OPPORTUNITIES
Prospective Postdoctoral Researchers
PHYLOGENOMICS OF MIRIDAE (NSF-FUNDED): The Bond Lab at the University of California, Davis (UCD) and the Forthman Lab at the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) welcome applications for a postdoctoral researcher to focus on a collaborative phylogenomic project of the megadiverse plant bugs (Miridae). The successful candidate will work with a multi-institutional team of researchers, involving the Bond and Forthman Labs, as well as the Weirauch Lab at the University of California, Riverside (lead project institution). This collaborative project will focus on the evolution of Miridae, an understudied insect family. While most plant bugs are phytophagous with a limited host plant range, the group also includes predatory, mycetophagous, and zoophytophagous lineages, making this group economically important as crop pests and beneficial predatory insects. Plant bugs are extremely speciose in Mediterranean-type regions, including the California Floristic Province (CA-FP) biodiversity hotspot. Despite a substantial biodiversity dataset generated for plant bugs through past NSF-funding, its current utility is hindered by the absence of robustly supported phylogenetic hypotheses, limiting exploration of biogeographic history and host plant evolution. In this project, we will: 1) generate a worldwide phylogeny of plant bugs based on ultraconserved element (UCE) data and investigate 2) temporal and diet evolution of Miridae, 3) biogeographic history and host plant evolution of Nearctic taxa, and 4) phylogenetic diversity in the CA-FP. For additional details regarding the project and application process for the opportunity, see here.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
SYTEMATICS OF COREOIDEA: Recent phylogenetic analyses have demonstrated widespread taxonomic issues within the Coreoidea. I encourage prospective postdocs interested in conducting comparative morphological studies and/or taxonomic revisions of groups within the superfamily to contact me. See Funding and Application information below for further details.
INSECT DIAGNOSTICS: A continuous goal of my lab is to develop diagnostic tools for heteropteran and thysanopteran pests currently in California, as well as emerging pests that could threaten California agriculture. Prospective postdocs interested in developing diagnostic resources for taxa within Heteroptera or Thysanoptera are encouraged to contact me. See Funding and Application information below for further details.
RESEARCH IN HETEROPTERA: While my research focus has been on Reduviidae and Coreoidea, prospective postdocs in my lab can work on other groups of Heteroptera and diverse questions that overlap with some of my research interests. See Funding and Application information below for further details.
FUNDING AND APPLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: At this time, you will need to apply for grants to fund your research for the additional opportunities listed above or we will need to collaborate on writing a grant proposal. Please, contact me first before applying for grants. The National Science Foundation offers various fellowships for postdoctoral researchers, but other granting agencies (e.g., USDA) may be a potential source of funding. Grants proposal that require cost sharing will not be possible. Note that the California Department of Food & Agriculture does not have a postdoctoral classification. As such, postdocs joining the lab will need to have a faculty sponsor from the University of California - Davis. If you would like to discuss working as part of my lab for these additional opportunities, please contact me with the following information:
PHYLOGENOMICS OF MIRIDAE (NSF-FUNDED): The Bond Lab at the University of California, Davis (UCD) and the Forthman Lab at the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) welcome applications for a postdoctoral researcher to focus on a collaborative phylogenomic project of the megadiverse plant bugs (Miridae). The successful candidate will work with a multi-institutional team of researchers, involving the Bond and Forthman Labs, as well as the Weirauch Lab at the University of California, Riverside (lead project institution). This collaborative project will focus on the evolution of Miridae, an understudied insect family. While most plant bugs are phytophagous with a limited host plant range, the group also includes predatory, mycetophagous, and zoophytophagous lineages, making this group economically important as crop pests and beneficial predatory insects. Plant bugs are extremely speciose in Mediterranean-type regions, including the California Floristic Province (CA-FP) biodiversity hotspot. Despite a substantial biodiversity dataset generated for plant bugs through past NSF-funding, its current utility is hindered by the absence of robustly supported phylogenetic hypotheses, limiting exploration of biogeographic history and host plant evolution. In this project, we will: 1) generate a worldwide phylogeny of plant bugs based on ultraconserved element (UCE) data and investigate 2) temporal and diet evolution of Miridae, 3) biogeographic history and host plant evolution of Nearctic taxa, and 4) phylogenetic diversity in the CA-FP. For additional details regarding the project and application process for the opportunity, see here.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
SYTEMATICS OF COREOIDEA: Recent phylogenetic analyses have demonstrated widespread taxonomic issues within the Coreoidea. I encourage prospective postdocs interested in conducting comparative morphological studies and/or taxonomic revisions of groups within the superfamily to contact me. See Funding and Application information below for further details.
INSECT DIAGNOSTICS: A continuous goal of my lab is to develop diagnostic tools for heteropteran and thysanopteran pests currently in California, as well as emerging pests that could threaten California agriculture. Prospective postdocs interested in developing diagnostic resources for taxa within Heteroptera or Thysanoptera are encouraged to contact me. See Funding and Application information below for further details.
