The Bassar lab at Auburn University is inviting applications for PhD students interested in evolutionary ecology starting in fall 2024. Members of the lab address diverse topics in evolutionary ecology including eco-evolutionary feedbacks and their role life history evolution, the evolution of species coexistence, and host-parasite interactions. We address these questions in a diversity of ways, including the development of theory and empirical research. Most of the empirical research involves studies of fish communities (guppies and killifish) on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad. Both fish species are amenable to experiments in the lab, in seminatural artificial streams, and natural populations. Students working on their dissertation research have access to each of these facilities and to a long-term experimental evolution study of guppies in Trinidad run by my collaborators and me.
Please visit my webpage (https://ron-bassar.squarespace.com/) for more information about the lab group and The Guppy Project page (https://theguppyproject.weebly.com/) for more information about the long-term experimental research in Trinidad.
The Biological Sciences Department at Auburn is a growing group researchers interested in a diversity of questions. Graduate students in the department receive guaranteed funding for 5 years, typically in the form of Teaching Assistantships. I also have funding for several Research Assistantships.
Prospective students should email Ron Bassar at rdb0057@auburn.edu. Please include a cover letter describing your research interests, future goals, and how doing a PhD in the group will help you to achieve those goals. Please also include a CV and contact information for two references.
Ron Bassar
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Auburn University
Personal Webpage: www.ron-bassar.squarespace.com
Guppy Project Webpage: www.theguppyproject.weebly.com