Training/Employment Opportunities
Undergraduate Opportunities
Hourly positions: Undergraduate students are employed to assist with laboratory, greenhouse, and field research projects. Students typically work 8-12 hours/week during the academic year and full-time during the summer (late May through August).
Independent research projects: Undergraduate students interested in conducting guided independent research projects may be funded through any of a variety of UW fellowship programs (e.g., Hilldale, Holstrom) or through the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. These are competitive programs, with annual application deadlines typically in January. Inquire early!
Graduate Opportunities
Graduate students may pursue advanced degrees in Entomology, Zoology, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, or the Intstitute of Environmental Studies. Graduate positions in this lab are highly competitive; many inquiries are received each year. Contact Dr. Lindroth for information about the status of funding for additional graduate students in 2008. Potential research areas include:
1) Global Change Ecology. This DOE-funded research addresses the consequences of enriched atmospheric carbon dioxide and ozone on northern deciduous forest communities. It focuses on the effects of gaseous pollutants on insect-mediated changes in ecosystem structure and function - specifically, rates of herbivory (loss of NPP) and conversion of primary production to organic substrates (frass and greenfall). The research is conducted as part of a large Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) project in northern Wisconsin. "Aspen FACE" is the largest FACE system in the world, the only system addressing the interacting effects of carbon dioxide and ozone on forests, and among the most technologically advanced and ecologically realistic systems for addressing the impacts of future environments on forest ecosystems. Graduate training in this field provides the opportunity for conducting pioneering research at a world-class facility, on issues of tremendous environmental significance.
2) Chemical Ecology of Aspen Defense Systems. This research addresses genetic and environmental factors that influence aspen chemistry, defoliation by aspen-feeding insects such as gypsy moths, and host-mediated changes in herbivore susceptibility to natural enemies. A primary focus is assessment of costs and benefits of defense (resistance and tolerance) in aspen. Candidates should be willing to develop a modicum of expertise in quantitative genetics.
3) Bioenergy Fuels and Plant-Insect Interactions. This new line of research will evaluate how genetic modifications of poplar - to enhance its potential as a biofuel feedstock - alter its susceptibility to insect pests. The work will be conducted in collaboration with tree geneticists, and will focus on how specific modifications of tree architecture and chemical content (lignin) influence the expression of chemical defense traits, thereby altering susceptibility to insect attack. Research funding is anticipated for 2008. The University of Wisconsin - Madison is the home institution of the DOE-funded Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. M.S.-Ph.D. or Ph.D. applicants only.
4) Miscellaneous projects. We currently have research projects covering a wide variety of areas, including effects of carbon dioxide, ozone and tree genetic variation on leaf litter decomposition and litter arthropod communities, costs of plant chemical defense in relation to plant competition, quantification of genetic variation in defense via controlled breeding and molecular markers, and multi-trophic level studies. Although current grant funds do not provide graduate student stipends for these projects, other funding opportunities for highly qualified students (e.g., UW, NSF or EPA fellowships) may be available.
Qualifications: Highly motivated individuals with superior academic credentials are encouraged to apply. Well-developed interpersonal skills are essential.
Stipend/benefits: 50% Research Assistantships currently provide a $19,032 stipend, tuition waiver, and excellent medical/dental health plan.
Inquiry/application procedure: Send e-mail describing academic background, research experience, and research interests to Dr. Lindroth (lindroth@entomology.wisc.edu). Applications/placement are seasonal, typically with exchanges of correspondence occurring during October-January, submission of application by January, and notification of acceptance/placement by March-April. Funding to support campus visits may be available. Link to the UW Graduate School electronic application website.
Postdoctoral Opportunities
Trophic Interactions, Chemical Ecology, and Community/Ecosystem Genetics
A postdoctoral Research Associate position will be available spring/summer 2008 to work at the interface of plant genetics/chemistry, trophic interactions, and community/ecosystem ecology and evolution. Our research program explores the genetic basis of community dynamics and ecosystem processes, using poplar (aspen and cottonwood) as a model system. Specific research projects can be designed consistent with the interests of the individual. Research could be integrated with a large, multi-investigator, multi-institutional project funded under NSF’s Frontiers in Integrative Biological Research (FIBR) program. (See the feature article on “genes to ecosystems” by Whitham et al. [2006. Nature Reviews Genetics 7:510-523].)
Primary responsibilities of the Research Associate are to develop, coordinate and execute pioneering studies relevant to the general theme of research in the Lindroth group. Specific areas of research are open, and candidates will be encouraged to develop new research avenues.
Qualifications include expertise in any of the following: plant chemical analyses, trophic interactions, community genetics, and/or forest ecosystem dynamics. Strong interpersonal, laboratory, statistical and writing skills are essential.
Salary and benefits: $33,000 - 35,000, commensurate with experience. Excellent family medical/dental health plans available at minimal cost.
Duration of position: two years.
Application : Applications will be accepted through April 15, 2008 , or until a suitable candidate is found. Send c.v., names/addresses of three references, representative reprints, and a letter detailing your fit to the position to Dr. Rick Lindroth:
lindroth@entomology.wisc.edu
.For more information about the Lindroth research group see the Lindroth home page.