RESEARCH IN HETEROPTERA: While my research focus has been on Reduviidae and Coreoidea, prospective postdocs in my lab can work on other groups of Heteroptera and diverse questions that overlap with some of my research interests. See Funding and Application information below for further details.
FUNDING AND APPLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: At this time, you will need to apply for grants to fund your research for the additional opportunities listed above or we will need to collaborate on writing a grant proposal. Please, contact me first before applying for grants. The National Science Foundation offers various fellowships for postdoctoral researchers, but other granting agencies (e.g., USDA) may be a potential source of funding. Grants proposal that require cost sharing will not be possible. Note that the California Department of Food & Agriculture does not have a postdoctoral classification. As such, postdocs joining the lab will need to have a faculty sponsor from the University of California - Davis. If you would like to discuss working as part of my lab for these additional opportunities, please contact me with the following information:
- Your research area(s) of interest and how they are compatible with my research in systematics, taxonomy, and evolution. You must have a strong background of basic research in one or more of these areas.
- General outline of your proposed project (e.g., research objectives or questions, general approach to the project, and expected timeline).
- CV.
- PDFs of up to three relevant publications from your M.S., Ph.D., or prior postdoctoral research (submitted or near submission manuscripts acceptable).
- Grant solicitation, if you know what funding source you want to apply to.
- (Optional) — Name and departmental affiliation of one or more potential faculty sponsors at the University of California - Davis. Please, do not contact these individuals until we have discussed the possibility of working in my lab.
Prospective Undergraduate Students
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES PROGRAM (NSF-FUNDED): A National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program has been funded for six students to receive training in insect biodiversity in the California Floristic Province biodiversity hotspot over the next three years across various institutions; this will be two students per year (starting in 2024), one from the University of California - Riverside (UCR) and one from the University of California - Davis (UCD). Prospective REU students will enroll in relevant courses at UCR and UCD to receive background on insect biodiversity and/or field entomology prior to a 10-week research internship at the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) during the summer. Students will have the opportunity to select their focus group of insects, develop research aims, and experience working in a state agency that protects food and agriculture from plant pests, all under the guidance of UCR, UCD, and CDFA scientists. Given the structure of the REU, prospective students at UCR and UCD will apply to the REU program at the beginning of the academic year prior to the summer internship. As such, students at UCR and UCD will need to look for announcements from the entomology departments and institutional emails about the REU and application process.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Other undergraduate positions in phylogenetic, evolutionary, and taxonomic research are available in my lab. Usually, these positions are posted on Handshake for students in local colleges to apply for. These are volunteer opportunities, but accepted students will be strongly encouraged to enroll in course credit at their institution for research experience. Depending on the quality of work and student interest, opportunities to be involved in a publication reporting the findings of these projects are possible. If you would like to inquire about available positions in my lab, you can do so by contacting me. While not required in our initial correspondence, it will be helpful if you can also provide the following information in your first email:
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES PROGRAM (NSF-FUNDED): A National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program has been funded for six students to receive training in insect biodiversity in the California Floristic Province biodiversity hotspot over the next three years across various institutions; this will be two students per year (starting in 2024), one from the University of California - Riverside (UCR) and one from the University of California - Davis (UCD). Prospective REU students will enroll in relevant courses at UCR and UCD to receive background on insect biodiversity and/or field entomology prior to a 10-week research internship at the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) during the summer. Students will have the opportunity to select their focus group of insects, develop research aims, and experience working in a state agency that protects food and agriculture from plant pests, all under the guidance of UCR, UCD, and CDFA scientists. Given the structure of the REU, prospective students at UCR and UCD will apply to the REU program at the beginning of the academic year prior to the summer internship. As such, students at UCR and UCD will need to look for announcements from the entomology departments and institutional emails about the REU and application process.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Other undergraduate positions in phylogenetic, evolutionary, and taxonomic research are available in my lab. Usually, these positions are posted on Handshake for students in local colleges to apply for. These are volunteer opportunities, but accepted students will be strongly encouraged to enroll in course credit at their institution for research experience. Depending on the quality of work and student interest, opportunities to be involved in a publication reporting the findings of these projects are possible. If you would like to inquire about available positions in my lab, you can do so by contacting me. While not required in our initial correspondence, it will be helpful if you can also provide the following information in your first email:
- Your research area(s) of interest and how they are compatible with my research in systematics, taxonomy, and evolution. It is preferred, but not required, that you have familiarity with basic research in one or more of these areas.
- Relevant courses and/or research experience. Prior research experience is not required to join the lab.
- CV/resume.
Prospective Graduate Students
At this time, I am not able to financially support graduate students. However, if you are interested in having me serve as an external committee member on your masters thesis or doctoral dissertation committee, please contact me with information regarding your research and affiliation and include your CV, thesis/dissertation proposal (if available), and a PDF(s) of any publication(s) you have published.
At this time, I am not able to financially support graduate students. However, if you are interested in having me serve as an external committee member on your masters thesis or doctoral dissertation committee, please contact me with information regarding your research and affiliation and include your CV, thesis/dissertation proposal (if available), and a PDF(s) of any publication(s) you have published.