Positions Open for TWO Postdoctoral Research Scientists

Please apply on the USM career site:https://usm.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=3151&site=1

These positions are full time jobs in the Hamdan Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, MS.

Job Summary 
The Hamdan Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi seeks a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to support a 3-year project funded by NOAA’s Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute. This project will contribute to multidisciplinary investigation of benthic microbial communities in the Gulf of Mexico. Project work will contribute to characterizing the seafloor in areas potentially inured by the Deepwater Horizon spill. The study investigates sediment microbiomes using culture-independent techniques to investigate community composition, alpha and beta diversity and metabolic potential. These data will contribute to monitoring ecosystem state and trajectory in sediment. The position will oversee the day-to-day management of this research project, in consultation with the principal investigator, and lead research efforts in collaboration with external scientists coordinating analysis of geochemical and macrofaunal data sets. Data management, laboratory analyses, data synthesis, publication of results in peer-reviewed journals and management of a project budget will be carried out as part of this position. Individuals with experience with microbiology and biogeochemistry, with specific knowledge and molecular biological techniques (DNA extraction, amplification, sequencing) are encouraged to apply. Experience and proficiency in bioinformatics and statistical analysis are desired. All applications must be submitted through the USM career site. Please contact Leila Hamdan (Leila.hamdan@usm.edu) with specific questions.

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities  

  1.  Develop experimental design and analyses to study potentially oil-impacted sediment microbiomes and metagenomes to characterize bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities.
  2. Develop expertise in deep-sea sediment microbial communities and contribute new knowledge and ideas to this area of research.
  3. Develop and apply bioinformatics tools and approaches to identify communities, relevant taxa and associations. Learn and apply machine learning tools to datasets generated during the study.
  4. Participate in planning and executing field work on board USM’s Research Vessel Point Sur, and other oceanographic research vessels during 2 -4 week field campaigns. 
  5. Contribute to written and oral communication, including peer-reviewed manuscripts, blog posts, outreach through social media, and the public.
  6. Archives data and maintains databases, and contributes to budget management.
  7. Participate in student mentoring.
  8. Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications A Ph.D. from an accredited college or university in coastal or marine sciences, microbiology, geomicrobiology, biogeochemistry or similar field.  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

  • Proficiency in laboratory practice, experimental design, laboratory safety procedures
  • A high level of computer literacy
  • Ability to read and interpret safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability and interest in communicating with diverse groups
  • Ability to write reports, correspondence, and peer-reviewed manuscripts 
  • Ability and interest in contributing to outreach activities.
  • Ability to contribute to a positive work environment built on trust and transparency that values different perspectives and backgrounds

Preferred Qualifications  Experience with analytical laboratory methods, experience with molecular biology methods, proficiency in bioinformatics and statistical analysis.


About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution delivering transformative programs on campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. Founded in 1910, USM is one of only 131 universities in the nation to earn the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity” designation, and its robust research enterprise includes experts in ocean science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, and large event venue safety and security, among others.  USM is also one of only 37 institutions in the nation accredited in theatre, art and design, dance and music. As an economic driver, USM generates an annual economic impact of more than $600 million across the state. USM welcomes a diverse student body of more than 14,000, representing 71 countries, all 50 states, and every county in Mississippi. USM students have collected four Truman Scholarships and 37 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, while also leading Mississippi with 27 Goldwater Scholarships, an honor that recognizes the next generation of great research scientists. Home to the Golden Eagles, USM competes in 17 Division I sports sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For more information, visit www.usm.edu.

As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer/Americans with Disabilities Act institution, The University of Southern Mississippi encourages minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities to apply.

Seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Molecular Ecology!

Please see this link for additional information and to apply:https://usm.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=3151&site=1

This is a full time job in the Hamdan Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, MS.

Job Summary 
The Hamdan Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi seeks a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to support a 3-year project funded by NOAA’s Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute. This project will contribute to multidisciplinary investigation of benthic microbial communities in the Gulf of Mexico. Project work will contribute to characterizing the seafloor in areas potentially inured by the Deepwater Horizon spill. The study investigates sediment microbiomes using culture-independent techniques to investigate community composition, alpha and beta diversity and metabolic potential. These data will contribute to monitoring ecosystem state and trajectory in sediment. The position will oversee the day-to-day management of this research project, in consultation with the principal investigator, and lead research efforts in collaboration with external scientists coordinating analysis of geochemical and macrofaunal data sets. Data management, laboratory analyses, data synthesis, publication of results in peer-reviewed journals and management of a project budget will be carried out as part of this position. Individuals with experience with microbiology and biogeochemistry, with specific knowledge and molecular biological techniques (DNA extraction, amplification, sequencing) are encouraged to apply. Experience and proficiency in bioinformatics and statistical analysis are desired. All applications must be submitted through the USM career site. Please contact Leila Hamdan (Leila.hamdan@usm.edu) with specific questions.

