Graduate Opportunities in Plant Sciences at Texas State University (USA)

The Department of Biology at Texas State University invites applicants for Masters and PhD degrees in the plant sciences, defined broadly from molecular to global scales.   Our Biology Department has 35 tenure-track faculty covering all major areas of Biology, with a strong collaborative group in plant biology working across multiple functional, spatial, and temporal scales. Located in the Texas Hill Country near Austin, Texas State University has an enrollment of 36,000 students, with 130 graduate students in the Biology Department, plus post-docs, and 1000 undergraduate majors.


Our research in the plant science addresses population and conservation
biology, molecular biology, paleobotany and paleoecology, morphology and
anatomy, taxonomy and systematics, evolution, physiology, plant/insect
interactions, and plant ecology. Other strengths in the Biology Department
include wildlife biology, microbiology,  aquatic biology and water
resources.  Our program emphasizes field experience for students at all
levels, with many class field trips, and research projects in terrestrial
and aquatic research spanning the gradient from wet East Texas to very dry
West Texas.  The Texas Hill Country where we are located is known for its
natural beauty, high plant diversity and endemism, as well as a seasonally
stressful climate and multiple challenges resulting from human population
growth.

The following faculty members are potentially accepting graduate students
for Fall 2015:

*Nihal Dharmasiri  (nihal@txstate.edu) Plant developmental biology; We
investigate how plant hormones coordinately regulates plant growth and
development especially focusing on plant hormone auxin. We use combination
of genetic, molecular and biochemical approaches to dissect plant hormone
signaling pathways.

*Hong-Gu Kang (kang@txstate.edu) Molecular plant immunology and population
genetics investigating the role of epigenetic factors in regulating
chromatin dynamics and stability during the activation of plant immunity. We
utilize a wide range of systems biology tools including DNase I seq,
ChIP-seq and RNA-seq to gain significant insight into the role of this
exciting element of plant defense signaling. Please visit the following
website for more information: kang.wp.txstate.edu.

*Michael Huston (hustonma@txstate.edu): Biodiversity theory, modeling, and
field research;  Environmental effects on plant growth and ecosystem process
from local to global scales;  Implications of variation in Net Primary
Productivity for insect communities, ecosystems, human health, and
economics. http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ffqjsp0AAAAJ&hl=en

*David  E. Lemke (david.lemke@txstate.edu)  Plant systematics, with an
emphasis on the flora and vegetation of Texas, as well as systematic plant
anatomy and scent analysis of South African stapeliads.

*Noland H. Martin   (noland.martin@txstate.edu)  Evolutionary Ecology,
Population Biology, Quantitative Genetics. We use a variety of genetic,
genomic, and experimental approaches to examine speciation and natural
hybridization in plants.

*Susan Schwinning  (schwinn@txstate.edu)  Plant ecology with emphasis on
water use and niche diversification, vegetation modeling, invasive species
control, vegetation restoration. Please visit the following website for more
information: http://www.susan-schwinning.net/Lab

*Garland R. Upchurch  (gu01@txstate.edu)   Paleobotany and paleoecology,
with an emphasis on the rise of flowering plants, early flowering plant
diversity, and the reciprocal interaction between plants and the atmosphere.

*Paula Williamson  (pw04@txstate.edu)   Conservation biology with emphasis
on reproductive biology, population ecology and reintroduction of endangered
plant species.

Our graduate students are supported by Teaching Assistantships, research
grants to their advisors,  and competitive fellowships. We are located
between Austin and San Antonio, Texas, two exciting and diverse cities with
outstanding opportunities for music, dining, and the arts. Our campus
includes the unique aquatic resources of the San Marcos Springs and River,
as well as the 4000 acre Freeman Ranch a few miles from campus and the 9000+
acre Christmas Mountains in the Chihuahuan desert adjacent to Big Bend
National Park. More information on faculty research can be found at
individual faculty web sites: http://www.bio.txstate.edu/contacts/faculty.html

Completed applications should be received by January 15, 2015  (PhD) or Feb.
1, 2015 (MS) to ensure full consideration for Fall 2015 admission and
available fellowships. MS applications will be accepted until June 15, 2015.
 Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact potential faculty
advisors before applying. Complete information about the graduate program,
including application instructions, may be found at
http://www.bio.txstate.edu/Graduate-Programs.html