Graduate positions:

The Uyeda lab at Virginia Tech is happy to discuss Masters and PhD graduate positions for enthusiastic and motivated students for positions starting in the fall of 2022. Graduate students in the lab will develop and conduct independent research using cutting-edge phylogenetic and macroevolutionary methods in a variety of empirical systems, ranging from plants to animals. The primary research goal of the lab is to understand how we can better connect macroevolutionary patterns to our understanding of biological processes at other scales (e.g. field studies, paleontology, genetics, biomechanics, etc.). Students will learn computational techniques for studying evolutionary patterns on phylogenetic trees while pursuing answers to important questions regarding the history of life. Ongoing projects in the lab include studies of the drivers of shifts in metabolic scaling across the tree of life, using phenotypic ontologies to better model transitions in the evolution of tetrapod limbs, and connecting suction-feeding performance surfaces to adaptive radiations in fishes.

Students with interests in either computational and empirical/field based projects are encouraged to apply. Applicants interested in applying for an NSF GRFP should email as soon as possible to discuss possible proposal topics. The deadline for receipt of all application materials for the Ph.D. program at Virginia Tech is usually around December 15th, although earlier submission is encouraged to ensure full consideration for available fellowships. It is STRONGLY SUGGESTED that prospective students contact me directly at (juyeda@vt.edu) with an informal inquiry before applying. If after discussion there is mutual interest, please let me know if you are interested in an Application Fee Waiver and I will do my best to accomodate.

Virginia Tech offers potential students a large collaborative community of faculty, postdocs and students, including our growing Ecology, Evolution and Behavior and Integrative Organismal Biology groups. Our department and University offer training in interdisciplinary research and prioritize mentorship. We strongly value diversity and seek to support students from all backgrounds to achieve their academic, career and life goals.

Our students take advantage of many resources at Virginia Tech, including the Genomics Sequencing Center , the Fralin Life Science Institute, and the Global Change Center. Although students are encouraged to pursue extramural funding opportunities, accepted Ph.D. students are guaranteed 5 years of funding (including summers) through a combination of teaching assistantships and graduate research assistantships, which are available in the Uyeda lab. Our students have received fellowships through the Interfaces of Global Change program ( http://www.globalchange.vt.edu/igc/ ), Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science program (http://www.ictas.vt.edu/education/docScholars.php), and NIH funded IMSD program (https://imsd.apsc.vt.edu/).

Information about applications can be found at: https://www.biol.vt.edu/Graduates.html