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities  

  1.  Develop experimental design and analyses to study potentially oil-impacted sediment microbiomes and metagenomes to characterize bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities.
  2. Develop expertise in deep-sea sediment microbial communities and contribute new knowledge and ideas to this area of research.
  3. Develop and apply bioinformatics tools and approaches to identify communities, relevant taxa and associations. Learn and apply machine learning tools to datasets generated during the study.
  4. Participate in planning and executing field work on board USM’s Research Vessel Point Sur, and other oceanographic research vessels during 2 -4 week field campaigns. 
  5. Contribute to written and oral communication, including peer-reviewed manuscripts, blog posts, outreach through social media, and the public.
  6. Archives data and maintains databases, and contributes to budget management.
  7. Participate in student mentoring.
  8. Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications A Ph.D. from an accredited college or university in coastal or marine sciences, microbiology, geomicrobiology, biogeochemistry or similar field.  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

  • Proficiency in laboratory practice, experimental design, laboratory safety procedures
  • A high level of computer literacy
  • Ability to read and interpret safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability and interest in communicating with diverse groups
  • Ability to write reports, correspondence, and peer-reviewed manuscripts 
  • Ability and interest in contributing to outreach activities.
  • Ability to contribute to a positive work environment built on trust and transparency that values different perspectives and backgrounds

Preferred Qualifications  Experience with analytical laboratory methods, experience with molecular biology methods, proficiency in bioinformatics and statistical analysis.


About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution delivering transformative programs on campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. Founded in 1910, USM is one of only 131 universities in the nation to earn the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity” designation, and its robust research enterprise includes experts in ocean science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, and large event venue safety and security, among others.  USM is also one of only 37 institutions in the nation accredited in theatre, art and design, dance and music. As an economic driver, USM generates an annual economic impact of more than $600 million across the state. USM welcomes a diverse student body of more than 14,000, representing 71 countries, all 50 states, and every county in Mississippi. USM students have collected four Truman Scholarships and 37 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, while also leading Mississippi with 27 Goldwater Scholarships, an honor that recognizes the next generation of great research scientists. Home to the Golden Eagles, USM competes in 17 Division I sports sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For more information, visit www.usm.edu.

As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer/Americans with Disabilities Act institution, The University of Southern Mississippi encourages minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities to apply.

Congratulations Dr. Mugge!

Rachel Mugge successfully defended her dissertation! Her dissertation titled “The expanding marine built environment and biofilm formation processes” investigated biofilm samples from metal and wood substrates from six sites in the Gulf of Mexico, including four historic shipwreck sites, and a laboratory experiment. Congratulations Dr. Mugge! Stay tuned to see the papers published from her work.

-RDM

New Publication Alert! Historic Wooden Shipwrecks Influence Dispersal of Deep-Sea Biofilms

The research article “Historic Wooden Shipwrecks Influence Dispersal of Deep-Sea Biofilms” by Rachel Moseley, Dr. Justyna Hampel, Rachel Mugge, and Dr. Leila Hamdan was published in Frontiers in Marine Science. This research was done as part of the Microbial Stowaways project.

Wood arrives on the seabed from natural and anthropogenic sources (e.g., wood falls and wooden shipwrecks, respectively) and creates seafloor habitats for macro-, meio- and microbiota. The way these habitats shape microbial communities and their biogeographic patterns in the deep sea requires study. The objective of this work was to investigate how historic wooden-hulled shipwrecks impact the dispersal of wood-colonizing microbial biofilms. The study addressed how proximity to wooden shipwrecks shapes diversity, richness, and community composition in the surrounding environment. Study sites included two historic shipwrecks in the northern Gulf of Mexico identified as wooden-hulled sailing vessels dating to the late 19th century. Two experimental microbial recruitment arrays containing pine and oak samples were deployed by remotely operated vehicle proximate (0–200 m) to each shipwreck and used to establish new wooden habitat features to be colonized by biofilms. The experiments remained in place for approximately 4 months, were subsequently recovered, and biofilms were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing for bacteria and archaea and ITS2 region amplification and sequencing for fungi to determine alpha diversity metrics and community composition. The work examined the influence of wood type, proximity to shipwrecks, and environmental context on the biofilms formed on the surfaces. Wood type was the most significant feature shaping bacterial composition, but not archaeal or fungal composition. Proximity to shipwrecks was also a significant influence on bacterial and archaeal composition and alpha diversity, but not on fungal communities. In all 3 domains, a peak in alpha diversity and richness was observed on pine and oak samples placed ~125 m from the shipwrecks. This peak may be evidence of an ecotone, or convergence zone, between the shipwreck influenced seabed and the surrounding seafloor. This study provides evidence that historic wooden shipwrecks influence microbial biofilm dispersal in the deep sea.

