MS or PhD Student interested in plant-insect interactions at University of Alaska

A highly qualified MS or PhD student is being sought to work on an NSF-funded project examining plant-insect interactions involving aspen (Populus tremuloides) in Interior Alaska.

The research examines the impact of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and chemical defense on damage by an herbivore, the aspen leaf miner (Phyllocnistis populiella), that currently impacts 80% of all aspen leaves in the region.

Much of the work seeks to understand the mechanisms leading to patterns of mining damage in relationship to the presence of EFNs and focuses on tri-trophic interactions involving both ants and parasitoids.

Competitive candidates will have a sincere interest in and curiosity about plant-insect interactions, a strong background in ecology, a good undergraduate record, superior GRE scores, and strong letters of reference.

The successful candidate will be expected to qualify for admittance to the Department of Biology and Wildlife and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Graduate School.

The successful candidate may enter our graduate program in the summer or fall.

For more information please contact Pat Doak (ffpd@uaf.edu).

Pat Doak
Department of Biology and Wildlife
Institute of Arctic Biology
University of Alaska
Fairbanks AK 99775
(907) 474 6449
Fax: (907) 474 6716
ffpd@uaf.edu See; MS or PhD Student interested in plant-insect interactions at University of Alaska