Fwd: Graduate position: CornellU.FisheriesGenomics

[Ellen Hostert]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: <evo...@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca>
Date: Sat, Nov 15, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Subject: Graduate position: CornellU.FisheriesGenomics
To: <ehos...@maine.edu>

PhD Position in Evolutionary Genomics for Marine Conservation and
Fisheries Management
Cornell University

The lab of Nina Overgaard Therkildsen in the Department of Natural
Resources and the Environment at Cornell University invites applications
for a PhD position starting in Fall 2026. Our group works at the interface
of evolutionary genomics and applied fisheries science. We study how
contemporary environmental change and human impacts shape demographic,
ecological, and microevolutionary processes in marine and other aquatic
species. We are particularly interested in how human activities drive
rapid evolution in wild populations, and in the roles of ongoing genetic
adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, and shifting geographic distributions
for species persistence in a rapidly changing world.

A defining feature of our research is that we pair fundamental questions
in evolutionary genomics with concrete challenges in fisheries management
and aquatic conservation. We use high-throughput DNA sequencing and
population genomic approaches to understand the genetic and ecological
bases of local adaptation and connectivity; detect and interpret rapid,
human-induced evolutionary change; develop genomic tools that delineate
biologically meaningful management units; and inform spatial management,
harvest strategies, and conservation planning.

PhD students will have the opportunity to develop an independent
project that fits within these broad themes or to join and shape
ongoing work, including projects focused on genomic signatures of local
adaptation and contemporary evolution, applied fisheries questions
such as stock structure or climate-driven range shifts, tools for
improved delineation of management units, and approaches for estimating
contemporary connectivity, dispersal, and gene flow. Across all projects,
there is ample scope to combine conceptual advances in evolutionary
genomics with direct relevance to real-world monitoring, assessment,
and management. The position will be hosted within Cornell University's
Graduate Field of Natural Resources and the Environment, which provides
an interdisciplinary and collaborative environment for graduate training
with abundant opportunities to interact with the vibrant and diverse
academic community across the Cornell campus.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a strong background and interest in
evolutionary biology, evolutionary genomics, fisheries science, ecology,
population genomics, bioinformatics, or a closely related field. Prior
experience with molecular laboratory methods, computational work, or
large genomic datasets is strongly preferred. However, the most important
qualifications are a clear enthusiasm for both fundamental scientific
inquiry in evolutionary genomics and for applying those insights to
pressing management and conservation questions; strong written and oral
communication skills; curiosity and persistence; and the ability to work
both independently and collaboratively in a diverse research group.

How to apply: Interested candidates should email Nina Overgaard
Therkildsen (nt...@cornell.edu) with a brief statement describing their
motivation and research interests, along with a current CV and the
names and contact information of three references. Review will begin
immediately, and top candidates will be contacted on a rapid timeline
to submit a formal application to the Cornell Graduate Field of Natural
Resources by December 1, 2025. Because of the tight schedule for this
opportunity, interested students are encouraged to reach out as soon as
possible (ideally by November 20 for full consideration).



Nina Overgaard Therkildsen? (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor
Department of Natural Resources and the Environment,
Cornell University
https://www.therkildsenlab.org/=0A?


nt...@cornell.edu

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Important!  I check email once a day, and often not at all on weekends.  I will respond to your message.  Thank you for your patience.

Ellen E. Hostert, Ph.D. (she/her)
Professor of Biology
University of Maine at Machias
116 O'Brien Avenue
Machias, ME 04654
(207) 255-1301
ehos...@maine.edu