- Agency
- Nicholls State University
- Location
- Thibodaux, Louisiana
- Job Category
- Graduate Assistantships
- Salary
- $9,600/yr + additional summer salary, tuition and out of stafe fee waiver
- Start Date
- 08/09/2023
- Last Date to Apply
- 04/28/2023
- Website
- https://www.nicholls.edu/
- Description
- Two Teaching Assistantships (in the labs of Dr. Boopathy and Dr. Zou) will be available for the Fall 2023 semester for the Master of Science in Marine and Environmental Biology program at Nicholls State University. Teaching Assistantships include tuition wavier and stipend of $4,800 a semester. See the faculty position posts below for additional summer salary options. For more information about the program visit https://www.nicholls.edu/biology/master-of-science-degree-program/. Admission requirements include: • A graduate faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences agrees to serve as major professor (mentor agreement form in the departmental application packet) • B.S. degree in science curriculum • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 • Combined GRE (verbal + quantitative) of 300 Application procedure includes an online application and fee (http://www.nicholls.edu/apply/), and cover letter, CV, official GRE scores and academic transcripts, and departmental application package (https://www.nicholls.edu/biology/master-of-science-degree-program/) including three letters of recommendation (forms included in departmental application). Deadline for applying is April 28, 2023. Applicants should contact the graduate faculty listed below about research opportunities. After contacting the graduate faculty listed below, application materials and questions regarding the program should be sent (email is preferred) to Dr. Chris Bonvillain, Department of Biological Sciences, P.O. Box 2021, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 70310, 985-449-7116, chris.bonvillain@nicholls.edu. See Research Labs (https://www.nicholls.edu/biology/) for more information on faculty research interests. Research projects associated with the positions are listed below: Dr. Raj Boopathy (ramaraj.boopathy@nicholls.edu): Project title: Water Quality and Antibiotic Resistance in the Bayous of Southeast Louisiana Antibiotic resistance has become a significant public health concern due to the improper consumption and disposal of antibiotics. Improper handling often leads to selective pressure among bacteria that can lead to antibiotic resistance. Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes in southeast Louisiana, USA being heavily populated, is dependent on Bayou Terrebonne and Bayou Lafourche for its seafood, recreational activities, transportation, and source of living. The water quality of Bayou Terrebonne and other bayous has never been monitored before even though it was heavily used. The purpose of this study was to monitor the water quality of Bayou Terrebonne. One year survey will be conducted by monitoring water chemistry, total and fecal coliforms, and antibiotic resistance. The water samples will be collected in triplicate and checked for the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, coliforms organisms, and the levels of carbon, nitrogen, ammonia, sulfate, and phosphate. The antibiotics include Tetracycline, Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim, Bacitracin, Streptomycin Meropenem, and Erythromycin. The water is heavily impaired by the fecal contamination in the bayous due to improper disposal of individual sewage treatment plant from households along the bayous. Multidrug resistant bacteria are expected in these waters. Teaching Assistant ($9,600/yr) along with tuition waiver and three months summer salary of $1,300/month are available for the eligible student. Dr. Enmin Zou (em.zou@nicholls.edu): A graduate position is available in the Animal Physiology/Environmental Toxicology lab (https://labs.nicholls.edu/biol-ez/) of Nicholls State University to study crustacean exoskeletal formation and its interference by environmental chemicals using the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, as the model crustacean. The student of this position will be supported by a teaching assistantship during regular semesters. In the summer, the student is expected to be supplemented by three months of a research assistantship of around $2,000 per month. Through this project, the student will become familiar with a suite of field and lab techniques useful in physiological and environmental toxicological research, such as soft shell crab production, enzymatic assay, qPCR, metal quantification, etc. For lab information, please visit https://labs.nicholls.edu/biol-ez/. If interested in this graduate position, please contact Dr. Enmin Zou via em.zou@nicholls.edu.
- Qualifications
- Admission requirements include: • A graduate faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences agrees to serve as major professor (mentor agreement form in the departmental application packet) • B.S. degree in science curriculum • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 • Combined GRE (verbal + quantitative) of 300
- Contact Person
- Dr. Chris Bonvillain
- Contact eMail
- chris.bonvillain@nicholls.edu
