Project title

Death from Above: Microbial communities & disease pressure from forest floor to canopy

Mentor's name(s)

Dr. Erin Spear, STRI Staff Scientist.
SpearER@si.edu

Co-supervisor: Javier Ballesteros, , Lab Manager.

Location of internship. Will mentor be at this location?

Gamboa

Project summary

Intern will build on a multifaceted and multi-year project assessing vertical turnover of fungi from forest floor to canopy, the role of abiotic factors in turnover, interannual changes in fungal community composition, and fungal-fungal interactions. Depending on the intern’s skillset and interests, this project will involve lab-based work culturing and molecularly identifying fungi, assessing fungal tolerance of abiotic stressors, and/or greenhouse-based inoculation experiments. This is a full-time, in-person appointment for a 3-month period. Interns are expected to devote 40 hours per week to research. Expected time allocation: 20% greenhouse work and 70% laboratory work (note: these time allocations may change depending on the project), 10% entering and analyzing data and writing. Each intern is expected to produce and present an informal report on results and outcomes to the lab group. The intention is that the final report will be incorporated into a peer-reviewed scientific publication, with the intern as a co-author.

Mentorship goals

Intern will gain practical experience with experimental design and project execution, as well as core lab skills. Intern is expected to consider the broader impacts and science communication of the project by developing relevant social media posts and/or other outreach materials. Research and career guidance is available through one-on-one and lab meetings. Additionally, interns are encouraged to attend weekly STRI seminars, exposing them to a wide range of research topics and providing an opportunity to interact with the broader STRI community. Interns would be joining a vibrant scientific community, as well as building a network of research mentors at various career stages and potential future collaborators.

Desired background

Interest in mycology or plant-pathogen interactions. Experience using aseptic technique to culture fungi and extract and amplify DNA. Ability to accurately and effectively enter data in spreadsheets. Experience using the statistical program R, at a minimum for descriptive statistics, and working in a greenhouse, particularly in hot and humid conditions. Advanced English skills.