JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Tooker Lab in the Department of Entomology at Penn State, University Park is now accepting applications for summer research assistant positions to work 40 hours per week for up to 16 weeks over the summer. The position is set to begin in early May 2024 and continue into August, but start and end dates are negotiable. Our research group studies ecology of plants, plant-feeding insects and slugs, and spiders and predatory insects in agricultural and natural systems. Our projects this summer will focus on:

1. Ecologically-based management (e.g., biological control) of crop pests
2. The role of cover crops in pest control
3. Plants that can "smell" their attackers and then defend themselves
4. The influence of agrochemicals on aquatic insect communities

This position is based in State College over the summer. Successful applicants will be paid a competitive hourly wage and will help graduate students and faculty with their new and ongoing research projects. We conduct greenhouse, lab, and field experiments and assistants will gain experience in different types of research techniques and systems. As assistants gain experience, they will gain more independence in their responsibilities. Interest in animals, plants, and agriculture are welcome but not required. We are looking for a diverse group of summer assistants who are curious and motivated with desire to learn new details about the world around us!

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity in society and nature, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: