********************GradStudentPositions******************** A graduate position in mammalogy with focus on evolution and conservation is available in Caleb Phillips' laboratory (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/biology/people/Faculty/phillipscaleb/). The position will be supported by a Texas Parks and Wildlife State Wildlife Grant. Funding is secured to provide the student with experience as a Research Assistant as well as a Teaching Assistant, and part of tuition and fees costs will also be covered. The abstract from the funded grant proposal is provided below. During the course of research the position will include a) field work in the Trans-Pecos Ecoregion of Texas, b) travel to museums in the United States for voucher specimen sampling and morphological measurements, c) DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, d) niche modeling, e) presentation and f) publication of culminated work. Thus, a highly motivated person wishing to gain expertise in these areas will be successful. Given the scope of work, a PHD student is preferred, but a highly motived person wishing to pursue a MS will also be considered. The Phillips Laboratory approaches a variety of questions by integrating ecological and evolutionary theory with bioinformatic and cell and molecular biology. That said, the applicant will receive a diverse exposure to wet lab research, programming and statistics through their own work and through interaction with other lab members. Interested persons should email caleb.phillips@ttu.edu to provide a CV and cover letter with a statement of interest. Be sure and put "fulviventer" in the subject line so it isn't overlooked. Preferred start date is the January 2018 (Spring 2018 semester). Abstract: The tawny-bellied cotton rat, Sigmodon fulviventer dalquesti, is a poorly understood Texas endemic that is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need. S. f. dalquesti is only known from a single opportunistic sampling 26 years ago; 20 individuals were collected approximately 18 miles southwest of Fort Davis (Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion; Stangl 1992a). The population was found to be viable, as the 20 individuals included juveniles as well as reproductively active males and females. Formal subspecific status of S. f. dalquesti was based on morphological comparisons to a New Mexican subspecies, S. f. minimus, in which S. f. dalquesti was found to be craniometrically larger and have distinct pelage characteristics (Stangl 1992b). Based on proximity of distribution, it was hypothesized that S. f. dalquesti is most closely related to S. f. minimus, yet the single known locality of S. f. dalquesti is about 200 km separated from the eastern edge of the S. f. minimus distribution. Subsequent phylogenetic work on the genus Sigmodon included comparison of S. f. dalquesti to a central Mexico subspecies, S. f. fulviventer, using the full mitochondrial Cytochrome b gene (Peppers et al. 2002). These subspecies were found to be a little more than 1% genetically divergent (i.e. 12 base pair differences across 1140 base pairs). Based on an accepted mammalian molecular clock, this level of genetic difference roughly equates to 100,000 years of divergence and at least 200,000 generations. Thus, limited existing data indicate that S. f. dalquesti is a genetically and morphologically distinct Texas endemic. However, Bradley and Schmidly (2016) remarked that the range and population size of this subspecies remains unknown, and the above cited publication is the only known detection of S. f. dalquesti. This perspective, as well as its state abundance rank of S1, indicate the need to develop an improved understanding of S. f. dalquesti biology. Proposed field work will help to clarify S. f. dalquesti occurrence and distribution, and will help inform best conservation plans for this population. In addition to field efforts to more accurately define S. f. dalquesti distribution, morphological and phylogenetic analyses will be used to establish evolutionary relationships among subspecies. This important missing information will confirm S. f. dalquesti morphological and genetic affinities, and will explain distinctness of S. f. dalquesti in comparison to all geographically proximate lineages. A clear understanding of S. f. dalquesti evolutionary distinctness is essential to conservation action. For example, the presumed rarity of S. f. dalquesti, along with its apparent genetic and morphological uniqueness, contrast sharply with the current Global Rank of G5 (i.e. secure- common; widespread and abundant). Work proposed herein will provide the data necessary to form an accurate conservation assessment. "caleb.phillips@ttu.edu" ********************Jobs******************** See also: https://sols.asu.edu/sites/default/files/sols-director-job-12081_0.pdf School Director (JOB#12081) Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Arizona State University, rated first in the US for innovation ( https://about.asu.edu/rankings), is a dynamic institution dedicated to interdisciplinary collaborations, rethinking university education, and integrating excellence in research, teaching, and service. To support this commitment, the School of Life Sciences (SOLS) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU), Tempe Campus, invites applications for Director, with a concurrent appointment as Tenured Professor. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2018, although some flexibility is negotiable. SOLS is among ASU's largest and most distinguished units ( https://sols.asu.edu). A vibrant community of scholars, teachers, and professionals, SOLS includes over 90 tenuretrack faculty members within six Faculty Groups that serve 2,800 undergraduate majors and 280 PhD and MS students in ten graduate programs. A highly engaged and collaborative unit, SOLS is a leader in research and educational initiatives in biomedicine, molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, and sociobiology. SOLS faculty are affiliated with a wide diversity of transdisciplinary research groups, including the Biodesign Institute and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, and the Centers for Biodiversity Knowledge Integration, Biodiversity Outcomes, Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, Biology and Society, Bio-mediated and Bioinspired Geotechnics, Evolution and Medicine, Global Drylands, Metabolic and Vascular Biology, Social Dynamics and Complexity, and the Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research program. Additionally, SOLS has off-campus collaborations with Barrow Neurological Institute, Mayo Clinic, Translational Genomics Institute, the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden, and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as with community partners in education, health care, and conservation. The Director will develop and implement a comprehensive plan for SOLS and strategic initiatives related to the faculty, staff, and students, providing leadership, vision, and the capacity to engage faculty across a range of disciplines, while sustaining a culture of collaboration both within and beyond the School, strengthening links with other academic units at ASU, and with the wider community. The Director will promote the design principles of the "New American University" ( https://newamericanuniversity.asu.edu/about/design-aspirations), fostering growth and innovation in the School's research mission, working to attract, develop, and retain exceptional faculty members, promoting excellence in the undergraduate and graduate programs, developing interdisciplinary research and teaching initiatives, advancing entrepreneurial opportunities, and enhancing relations within and outside the university community. Minimum Qualifications * A PhD or equivalent in Biology or a closely related field * A distinguished scholarly record commensurate with the rank of Tenured Professor * Relevant administrative experience Desired Qualifications * Demonstrated appreciation for a breadth of research areas within Biology and interdisciplinary science * Demonstrated innovative and strategic leadership * Demonstrated experience serving a diverse student and/or faculty population To apply, please submit to solsfacultysearch1@asu.edu: a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, and contact information including emails for five references. References may be contacted at a later stage of the search and only with the candidate's approval. Initial deadline for receipt of complete applications is October 13, 2017; if not filled, complete applications will be reviewed each week thereafter until the search is closed. A background check is required for employment. For additional information, please feel free to contact Professor Rajeev Misra ( rajeev.misra@asu.edu). Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Further information on ASU's policies can be found at https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and its complete non-discrimination statement at https://www.asu.edu/titleIX . [Posted by Nico Franz (nico.franz@asu.edu)] "nico.franz@asu.edu" ********************Jobs******************** Hello, Department of Integrative Biology University of California, Berkeley The Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley invites applications for a 100% time tenure-track position in quantitative systems biology at the rank of Assistant Professor. Potential start date is July 1, 2018. We seek a colleague to join the department working in the area of computationally-oriented biology focused on the development and application of new methods to enable biological discovery from genomic, imaging and/or other large datasets. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, computational methods for integrating data at different organismal levels to explore biological function and evolution, use of population genetic, ecological, evolutionary, and functional and comparative genomic data to explore the consequences of sequencing variation on phenotypes and pathologies in humans and other organisms, computational methods for analysis and mining of metagenomics or other community-associated data, use of Big Data, including geospatial data, to explore consequences of environmental and climatic factors and their interactions with functional and evolutionary aspects of organismal biology, and the application of genome sequencing to study genomic evolution, the molecular processes that drive it, and its link to organismal phenotypes and environments. Candidates who bridge the divide between molecular and organismal biology are strongly encouraged to apply, and we also welcome applications from candidates who combine wet lab or field approaches with theory and computation. Candidates will also be expected to contribute to teaching in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum of the Department of Integrative Biology. Required Minimum Basic Qualifications: Applicants with a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and an exceptional research record in any area of quantitative systems biology are encouraged to apply. The Department is interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their teaching, research, and service. A Ph.D. or equivalent degree is required by date of application. Additional Qualifications: Demonstrated excellence, originality, and productivity in research, and interest in undergraduate and graduate teaching as well as public outreach. Applications must be received by September 29, 2017. To apply, please go to the following link: http://apptrkr.com/1062237. Please direct all questions to ib_ap_assist@berkeley.edu. Applicants should include the following required documents: - Cover Letter - Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated CV - Brief Description of Research Accomplishments- Statement of Research Objectives - Statement of Teaching Interests - Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or service. - List of Publications - Significant Publication #1 - Significant Publication #2 - Significant Publication #3 - Large Publication File (Optional) In case file needs to be split - Large Publication File (Optional) In case file needs to be split - Large Publication File (Optional) In case file needs to be split Applicants should arrange to have three letters of reference submitted online. All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are produced via a third party (i.e. dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality (http://apo.