Dr. Clare Rittschof’s lab at the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) is recruiting undergraduate students to participate in research projects funded by the National Science Foundation during Summer 2022. Description of opportunity: Honey bees live in large cooperative colonies. Individual “worker bees” work together to manage the needs of the colony, including collecting food, producing honey, defending the colony, and caring for the queen and developing bees. Undergraduates will work with teams of beekeepers and graduate students on projects that investigate how interactions with nestmates shape worker bee behavior and genome dynamics. Students will participate in field experiments, lab-based behavioral assays, specimen collection, tissue dissections, molecular analyses, and data presentation. Students will learn about the scientific research process, science careers, basic beekeeping practices, and bee biology and health.
Remembering E. O. Wilson
We thought some of you might be interested in this tribute by one of our IUSSI-NAS members Mark Moffett remembering Edward O. Wilson.
https://www.skeptic.com/
Winner of 2021 LaFage award
The Jeffery P. La Fage Student Award for Applied Research on Social Insects recognizes a graduate student for distinguished research and scholarly activity on social insects, with an emphasis on applied projects. The award consists of a certificate and an honorarium.
We are pleased. to announce the winner of the Jeffery P. La Fage Student Award for Applied Research on Social Insects is Maggie Shanahan.
A brief description of her research “My research examines the use of plant resins, or propolis, by honey bees and stingless bees. Specifically, I study the ways in which this antimicrobial nest construction material impacts the immune function of individual bees and the strength of the colony as a whole. I also work alongside beekeepers and researchers at El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, the University of Minnesota, and the United States Department of Agriculture to evaluate beehive designs that encourage propolis collection and bolster colony health.”
Congratulations, Maggie!
Texas Tech University: Postdoc in developmental genetics and evolution of obligate sterility
The Linksvayer Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University in collaboration with Arjuna Rajakumar (McGill University) is seeking a postdoctoral researcher for a new four-year funded NSF project: Evolutionary developmental systems genetics of obligate sterility in ants. This project is funded through the US NSF Enabling Discovery through GEnomic Tools (EDGE) – COMPLEX MULTIGENIC TRAITS TRACK and seeks to understand the developmental genetics and comparative genomics of an exciting and tractable complex phenotype: obligate sterility in ants (see https://www.nsf.gov/
The evolution of eusociality is a major evolutionary transition, where once solitary organisms become developmentally integrated and live in colonies. Eusociality is characterized by a reproductive division of labor between queen and worker castes. In most species, the worker caste has reproductive organs and can reproduce under certain circumstances, while in some species, workers are obligately sterile. Such obligate sterility, where the worker caste loses its ovaries early in development, has evolved 14 times independently in ants. Our project seeks to understand how obligate sterility evolved using an integrative evo-devo approach that combines developmental genetics, comparative transcriptomics, comparative genomics, and functional genomics.
We are especially looking for candidates with previous experience in developmental biology and with molecular techniques (e.g., cloning, in situ/immuno, RNAi/CRISPR). Knowledge of insect development and advanced knowledge of microscopy are assets.
The start date is very flexible but could be as early as February 1, 2022.
Salary will be commensurate with experience, with the NIH NRSA postdoc stipends as a starting guideline (e.g., $53,760 for 0 years of postdoctoral experience, see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/
Please apply directly at: https://sjobs.brassring.com/
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITION IN HONEY BEE BIOLOGY, NORTH CAROLINA, USA
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITION IN HONEY BEE BIOLOGY, NORTH CAROLINA, USA
North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC), Life Sciences Branch—U.S. Army Research Office (Research Triangle Park, NC), and University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB)
We are looking for one PhD-level scientist to join a collaborative research team on a project studying honey bee health, stress resistance, and lifespan. The postdoctoral researcher will be mentored by Dr. David Tarpy (NC State), Dr. Olav Rueppell (University of Alberta), and Dr. Micheline Strand (Research Triangle Park). While the position will be based at NC State University in Raleigh, NC, the incumbent will be advised by all team members as appropriate.
Position description: The position and associated research projects are open ended, where we are soliciting a wide variety of potential studies in the broader field of honey bee health. However, those that address genetic and environmental variation in stress resistance and its relation to life expectancy in honey bees will be particularly well-suited. The applicants should have some molecular or suborganismal research experience and be comfortable working with live honey bees. Candidates with skills that are complementary to and bolster existing strengths within our research team will be particularly favored. The successful candidate will be required to write a short written research proposal on their research paradigm.
Candidate qualifications: (1) A PhD in biology, ecology, entomology, genetics, or related field; (2) Background and experience or willingness to work with honey bees as a biological research model; (3) Proven track record in peer-reviewed scientific publication and grantsmanship; (4) Evidence of effective interpersonal and organizational skills, as well as working within an interdisciplinary team environment; (5) Excellent written and oral communication skills; and (6) Demonstrable experience in statistical analysis of large datasets.
Applications should be electronic and comprise a CV, contact information of three professional references, and a short (one-page) description of why you are interested in joining our team. Review of applications will begin February 15, 2022. Please send all inquiries and applications to:
David R. Tarpy
University Faculty Scholar Professor
Department of Applied Ecology
North Carolina State University
Termite Course 2022 is On
Research associate position, Delta Research and Extension Center, Stoneville, MS
This is a full-time, regular position in the Pollinator Health program located at the Delta Research and Extension Center, Stoneville, MS and in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology in Starkville, MS. The research goal of the lab is to promote the health of all bees; therefore, the incumbent will be responsible for performing professional-level work that includes combination of field work during the summer and laboratory activities for the rest of the year.
Please see link to apply and for more information.
Student & Postdoc Travel Awards to attend IUSSI 2022
The executive committee is very pleased to announce that the North American Section anticipates funding graduate student, postdoc and early career travel to the IX International Congress of the IUSSI, to be held in San Diego, CA, July 3-7th, 2022 . This quadrennial meeting is the largest entomological meeting focused on social insects, and is the best opportunity for IUSSI-NAS members to present their work to an appreciative audience, interact with current and potential collaborators, and locate future employers. Please see the official call for more information.
Two ongoing tenure track position searches at the University of Texas at Tyler
The positions are in 1) Genetics and 2) Pedagogy of Biology. Both are fairly broadly defined. See links below.
2) Pedagogy of Biology https://www.
Please contact Dr. Jon Seal with any questions.
Dr. Jon N. Seal Center for Environment, Biodiversity and Conservation Department of Biology University of Texas at Tyler 3900 University Blvd Tyler, TX 75799, USA https://www.uttyler.edu/biology/research/seal/index. php Office (903) 566-7126 Fax (903) 566-7189
Overview of ASU Social Insect Research Group
Please see the copy of the SIRG (social insect research group) magazine from ASU.