-----Original Message-----
From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gina Marie Wimp
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 10:56 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Multiple PhD Positions Available in Ecology, Evolution
and Behavior

The Department of Biology at Georgetown University has multiple
opportunities for doctoral study in ecology, evolution and behavior (EEB). 

The faculty and graduate program in Biology at Georgetown help doctoral
candidates develop into insightful researchers and effective teachers and
communicators. Funding for graduate study is supported by a combination of
assistantships, teaching fellowships and research grant support. Our program
and institution welcomes students of all racial, ethnic and religious
backgrounds. 

Students interested in any of the opportunities listed below are strongly
encouraged to contact the relevant faculty member(s) via email. The
Department of Biology graduate program is described at
http://biology.georgetown.edu/graduate/applicants/. Information about
graduate school application procedures and deadlines can be found at
http://grad.georgetown.edu/pages/admissions.cfm. 


Mechanisms of phenotypic evolution: 
Dr. Peter Armbruster seeks a highly motivated PhD student to join his
laboratory's research on mechanisms of phenotypic evolution in natural
populations. The Armbruster lab is currently focusing on the invasive and
medically important mosquito Aedes albopictus. This mosquito invaded the US
in 1985 and spread rapidly over approximately 15 degrees of latitude. 
This natural experiment in evolution provides an exciting opportunity to
identify the molecular and physiological mechanisms underpinning climatic
adaptation during invasion and range expansion. Dr. Armbruster's research is
currently supported by grants from both NIH and NSF, and integrates a broad
range of approaches, including molecular biology, bioinformatics,
physiology, and quantitative genetics. Interested students should contact
Dr. Peter Armbruster ([log in to unmask]). 

For further information on the Armbruster lab see: 
http://www1.georgetown.edu/departments/biology/faculty/armbruster/ 


Mathematical Population Biology: 
Faculty in the Departments of Biology and Mathematics have ongoing
collaborations centered on quantitative modeling and analysis of population
genetic data.  Ongoing projects span a wide spectrum of applications
including the development of coalescent models that better suit natural
populations in order to infer biological mechanisms acting on genetic
polymorphism to the development of novel quantitative models to analyze the
evolution of HIV within an infected individual.  These projects are highly
interdisciplinary, drawing on approaches and techniques from both
disciplines. 

Dr. Matthew B. Hamilton (Biology) and Dr. Sivan Leviyang (Mathematics) are
seeking an outstanding student to pursue a jointly mentored PhD in
mathematical biology.  The course of study will include classes in biology,
mathematics and computer science, with the goal of providing the student
with a firm background in population genetics, ecology, statistics,
probability, and computation.  The specific topic of research is flexible
and can favor theory or application depending on the students' 
interest.  The ideal student should possess a bachelor's degree in biology
or mathematics (with some course work and experience in the alternate
field) with some experience in computation.  Most importantly, an ideal
student will have a strong desire to engage in interdisciplinary research in
quantitative biology.  Interested students should contact Dr. Hamilton
([log in to unmask]) and Dr. Leviyang ([log in to unmask]). 

For further information on Dr. Leviyang's research see
http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/sr286/. For further information on the
Hamilton lab see http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/hamiltm1/. 


Empirical population genetics and molecular evolution: 
Dr. Matthew B. Hamilton is seeking students interested in using genetic
marker data to test fundamental hypotheses in population genetics and
molecular evolution. On-going empirical projects include using
transcriptome-scale data to compare the molecular clock in annual and
perennial plants, studying temporal genetic variation in striped bass and
testing for the ecological causes of changes in genetic variation in salt
marsh insects. The ideal project in the Hamilton lab is one that combines
empirical genetic marker data collection with mathematical or computer
simulation work to develop novel expectations or hypothesis tests. 
Interested students should contact Dr. Hamilton ([log in to unmask]). 

For further information on the Hamilton lab see
http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/hamiltm1/. 


Ecological interactions, behavior & learning: 
Research in Dr. Martha Weiss' lab focuses on ecological interactions 
(between plants and animals, as well as predator and prey), with an 
emphasis on behavior and learning. Recent or ongoing projects include 
investigations of butterfly and caterpillar learning, retention of memory 
across complete metamorphosis, the ecological context of defecation 
behavior, and predatory wasp learning and foraging behavior. We are also 
working on development of hands-on science curricular materials, mostly 
related to plants and insects, for use in K-12 classrooms. We seek an 
outstanding graduate student interested in these or related projects.  For 
more information see the Weiss Lab website 
(http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/emc26/MarthaWeiss/weissm/), but be 
aware that its content is out of date and in the process of being updated. 


Arthropod biodiversity and conservation: 
Professor Edward M. Barrows is seeking an excellent, self-motivated, and 
biology-passionate student to work on a long-term project regarding 
arthropod biodiversity and conservation especially in Dyke Marsh Wildlife 
Preserve (DMWP), Virginia, near Georgetown University.  The study includes 
documenting DMWP species, their phenologies and relative abundances in 
habitats, and their food-web and other ecological roles in view of global 
change which may have significant effects on the Preserve. Dr. Barrows' 
Entomology and Biodiversity Laboratory is currently analyzing a huge, 
baseline, historical (1998-1999) DMWP arthropod sample.  The Friends of 
Dyke Marsh, National Park Service, Washington Biologists' Field Club, and 
others are supporting this study.  DMWP information is at 
http://biodiversity.georgetown.edu/files/informationfile.cfm?
title=dykemarshintro . 
Interested students should contact Dr. Barrows at [log in to unmask] 


Behavioral ecology, development, reproduction & life history of Bottlenose 
Dolphins: 
Professor Mann is seeking outstanding PhD students in 2011 to collaborate 
on her long-term study of wild bottlenose dolphins. Dr. Mann directs the 
Shark Bay Bottlenose Dolphin Research Project, a 25+ year longitudinal 
study on a population of wild bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western 
Australia. Members of her lab are currently focusing on research questions 
related to behavioral development, life history, female reproduction, 
information transmission/diffusion, social networks, home range and 
habitat use.  More recently, members of her team are developing non-
invasive techniques for sampling cetacean genetics, diet, and hormones. 
Her work is currently supported by NSF and ONR. Dr. Mann collaborates 
extensively with Dr. Lisa Singh in Computer Science. Dr. Mann is not 
accepting students in 2010 but will consider applicants the following 
year. 

For more information see www.monkeymiadolphins.org 
http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/mannj2 
http://biology.georgetown.edu/faculty/Mann/ 
 
Community Ecology and Landscape Genetics: 
Dr. Gina Wimp is seeking students interested in understanding the 
mechanisms that lead to the loss of biodiversity and increased risk of 
extinction in fragmented habitats.  Dr. Wimp's work takes place in the 
intertidal salt marsh where a rise in mean tidal height over the past 60 
years has led to a change in the demography of the two dominant grass 
species, with the more flood-intolerant grass (Spartina patens) 
contracting in size.  She uses manipulative experiments to examine the 
effects of habitat loss and fragmentation in S. patens on the abundance, 
diversity and composition of the dependent arthropod community.  The Wimp 
and Hamilton labs have developed microsatellite genetic marker loci to 
examine the effects of habitat fragmentation on gene flow in two of the 
dominant herbivore species found in S. patens, both of which are 
flightless, specialist planthoppers. Interested students should contact 
Dr. Gina Wimp via email ([log in to unmask]). 

For further information see the following websites: 
http://biology.georgetown.edu/faculty/wimp/research/
http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/hamiltm1/