a number of ongoing projects with community 
partners. More information about the lab can be found at 
www.morehouselab.com



The Morehouse Lab recently joined the Department of Biological Sciences at the 
University of Cincinnati, an emerging center of excellence in sensory ecology. 
With a strong and growing faculty concentration in Sensory Biology, Behavior, 
and Evolution, and an NSF-funded REU program in Sensory Ecology, UC provides a 
vibrant intellectual environment for research and student training. Matching 
research strengths in sensing and sensor technologies in UC’s 
nationally-renowned College of Engineering offer a number of cross-disciplinary 
training opportunities. In addition, UC’s strengths in design and the fine and 
performing arts provide exciting opportunities for the Morehouse Lab’s ongoing 
involvement in art-science collaborations, including the College of Design, 
Architecture, Art, and Planning (ranked 3rd internationally) and the Cincinnati 
Conservatory of Music (ranked 6th nationally). Finally, Cincinnati is a 
culturally and economically vibrant city with a low cost of living, offering an 
unbeatable quality of life for graduate students and postdocs.



Application Process

Interested and qualified applicants must apply via our online application 
system.  Please visit https://jobs.uc.edu and apply directly to Requisition 
#18642.  In addition to the application, please upload a current CV/Resume with 
a Letter of Interest. Please include contact information for three professional 
references.



The University of Cincinnati, as a multi-national and culturally diverse 
university, is committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and diverse place 
of learning and employment. As part of a complete job application you will be 
asked to include a Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion Statement.



The University of Cincinnati is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity 
Employer / M / F / Veteran / Disabled.



All my best,



Nate





Nathan Morehouse

___

Assistant Professor

Department of Biological Sciences

University of Cincinnati

711H Rieveschl Hall

Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006

Office: (513) 556-9757

colorevolut...@uc.edu

http://

[ECOLOG-L] 2 PhD positions on jumping spider color/color vision

2016-12-02 Thread Morehouse, Nathan (morehonn)
Hi all,

I am recruiting two PhD students to join my research group at the University of 
Cincinnati in the summer or fall of 2017. I am particularly interested in 
recruiting new students to join our research on the coevolution of jumping 
spider color vision and coloration.

One available PhD position, funded through an active NSF grant, will 
investigate the role of female visual attention/gaze in driving the evolution 
of complex male displays in the North American jumping spider genus 
Habronattus. This research project combines intensive field work with lab-based 
video characterization of male displays and eye-tracking of female gaze 
responses to video playback of displaying males (the latter in collaboration 
with Beth Jakob at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst).

The second doctoral position will support a new research initiative in my group 
to understand the repeated evolution of color vision across jumping spiders. 
Thus far, we have identified two independent and functionally distinct 
transitions from dichromacy to tri-/tetrachromacy in jumping spiders, which are 
tightly associated with subsequent rapid diversification of male color 
ornamentation.  We are now interested in identifying any additional 
evolutionary transitions in color vision, characterizing when and why they 
occurred, and investigating their “downstream” consequences for biodiversity in 
this group of animals. This work will leverage international field work with 
molecular, microspectrophotometric, and hyperspectral imaging approaches.

In addition to these new research initiatives, we have a number of other 
research projects that could provide opportunities for incoming students. I am 
currently adding more information about these on my lab website: 
www.morehouselab.com.

Students interested in joining the lab should contact me as soon as possible to 
discuss their interests and fit for the lab. Please include a brief statement 
of your research interests, how they connect with our current research, and 
your CV, academic transcripts, and GRE scores if available.

The University of Cincinnati is emerging as an international center of 
excellence in sensory ecology. With a strong and growing faculty concentration 
in Sensory Biology, Behavior, and Evolution 
(http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/biology/research/Sbbe.html) and an 
NSF-funded REU program in Sensory Ecology, UC provides a vibrant intellectual 
environment for research and student training. Plans are afoot for the 
development of a regional consortium of sensory biologists, including 
researchers at Purdue and Case Western. Matching research strengths in sensing 
and sensor technologies in UC’s nationally-renowned College of Engineering 
offer a number of cross-disciplinary training opportunities. In addition, UC’s 
strengths in design and the fine and performing arts provide exciting 
opportunities for my lab’s ongoing involvement in art-science collaborations, 
including the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (ranked 3rd 
internationally) and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (ranked 6th 
nationally). The University of Cincinnati and my lab also have a strong 
commitment to diversity in science and graduate education. Students from 
underrepresented ethnic or racial minorities will be considered for the new 
Provost Graduate Fellowship 
(https://grad.uc.edu/content/dam/grad/docs/awards/Provost_Fellow_Program_Description_2017.pdf),
 which provides a 3 year $25,000 stipend plus tuition remission, and the Yates 
Fellowship, which awards grants to underrepresented minority candidates. 
Finally, Cincinnati is a culturally and economically vibrant city with a low 
cost of living, offering an unbeatable quality of life for our graduate 
students. Vogue just named Cincinnati as one of the “5 industrial cities making 
America’s rust belt shine again”: 
http://www.vogue.com/13506742/rust-belt-travel-guides-detroit-pittsburgh-chicago-cincinnati-covington-milwaukee/

