The Farrer lab at Tulane University is recruiting Ph.D. students to study plant-microbe interactions, invasive species, and global change. Specific research projects are flexible and dependent on the student’s interest.
The Farrer lab examines the interactions that structure plant and microbial communities in space and time, and how global change alters these interactions with consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem function. We work in wetlands, grasslands, and alpine ecosystems. Current work in the lab is focused on understanding how microbes are key intermediaries in how plants respond to climate change. Climate change alters microbial communities, shifting abundances of mutualistic and parasitic microbial taxa, which can influence plant composition and diversity. The lab is starting up work in coastal wetlands, investigating how saltwater intrusion and sea level rise will influence communities in the Gulf Coast. For more information, see the lab website: https://emilyfarrer.wordpress.com/ Support is available from a combination of Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships, and students are encouraged to apply for their own fellowships through NSF or other agencies. The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology has two fellowships available for students from underrepresented minorities and any such applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will have a proven capacity for writing and communication, excellent interpersonal skills, and strong quantitative skills (e.g. statistics, bioinformatics). A BS or MS degree in ecology, microbiology, or a related field is also preferred. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV, GPA and GRE scores, and the names and contact info for three references to Dr. Emily Farrer ([email protected]) as well as apply to the degree program (http://tulane.edu/sse/eebio/academics/graduate/apply.cfm). **Applications are due January 15, 2017**
