Dr. Crystal N. Johnson in the Louisiana State University Department of Environmental Sciences is seeking 1 Ph.D. student interested in conducting a collaborative microbiome study. Mastery of methods such as real-time PCR, metagenomics, and bioinformatics is highly valued. The project will include some field work in Louisiana (10%), work in a BSL-2 laboratory (70%), and work on local and remote computers (20%). The student will be responsible for supervising up to two undergraduate researchers. More background information on Dr. Johnson can be found at https://www.lsu.edu/cce/about/cce-directories/faculty-profiles/johnson_crystal.php
Successful candidates will likely have a GPA of at least 3.0, prior laboratory experiences, and mastery in preparatory courses, such as microbiology, molecular biology, introductory statistics, and computational biology. Applicant must be mature, responsible, capable of thinking critically and working independently, meticulous, and highly attentive to detail. Some field collections will be urgent (e.g., less than 24 hours notice) and will include occasional weekends. The candidate will have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a science field.
The stipend is $30,667 per 12 months. Tuition costs are covered by the grant, but fees are not. Other optional tests include GRE (ideally with scores of at least 150 verbal and 150 quantitative) and TOEFL for international students (ideally with scores of at least 213 computer, 550 paper, or 80 internet-based).
If interested, submit application materials to cnjohnson@lsu.edu with the number 49376436 in the subject line, ideally by June 15, 2024. Application materials may include unofficial transcripts, the contact information for 3 references, a personal statement, resume/CV, GRE scores, papers that include the applicant as an author, and other products that support the application. After interviews and evaluation, the finalist will submit a formal application to the LSU Graduate School for the Department of Environmental Sciences. The graduate assistantship begins in fall of 2024 (August 2024).
