I am recruiting 1–2 students to pursue a Ph.D. in my lab at the University of California, Riverside, starting Fall 2023. These positions will be funded by first-year fellowships and teaching assistantships, with support guaranteed for 5 years. They may also be partly supported as a graduate research assistantship (GSR), for which the students would study the evolution of morphology and functional performance in frogs and toads. The GSR involves both laboratory experiments and fieldwork, which will be mostly local but may involve international trips.
Research in the lab addresses macroevolution and evolutionary biomechanics. Most projects involve fieldwork, laboratory experiments, work with museum specimens, and phylogenetic comparative analyses. Please see my lab’s website for more information: https://moenlab.ucr.edu
Students in the lab have the opportunity to work on ongoing projects, develop their own project, or a combination of the two. Some (broad) potential dissertation research topics include:
– The mechanics of movement in frogs and the consequences for macroevolutionary patterns of morphological diversity
– The mechanisms and ecology underlying diversity in locomotor performance capacity, including studies of biomechanics and muscle physiology
– Large-scale analyses of phenotypic and ecological evolution
If interested, please send me an introductory email that includes your research interests (including why you are specifically interested in working on the above topics), research experience, CV, GPA, and GRE scores (if you’ve taken them). Strong candidates will have had at least one substantial independent research experience, such as a summer REU, undergraduate research thesis, or a Master’s degree. Ideal candidates will have experience in typical lab projects and methods, including studies of performance and morphology, herpetology, phylogenetic comparative biology, and statistical analyses in R. However, more than specific experience and skills, I am seeking highly motivated applicants with a desire to work both independently and as part of a team. In the Moen lab we strongly value a diverse and inclusive environment, so we encourage applicants that share those values.
Completed applications need to be submitted to the EEOB graduate program by 1 December 2023 to receive priority consideration. However, if you are interested I strongly encourage you to begin discussing an application with me well before this deadline.
Dr. Daniel Moen (dmoen@ucr.edu)
Assistant Professor, Dept. Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology (EEOB)
University of California, Riverside