For the full article: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.873445/full

This article also received media attention including this article from Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/under-sea-shipwrecks-expand-microbial-diversity-new-study-shows-1714833

Thanks for following our research!!

RDM

New Publication Alert! “Microbiomes respond predictably to built habitats on the seafloor” published in Molecular Ecology

A new paper from the Hamdan Lab was published in Molecular Ecology. “Microbiomes respond predictably to built habitats on the seafloor” was led by Dr. Justyna Hampel with Rachel Moseley and Dr. Leila Hamdan. The study addresses the impact of shipwrecks on surrounding seafloor microbiomes by using 762 deep-sea sediment samples from around nine shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico.

The seafloor contains complex ecosystems where habitat heterogeneity influences biodiversity. Natural biological and geological features including vents, seeps and reefs create habitats that select for distinct populations of micro- and macrofauna. While largely studied for macrobiological diversity, built habitats may also select distinct microbiomes. Built habitat density on the seafloor is increasing with ocean sprawl expanding in the continental shelf and slope, potentially having widespread effects on benthic communities. This study addresses one type of built habitat, shipwrecks, on microbiomes in surrounding sediment. Using deep-sea sediment samples (762 total) from the Gulf of Mexico, we report elevated diversity and a predictable core microbiome around nine shipwrecks. We show the sphere of influence of built habitats extends up to 300 m onto the seafloor. Supervised learning made predictions of sample proximity to structures based on frequency of taxa. Strongest predictions occurred in sediments nearest and furthest from sites for archaea and mid-transect for bacteria. The response of archaea to built habitats was consistent across sites, while bacteria showed greater between site variability. The archaeal core shipwreck microbiome was enriched in taxa (e.g., Bathyarchaeia, Lokiarchaeia, Thermoplasmata) not present in the surrounding seafloor. Shipwrecks shaped microbiomes in expected ways, providing insight on how built habitats impact microbiome biodiversity in the Anthropocene.

Check out the full paper to learn more!

-RDM

Smithsonian Magazine Quotes Dr. Hamdan

Smithsonian Magazine recently released an article titled “How Shipwrecks Shape the Seafloor”. The article interviews several shipwreck researchers, including Dr. Leila Hamdan, to discuss how sunken vessels influence marine ecosystems. Shipwreck ecosystems are vitally important to understand and our lab at The University of Southern Mississippi is continuing to make discoveries in the field.

As Dr. Hamdan said at the end of the article, ‘“All you need to do is, wherever you are right now, look out your window,” Hamdan said. Consider how humans have shaped the terrestrial world and the distribution of organisms within it. We’re doing that with the seafloor as well, we just don’t see it,” she said. “We now know that human debris is changing the most fundamental units of life on the seabed, just by being there.”’

Read the full article here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-of-natural-history/2022/05/12/how-shipwrecks-shape-the-seafloor/

Stay tuned to our website to continue learning about our research. We have two new publications coming soon!

-RDM

Dr. Hamdan quoted in Popular Science article

Popular Science published an article February 23, 2022 titled “There’s a lot we don’t know about the International Space Station’s ocean grave”. This article interviewed deep-sea scientists, including Dr. Leila Hamdan, to understand how the sinking of the International Space Station in the Pacific Ocean may impact marine life.

A highlight of Dr. Hamdan from the article: ‘“That’s going to be a really large human structure with a lot of human materials in it, that is now sitting on the seafloor,” She says. “It would be naive to think that that’s not going to change the ecology that’s present.”’

The article explores how humans continue to impact the deep sea and how important it is to continue to study these important environments. Read the full article online here: https://www.popsci.com/space/international-space-station-retire-ocean-life/

-RDM

New Publication Alert! “Deep-sea wooden shipwrecks influence sediment microbiome diversity” published in Limnology and Oceanography

We have a new article published in Limnology and Oceanography titled “Deep-sea wooden shipwrecks influence sediment microbiome diversity”. The paper, by Dr. Justyna Hampel and colleagues, investigated the influence of two historic wooden shipwrecks, from the Microbial Stowaways project, on sediment microbiomes in the deep sea.