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html) prior to submitting their letters. The Department of Integrative Biology is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying partners and spouses, please visit: http://ofew.berkeley.edu/new-faculty. The department seeks candidates whose research, teaching, or service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion in higher education. The University of California is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct. Vanessa Phanouvong ********************Jobs******************** Research assistant position available in vector and vector-borne disease ecology and evolution at University of Rhode Island working in the Couret lab in the Department of Biological Sciences (http://web.uri.edu/bio/couret-jannelle/) Instagram @CouretLab - Twitter: @VectorEcology Position is full time and posted at www.jobs.uri.edu/postings/2652 - applications submitted through theURI jobs portal. For additional questions about the position send emails with subject line "RA Position" to ncouret@uri.edu Duties include both field and laboratory work on the ecology/biology of mosquitoes and ticks that transmit human pathogens. Required qualifications include a bachelor's in Biology and one year work experience in biology research. Preferred qualifications include experience with DNA extraction/PCR, experience with ArcGIS. Nelle Couret ********************Other******************** Evoldir community, A strong undergraduate student working with me on a plant phylogenomics project will be applying to PhD labs this fall (starting fall 2018) and she's looking for lab recommendations. She's interested in honey bee evolution, including colony collapse disorder and interactions with pests/pathogens/pesticides generally. Please let me know of any labs that are working on honey bee (or even native bee) questions. We're really casting the net wide, so don't hesitate to send me applied labs as well. Also feel free to forward this to your entomology colleagues. Thanks!! James James Beck Department of Biological Sciences Wichita State University www.becklaboratory.com/James "James.Beck@wichita.edu" ********************PostDocs******************** Postdoctoral Research Scientist Description: The Duhamel Lab for Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University seeks a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to join the laboratory to participate in a research project on the molecular ecology of small-sized marine protists. This position is located in Rockland County, NY at the Lamont Campus of The Earth Institute at Columbia University. The lab is located near the NYC metro area, offering many opportunities for interactions within Columbia University departments, and other area Universities. This project is in collaboration with the Kim Lab at the American Museum of Natural History, where part of the experimental work will be done. Tools and approaches for this work include collection and analyses of next-generation molecular sequence data as well as physiological and chemical measurement data. The position will entail laboratory experiments (including continuous cultures), and data analysis (including bioinformatics tools) and may additionally necessitate time at sea on research cruise(s). Qualifications: A PhD is required in microbiology, biological oceanography or a related field. Experience in microbiology, and/or biological oceanography, and computational biology/bioinformatics is preferred. Applicants with experience in microbial ecology and a strong bioinformatics background are encouraged to apply. Familiarity with the analysis of high throughput sequencing data including strong programming skills (e.g., R, Python, etc.) is preferred. Familiarity with continuous culturing of plankton species would be a plus. Excellent command (verbal and written) of the English language, organization and meticulousness, and strong interpersonal skills desired. Applicants must be willing and capable of participating in oceanographic cruises. The start date for this position is flexible but a start in the fall 2017 is preferred. Appointment will be for 1 year, with continuation pending funding and progress. Search will remain open for at least 30 days after the ad appears and will continue until the position is filled. Application: Please visit our online application site at academicjobs.columbia.edu/applicants/Central?quickFinde093 for further information about this position and to submit your application, including a cover letter, which should detail past research experience and future interests, current CV, and the names, phone numbers and email addresses of three references. Columbia University benefits offered with this Officer of Research appointment. Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer -- Race/Gender/Disability/Veteran. We accept online applications only. -- Helen Olivette Human Resources Coordinator Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964 Phone: 845-365-8357 / Fax: 845-365-8142 Helen Olivette ********************Conferences******************** Dear Colleagues, It is my pleasure to announce the third Comparative Embryology of Marine Invertebrates (CEMI) Course that will take at CEBIMAR (Centro de Biologia Marinha da Universidade de São Paulo) in São Sebastião, Brazil from Dec 3rd - Dec 16th, 2017. It is a two-week intensive graduate level course to study in depth local marine invertebrate species. Registration for the course is 16 USD (free for USP students). Your dorm, simple breakfasts every day, and lunches from Mon-Fri, will be covered by the organizers. Transportation from São Paulo to São Sebastião before and after the course will also be covered by the organizers. You will only be in charge of your own dinners during the two weeks of the course, aas well as week-end meals. Estimate to spend aprox. 12-13 USD per meal. Please, forward the link below to any graduate student that may be interested. Application deadline is September 15th! CEMI Course Info: http://zoologia.ib.usp.br/evodevo2/index.php/biz5765/ Cheers, Federico Federico D. Brown Professor Doutor Departamento de Zoologia Instituto Biociencias Universidade de Sao Paulo Ramal direto: +55 11 3091.0950 http://www.ib.usp.br/zoologia/evodevo Federico Brown