PhD research assistantship — University of Mississippi, Dept. of Biology
The Taylor Lab at the University of Mississippi is actively recruiting three PhD students to start in the Spring or Fall of 2026. Selected students will have the opportunity to develop dissertation ideas focused on one or more of the following topics:
- The role of nitrogen fixation and denitrification in biogeochemical cycles within a variety of natural and managed freshwater ecosystems
- Trophic interactions and their effects on nutrient cycles in managed wetland ecosystems
- Sensitive ecological measures of change in alluvial and coastal plain streams
- Linkages between legacy phosphorus, biogeochemical processes, and biodiversity in streams
Applicants interested in aquatic biogeochemistry, nutrient cycling, and/or community ecology are strongly encouraged to apply. Students will be expected to conduct extensive field work with additional opportunities to conduct field mesocosm studies and laboratory experiments as part of students' dissertation experience. Students will have access to instrumentation including a membrane inlet mass spectrometer (MIMS), flow injection nutrient autoanalyzer, incubation chambers, a Carbon and Nitrogen isotope ratio mass spectrometer, and additional laboratory and field equipment. Significant opportunities to conduct pond and stream mesocosm research are also available at the University of Mississippi Field Station. Students will be supported to attend national conferences to present data.
Each PhD opportunity will include a minimum of 2 years of research assistant (RA) support through current funds with the balance of support (up to 5 years total) provided through teaching assistantships (TA) or additional RA opportunities (dependent on future funding). Students supported on RA will be expected to contribute to overall objectives of at least one of the topics listed above with the opportunity to develop related independent projects. Students supported by a full RA or TA in the Dept. of Biology are provided a full tuition waiver and health insurance. For more general information on the Graduate Program, please visit the Department of Biological Sciences and Graduate School websites.
https://olemiss.edu/biology/academics/graduateprograms/
Interested applicants should contact Dr. Jason Taylor at jmtay@olemiss.edu prior to applying and provide your current CV, unofficial transcripts, and a brief description of yourself and your research experience & interests. More information on the Taylor Lab can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/jasonmtaylorphd/home