A great opportunity for any undergraduates interested in meiofauna, environmental sequencing, and bioinformatics training – reposting from the RCN EukHiTS website:
Following on from a highly successful event last year, we’re very excited to announce the second annual “Bioinformatics & Biodiversity” Undergraduate Workshop at the University of New Hampshire, scheduled for July 27-30, 2015 in Durham, NH. Click here to download a PDF flyer – we encourage you to post and share this opportunity!
Microscopic eukaryotes (meiofauna e.g. nematode worms, copepods, protists, fungi, etc.) are some of the most abundant animals on Earth, but species within these groups are often overlooked by the general public and even many biologists. This NSF-sponsored workshop will explore the field of environmental DNA sequencing, including collection and analysis of data. Students will learn how high-throughput approaches (rRNA gene surveys, metagenomics) are being used to investigate the biodiversity of microbial eukaryotes and deepen our knowledge of ecosystem function. The workshop program will be a combination of lectures and practical exercises, where students will learn about traditional taxonomic approaches and also gain experience using the command line and bioinformatics tools to analyze environmental DNA datasets. We welcome applications from undergraduates currently enrolled in any higher-educational institution in the USA. All applicants are expected to have taken, at minimum, an introductory college-level course in Biology. Successful applicants will receive a stipend to cover all costs including travel. To apply, e-mail the following materials to eukhits@gmail.com by Monday April 13, 2015:
- Curriculum Vitae (including contact details for references)
- Statement of interest (indicating biology courses taken and how attending the workshop would benefit your long-term career goals; maximum length 1 page)
- Reference letters are recommended but not required
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can international/overseas students apply for this workshop?
A. No, unfortunately workshop application is restricted to students currently enrolled at US-based institutes (which includes international students attending US colleges). For future workshops we may extend the application process to students enrolled at overseas institutes (this will depend on the conditions of our funding). Thanks for your interest, and keep an eye on on the RCN website for future opportunities.
Q. For the CV (including references), exactly how many and what kind of references are preferred?
A. One letter of recommendation can accompany the application (written by a professor or research supervisor) – this is optional, but may significantly increase the strength of your application. On your CV you can also list contact information for any additional professional references (up to three references); for example, you may want to list references relating to any relevant work experience or research projects.
