Evolutionary Biology Lab Intern

, Iowa

Office Hours: 8:30AM - 5PM

Internship Title: Evolutionary Biology Lab Intern

Routine laboratory work in an evolutionary biology lab.

Responsibilities/Focus:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to include general lab maintenance, setting up and maintaining snail cultures and experiments, filing information/entering data, and participation in laboratory events such as weekly lab meetings. The position may or may not include focused participation in a particular experiment or study. The intern should plan to work between 8:30AM and 5 PM on weekdays (flexible within these time periods) and/or when their participation is needed for a particular task.

The assistant will support two primary research themes in the lab. The first set of projects revolves around testing the hypothesis that asexuality is rare at least in part because sex is required to prevent the accumulation of harmful mutations and facilitate the spread of beneficial mutations. We are using a variety of genetic and genomic approaches to address these questions inP. antipodarum. Related projects assess whether mutation accumulation in asexualP. antipodarumlineages has detectable negative effects.

Another major research focus in our lab is centered on the consequences of the higher ploidy of asexual vs. sexual snails. Like most sexual organisms, sexualP. antipodarumhave two chromosome sets, while asexualP. antipodarum(like most asexuals) have at least three. Changes in ploidy level can dramatically affect key organismal traits such as cell size, body composition, and growth rate. In collaboration with Dr. Amy Krist (University of Wyoming), we are currently addressing whether these possible consequences of polyploidy affect asexualP. antipodarumin a manner that could help compensate for the costs of sex and/or influence the distribution of ploidy level variation within and across natural populations.

Essential Functions:

•Student will assist in the preparation of specimens and equipment for research experiments.Students will assist with basic laboratory chores and maintenance.

•Student will assist professor and graduate students in execution and analysis of computer models.

•Student will be trained to in the appropriate safety protocols and computer programs.

Minimum Job Requirements:

•Must be a self-starter, team player and able to perform routine tasks without being prompted.

•Must be prompt and dependable.

•Must be a high school student in good standing.

•Must be poised, mature, and possess a positive attitude while being flexible.

•Ability to follow instructions a must.

•Must be professional, courteous, respectful, and trustworthy.

THIS DESCRIPTION DOES NOT LIST ALL DUTIES. INTERN MAY BE ASKED TO PERFORM OTHER DUTIES BY THE STAFF OR SUPERVISOR. INTERN WILL BE EVALUATED ON PERFORMANCE OF THE PROJECTS LISTED AS WELL AS INTERACTION WITH EMPLOYEES AND CLIENTS. ON-SITE HOURS WILL BE NEGOTIATED WITH EACH CANDIDATE.

SAFETY EXPECTATIONS, INCLUDING HARASSMENT, SHOULD BE REVIEWED WITH THE HOST.

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