A two year postdoctoral position in ecology is available in the research lab of Erin Mordecai at Stanford University, with a flexible 2015 start date. In collaboration with Mordecai, the successful candidate will develop a project combining empirical and theoretical approaches to explore questions in plant disease ecology. The research focus is flexible and those with plant, non-plant, and theoretical backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Research in the Mordecai lab focuses on three general questions in disease ecology: (1) how do pathogens impact their host populations and communities? (2) how is pathogen diversity maintained, and what are its consequences for host-pathogen dynamics? and (3) how do host – pathogen interactions respond to global change? The pathogen impacts on plant communities projects focus on how generalist pathogens impact the outcome of competition between host species. The maintenance of pathogen diversity projects focus on identifying niche and fitness differences that regulate pathogen coexistence. The pathogen responses to global change projects focus on how climate and species invasions affect pathogen abundance, and in turn their impacts on hosts. Ongoing work involves a variety of plant and non-plant disease systems, and we are currently developing a grass fungal pathogen system in California. All projects combine empirical approaches with mathematical models to achieve their aims. The postdoc will have the opportunity to conduct fieldwork in California and elsewhere. Stanford University offers opportunities to interact with numerous ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and conservation biologists within the Biology Department and beyond. To apply, please send a research statement including one to two paragraphs describing the type of projects of interest, a curriculum vitae, and the contact information for three references to Erin Mordecai at emorde...@gmail.com. Please combine all components of the application into a single file, and include “Postdoc position” in the subject line. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
