Description: The Ashbrook lab at Louisiana State University is recruiting a Master’s student that will focus on improving disease vector management capacity in the Southern US for the Fall of 2024. The successful candidate will investigate barriers to effective disease vector management encountered by pest management professionals and others. This involves conducting surveys and needs assessments, and developing and implementing targeted training programs to address identified issues. The candidate will work on enhancing vector-borne disease prevention strategies for medical pests managed by pest control operators and public health experts. The LSU Department of Entomology is located in Baton Rouge on the banks of the Mississippi River. The Department is co-located with the Life Sciences Building, and students have access to diverse campus facilities https://www.lsu.edu/research/about/centers.php) to obtain additional training and assistance for their research.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a background in entomology, biology, microbiology or a related discipline. The successful candidate will be highly motivated and can work with others in team settings as well as independently. The successful candidate would have skills in communication, organization, research experience (experimental design, data collection, analysis, writing reports or fact sheets), and a desire to help others with their pest issues in practical ways. The candidate should desire to generate data that can be used to improve pest management outcomes in Louisiana and elsewhere. The successful applicant will have opportunities to give academic presentations and deliver extension content to target stakeholder groups.

Start date and compensation: The position will start in Fall 2024. The student will be fully funded with a competitive stipend and tuition waiver.

To apply: If you are interested in applying for the position, please reach out to Aashbrook@agcenter.lsu.edu and include the following:

1) A cover letter that describes your research interests and motivations to focus on pest management in and around homes, experience, and career goals.

2) CV or resume (GRE scores not necessary)

3) Unofficial transcripts

4) Name and contact information for three references.

If you have any questions about the position, the laboratory, graduate program, etc. please send me an email. The successful candidate will have to apply to the Louisiana State University Graduate School. For more details, please visit the LSU Entomology website (http://entomology.lsu.edu/prospective.html).