The Bagchi lab in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut invites applications from motivated and independent Ph. D. and M. S. students to start in the Fall of 2017. Our group combines experimental and quantitative approaches to investigate processes that regulate diversity in ecological communities, especially in the context of natural and anthropogenic gradients. Our work involves both tropical forests and temperate systems
Questions that we are interested in include: 1) Is coexistence of competing plant species maintained by natural enemies? 2) How do interactions between plants and their natural enemies vary along environmental (e.g. precipitation and soil fertility) and anthropogenic (e.g. habitat fragmentation and hunting) gradients? 3) What factors influence the relative abundances of host-specialist and host-generalist herbivores in ecological communities? 4) How does fruiting synchrony affect seedling survival in Southeast Asian rain forests and what factors increase asynchronous fruiting? 5) How do different coexistence mechanisms influence the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning? This is far from an exhaustive list and ideas for other questions that fit in with our overall research themes are welcome. Applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology or a related discipline and a Master’s degree will be advantageous for Ph. D. applications. A broad knowledge of ecology, strong written and verbal communication ability in English and quantitative skills are essential. Preference will be given to applicants with proven research aptitude (e.g. published papers), experience of field work, and an interest and knowledge of natural history (especially in the system they intend to work in). *Application process* Interested and qualified candidates should browse my web page (http://bagchi.eeb.uconn.edu) and then email me ([email protected]) with: 1) a cover-letter including a description of (i) qualifications, (ii) research interests and (iii) brief ideas for research projects (5-6 sentences). 2) an up-to-date CV, 3) transcript (unofficial is fine), 4) GPA and GRE scores 5) a sample of scientific writing (e.g. a published paper, a manuscript or an excerpt from a thesis/dissertation or scientific essay). I will give preference to applicants who contact me by Monday, October 31st 2016 so that we have plenty of time to discuss projects and funding opportunities before the UConn Graduate School’s application deadline on December 15th 2016. Strong applicants will be contacted to schedule an informal interview via Skype before the Grad school deadline. *Funding* Financial support is available through research assistantships, teaching assistantships and university fellowships, but applicants are strongly encouraged to seek external funding. The UConn Graduate School has several funding opportunities for outstanding applicants and groups that are historically under-represented in science. *About the University of Connecticut* The University of Connecticut (UConn) has been one of the nation’s leading public institutions since its founding in 1881. Located in Storrs, UConn’s main campus is situated in the picturesque rolling forests and fields quintessential of New England, yet is only 30 minutes from Hartford, and has close connections to Providence, Boston and New York. The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology consists of over 30 faculty and 60 graduate students with research spanning nearly all major groups of organisms. The Department maintains close ties with the Departments of Physiology and Neurobiology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Marine Sciences, and Natural Resources Management and Engineering, as well as the Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, which together comprise one of the largest groups of biologists in the Northeast.