Graduate applications are due January 1, 2017. More information on the graduate 
program at the University of Cincinnati and associated application materials 
can be found here: 
http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/biology/graduate/future.html.

All my best,

Nate

Nathan Morehouse

Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Cincinnati
711H Rieveschl Hall
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006
Office: (513) 556-9700
colorevolut...@uc.edu
http://www.morehouselab.com

"Il y a un autre monde mais il est dans celui-ci." - Paul Éluard


[ECOLOG-L] 2 PhD positions on jumping spider color/color vision

2016-11-21 Thread Morehouse, Nathan (morehonn)
Hi all,

I am recruiting two PhD students to join my research group at the University of 
Cincinnati in the summer or fall of 2017. I am particularly interested in 
recruiting new students to join our research on the coevolution of jumping 
spider color vision and coloration.

One available PhD position, funded through an active NSF grant, will 
investigate the role of female visual attention/gaze in driving the evolution 
of complex male displays in the North American jumping spider genus 
Habronattus. This research project combines intensive field work with lab-based 
video characterization of male displays and eye-tracking of female gaze 
responses to video playback of displaying males (the latter in collaboration 
with Beth Jakob at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst).

The second doctoral position will support a new research initiative in my group 
to understand the repeated evolution of color vision across jumping spiders. 
Thus far, we have identified two independent and functionally distinct 
transitions from dichromacy to tri-/tetrachromacy in jumping spiders, which 
are, not surprisingly, tightly associated with rapid diversification of male 
color ornamentation.  We are now interested in identifying any additional 
evolutionary transitions in color vision, characterizing when and why they 
occurred, and investigating their “downstream” consequences for biodiversity in 
this group of animals. This work will leverage international field work with 
molecular, microspectrophotometric, and hyperspectral imaging approaches.

In addition to these new research initiatives, we have a number of other 
research projects that could provide opportunities for incoming students. I am 
slowly adding more information about these on my lab website: 
www.morehouselab.com.

Students interested in joining the lab should contact me as soon as possible to 
discuss their interests and fit for the lab. Please include a brief statement 
of your research interests, how they connect with our current research, and 
your CV, academic transcripts, and GRE scores if available.

The University of Cincinnati is emerging as an international center of 
excellence in sensory ecology. With a strong and growing faculty concentration 
in Sensory Biology, Behavior, and Evolution 
(http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/biology/research/Sbbe.html) and an 
NSF-funded REU program in Sensory Ecology, UC provides a vibrant intellectual 
environment for research and student training. Plans are afoot for the 
development of a regional consortium of sensory biologists, including 
researchers at Purdue and Case Western. Matching research strengths in sensing 
and sensor technologies in UC’s nationally-renowned College of Engineering 
offer a number of cross-disciplinary training opportunities. In addition, UC’s 
strengths in design and the fine and performing arts provide exciting 
opportunities for my lab’s ongoing involvement in art-science collaborations, 
including the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (ranked 3rd 
internationally) and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (ranked 6th 
nationally). Finally, Cincinnati is a culturally and economically vibrant city 
with a low cost of living, offering an unbeatable quality of life for our 
graduate students.

Graduate applications are due January 1, 2017. More information on the graduate 
program at the University of Cincinnati and associated application materials 
can be found here: 
http://www.artsci.uc.edu/departments/biology/graduate/future.html.

All my best,

Nate

Nathan Morehouse

Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Pittsburgh
204C Clapp Hall
Fifth and Ruskin Avenues
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Office: (412) 624-3378
Lab: (412) 624-3351
http://www.morehouselab.com

**The Morehouse Lab is excited to join the Department of Biological Sciences at 
the University of Cincinnati, beginning January 2017! Please make note of the 
new contact info below.**

Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Cincinnati
711H Rieveschl Hall
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006
Office: (513) 556-9700
colorevolut...@uc.edu
http://www.morehouselab.com

"Il y a un autre monde mais il est dans celui-ci." - Paul Éluard