Historic shipwrecks function as habitats for benthic organisms by providing food, refuge, and structure. They also form islands of biodiversity on the seabed, shaping microbial ecology and ecosystem processes. This study examined two wooden deep-sea shipwrecks at 525 and 1800 m water depth and probed their influence on sediment microbiomes and geochemistry. Microbiomes were investigated with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing along 60 m transects extending in four directions from the hulls of the shipwrecks. Distance from shipwrecks and sediment depth both shaped microbiome structure. Archaeal alpha diversity was significantly and positively correlated with proximity to the deeper shipwreck while bacterial diversity was not to either. Archaeal community structure differed at both sites; the deeper site had a higher proportion of Bathyarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia proximate to shipwreck compared to the shallow location. Major bacterial communities were consistent at both sites, however, at the deeper site had higher abundance of Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Desulfofarculales, and Desulfobacteriales. Core microbiome and differential abundance analyses revealed unique taxa nearest the shipwrecks compared to the surrounding seabed including organoheterotrophs, and cellulolytic and sulfur cycling taxa. Sediment carbon content influenced microbiome structure near the shipwrecks (5–10 m). We show that shipwrecks have a distinct sediment microbiome and form unique habitat patches on seabed, resembling those surrounding organic falls. The shipwreck influence was more pronounced at the deeper site, further from terrestrial influences, signaling shipwrecks may be a significant source of organic matter in far-shore oligotrophic settings.

The full paper is available online now! And stay tuned, the next paper from the Microbial Stowaways project is coming soon!

-RDM

Coastal Sciences Graduate Fellowship in Support of Diversity

The Department of Coastal Sciences of the University of Southern Mississippi School of Ocean Science and Engineering is pleased to announce the availability of graduate fellowships in support of diversity to prospective students seeking a M.S. or Ph.D. degree. These fellowships are awarded competitively and are intended to support the recruitment of graduate students from historically underrepresented groups in coastal and marine science who demonstrate scholarly promise. Additional information on the Department of Coastal Sciences and the Coastal Sciences graduate program are available at https://www.usm.edu/graduate-programs/coastal-sciences.php. Candidates must contact potential faculty advisors in the Department of Coastal Sciences to discuss their research and educational interests and must identify a faculty sponsor prior to submitting a fellowship application. The graduate school application fee for students applying to the Coastal Sciences Graduate Fellowship in Support of Diversity will be waived. Mississippi residents who fall under historically underrepresented groups in coastal and marine science are particularly encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline

June 30, 2021

(Spring 2022 admission to the graduate program)

Additional Information

Location: The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, MS

Salary: $1,900/month (M.S.) or $1,950/month (Ph.D). Salary increases $50/month when the student advances to candidacy. Additional benefits include a tuition waiver and health insurance.

Contact: penny.isgar@usm.edu, 228.818.8887

usm.edu/ocean

How to Apply

To be considered for a fellowship, applicants will be required to submit the following by the application deadline:

1. A CV

2. Official transcripts

3. A statement of purpose

4. Three letters of recommendation. (It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure recommendation letters are submitted by the deadline.)

5. An essay that speaks to the candidate’s inclusion in one or more historically underrepresented groups in higher education. This essay is separate and in addition to the statement of purpose but should be submitted with the statement of purpose as a single PDF.

For all admission applications (undergraduate, graduate, or international) visit usm.edu/admissions.

The Essay

Applicants should use the essay to articulate how their experiences and background have influenced their career to this point (including how those experiences influenced their decision to apply for graduate school). Within this statement, applicants should provide insight about how they could contribute to a scholarly environment that values inclusivity and diversity. Applicants should also consider their potential in contributing to the inclusivity of COA, USM, and their broader field of study, as applicable. The essay should be a maximum of two pages. Applicants should use this essay to address how one or more of the following identities or experiences, and their intersections,
apply to them.
• Member of an ethnic or racial group underrepresented or marginalized in graduate education and coastal and marine science, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous (American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Native Pacific Islander) and/or Latinx
• First-generation college student
• McNair or Mellon Mays Undergraduate Scholar
• Other identities and experiences including, but not limited to:
− Being of a gender and/or sexual orientation identity historically underrepresented
− Those who identify as a military veteran
− Those that manage a disability
− Those who have experienced housing or food insecurity
− Single parents

The candidates will be initially evaluated based on the completeness of their application, their academic records (as evidenced through their CV and transcripts), their potential to flourish in the COA program (as evidenced through their statement of purpose and letters of recommendation), and potential to contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Division of Coastal Sciences (as evidenced in their essay). The three top candidates will then be asked for an on-campus or virtual interview with faculty and students from the Division of Coastal Sciences. Preference for Mississippi residents from historically underrepresented groups in coastal and marine science may be shown if all other marks between applicants are equal.