The Pennsylvania State University is a public institution that was founded in 1855. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 40,600 (fall 2021), its setting is city, and the campus size is 7,958 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. The Pennsylvania State University’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 77.
Description: We are seeking applicants for a PhD in fish landscape genomics to begin in fall 2023. The successful candidate will take the lead in two projects: 1) a riverscape genetics project characterizing the population connectivity and invasion dynamics of flathead catfish, and 2) a landscape transcriptomics project connecting brook trout gill transcriptomes to landscape variables such as water temperature.
Several large genomic datasets will be available at the start and there will be opportunities to participate in further field collections of tissue samples, work on DNA and RNA extractions, develop better methods for analyzing the data, and develop experiments to validate the transcriptomic results. The successful applicant will be co-advised by Dr. Ty Wagner and Dr. Jason Keagy and be expected to contribute to an inclusive and equitable lab group.
Qualifications: Competitive candidates will be highly motivated to both work with fish and analyze large genomic datasets. They will possess a B.S. and/or M.S. in Biology, Ecology, Wildlife and Fisheries, Zoology, Natural Resources, or related field. Individuals with a degree in Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or similar with a strong interest in wildlife biology would also be extremely competitive. Experience with R and bioinformatics and/or computer programming is preferred, but not essential.
However, because much of the research will involve bioinformatic analyses of large genomic datasets, candidates will need to demonstrate strong interest and desire to learn about this topic. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups in wildlife and fisheries management and ecology.
To apply: Send a single PDF that includes a brief cover letter outlining experience and research interests, curriculum vitae, unofficial university transcripts (a list of relevant coursework and grades is acceptable), and contact information for two references to Dr. Ty Wagner (txw19@psu.edu) and Dr. Jason Keagy (keagy@psu.edu).
Contact Person Jason Keagy Contact eMail keagy@psu.edu
Job Category Graduate Assistantships
Salary Competitive grad student stipend, tuition, and benefits
Last Date to Apply 01/15/2023