Posts Tagged ‘Marine Biology’

Ph.D. Assistantship, Marine Molecular Ecology

Ph.D. Assistantship in Marine Molecular Ecology: Geographic Range Limits of Hybridizing Blue Mussels

A Ph.D. assistantship in marine molecular ecology is available at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, to begin Fall 2010. The position is part of a funded collaborative project with colleagues at the University of New England, which examines the role of larval dispersal and physiological tolerance in establishing range limits of the northern blue mussel, Mytilus trossulus, in the Gulf of Maine. The selected candidate will work closely with a molecular ecologist, a benthic ecologist, and a physical oceanographer. The position is interdisciplinary and will involve intensive field and laboratory studies of patterns of dispersal, recruitment, and postsettlement mortality in relation to the Eastern Maine Coastal Current. The successful candidate should be highly motivated, work well in a team, and have solid molecular laboratory skills. Desired qualifications include an excellent academic record in marine biology and oceanography and a strong background in molecular ecology and evolution; an interest in the genetics of hybrid zones is also a plus.

Candidates should email Dr. Michael McCartney a letter of
interest and a C.V. (mccartneym@uncw.edu;
http://www.uncw.edu/bio/faculty_mccartney.htm) and are
encouraged to visit
http://24.97.224.81/research/msc/faculty.cfm for
information on PIs Dr. Phil Yund and Dr. Charles Tilburg. For
details on applying to the Ph.D. in Marine Biology, visit
http://www.uncw.edu/bio/grad-phd.html (deadline is April
15, 2010).

Graduate Student Assistantships in Marine Biology

San Francisco State University’s Romberg Tiburon Center is offering two student Research Assistantships to conduct research toward Master’s degrees on a project recently funded by the National Science Foundation. These assistantships will begin in the fall semester 2010, and are contingent on the students being accepted into the SFSU Masters program in Marine Biology.

This research will investigate feeding by copepod nauplius larvae, the most abundant metazoans in the sea. Comparative experiments and field-based measurements will contrast the food consumed, and the effects of food limitation, between nauplii and later life stages. A variety of techniques will be applied to account for the inevitable biases and limitations of each. These will include laboratory feeding experiments using cultured prey individually and in mixtures, and experiments using natural prey, with a variety of methods used to measure food consumption. Separate experiments will determine how nauplii and copepodites survive and grow at different concentrations of food.

Investigations of feeding by a predatory copepod (Tortanus dextrilobatus) will use molecular techniques to identify mitochondrial and nuclear DNA from diverse suspected prey species. Specific primers will be developed for common zooplankton species consumed by T. dextrilobatus in the laboratory.

One student will work predominantly on experimental approaches with Dr. Wim Kimmerer (PI), and one on molecular approaches to investigate feeding with Dr. Sarah Cohen (co-PI). However, both will gain experience with all techniques and we will all work as a team. Support will include a tuition waiver and a stipend.

Application deadline to Biology Department is 1 February 2010, see http://biology.sfsu.edu/programs/graduate

Lecturer in Marine Science

Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) seeks to hire a full-time lecturer with expertise in any aspect of marine biology or marine chemistry (academic year appointment, with renewal after the first year pending satisfactory performance and the availability of funds) to work on the Stony Brook Southampton campus. Required Qualifications: Doctorate in Marine Science or related discipline at time of appointment. Must have graduate training and teaching experience at the college level. Preferred Qualifications: Strong background in undergraduate teaching, experience in mentoring undergraduate research, and experience with course and curricular development. The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) (somas.stonybrook.edu) is the State University of New York’s center for marine and atmospheric research, education, and public service. The Stony Brook Southampton campus is located on Shinnecock Bay and features a water-front marine laboratory (http://www.somas.stonybrook.edu/facilities/marine_station.html) including a fleet of vessels and labs with flowing seawater to hold marine animals, all of which are available for teaching and research purposes. Salary will be commensurate with experience. The initial review of applications will begin on October 1, 2009 and will continue until the position is filled. For a full position description, application procedures, or to apply online, visit www.stonybrook.edu/jobs (JOBS Reference #: F-5948-09-07). Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

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