The Parasitology laboratory at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is actively seeking applications for a new Ph.D. student position to begin in fall 2022 or Spring 2023. We are looking for independent, enthusiastic and motivated student who is passionate about pursuing research in systematics and evolution of nematodes of mammals. The current project involves field and laboratory-based investigations on the systematics and evolution of heligmosomoids of small mammals across the Americas. We are using genome-wide sequencing to reconstruct their phylogeny and their relationships with different groups of mammals. If you are interested in joining our program, please send a letter of interest to Dr. Jiménez (agustinjz@siu.edu) with all of the following information: 1) Curriculum vitae or Resume. 2) Statement of your personal research interests, previous experience, and a description of the potential contributions to the lab. Make certain to include an explicit statement of your reasons to join the Parasitology lab at SIUC. We look forward to hearing from you! We recommend reading some of our latest papers, current projects and profiles of graduate students.
Unlike professional training schools (i.e., veterinary school), you will not need to pay your own tuition to attend graduate school in the Zoology program. Rather, your tuition will likely be covered by a combination of teaching assistantships, external fellowships (national or statewide agencies that provide funding), internal fellowships (college-wide funding opportunities), and research assistantships. In addition to covering your tuition, these forms of funding also provide you with a salary to support you financially during your time in graduate school. All students admitted into the program are offered 5 years of funding through TAships. These are academic appointments (9 months) renewed yearly pending satisfactory progress in the graduate program. We always encourage and help students to apply for external fellowships.
I encourage goal oriented and highly motivated students interested in systematics, ecology and evolution of parasites to apply for a position in my lab. I am particularly motivated to train individuals interested in earning a doctorate degree. I am willing to train Master's students interested in pursuing doctoral degrees. In both cases, it will be useful for the students to contact me to describe how their interest, skills and drive may fit in the current projects of the laboratory. At this time funding would be provided by the program of Zoology, which is part of the School of Biological Sciences. If you consider applying I recommend to contact me first, so I help you indentifying your fit into the graduate program. I am interested in hearing from you, especially about your motivation and commitment to a scientific career. If you are the kind of person that really enjoys biological interactions and is not deterred by rich aromas and hard work, feel free to contact me - agustinjz (at) zoology (dot) siu (dot) edu - so we can arrange a chat and/or discuss the possibility of admission. Feel free to contact my students so they can share their impressions about working with me, living in Carbondale and being a graduate student.
There are several opportunities for supporting you during your graduate studies. The university offers a number of fellowships. Check their website and the description of these programs. You may be who they we looking for. You can check this video conference where each of the fellowhips is thoroughly explained.
If supported through a Teaching Assistantship, one will be hired for 9 months (academic appointment). Summer assistantships are available depending of enrollement. Assistantships receive a monthly stipend of $1,605.00 (both M.S. and Ph.D. tracks), in addition to receiving a tuition waiver.
