Tag: Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Summer 2024 Recipient – Swapan Chakrabarty

Swapan Chakrabarty standing outdoors
Swapan Chakrabarty – Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology

In the summer of 2021, I joined as a Ph.D. student in Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology and started working as a Graduate Research Assistant on a USDA-NIFA project at the Kuelheim Lab at the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Tech. By this time, I completed Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics and Data Science Foundations. I am going to complete a course-based M.S. in Data Science with bioinformatics domain in Spring 2024.

My research interest includes the study of the genetic basis of plant evolution and adaptation in changing climate using genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics approaches. In my Ph.D. dissertation “Novel methods of tree improvement in the genomic era”, I performed a meta-analysis to find out the suitable tree genetic improvement methods appropriate for different contexts and provided a framework for future tree genetic improvements. Through doing a comparative genome-wide association studies using a reference genome of Eucalyptus grandis, an in vitro generated Eucalyptus polybractea pseudo-reference, and a hybrid assembled E. polybractea reference genome, I am investigating if we can use pseudo-references or even just related genome as the reference genome for tree genetic studies. I am also investigating the transcriptomic regulation of foliar terpene-related genes in Eucalyptus camaldulensis to understand how transcriptional variation in E. camaldulensis influence terpene production and local adaptation. I also working on de novo assemblies of Quercus ellipsoidales genome to investigate structural variation between Q. ellipsoidales and Quercus rubra genome to identify the specific genomic regions related to climatic adaption and species diversification in oaks. Overall, my research provides an overview of trends of using tree genetic improvement methods and how the advanced methods and technologies help in achieving the goal of tree genetic improvement program.

I would like to express my profound gratitude to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and Dean for awarding me the Doctoral Finishing Fellowship. This fellowship has been a tremendous source of inspiration and support for me, and it has marked an important turning point in my academic and professional career. My sincere appreciation to my advisor Dr. Carsten Külheim for his invaluable guidance, support and expertise which has been instrumental in shaping me for my future profession. I would also like to extend sincere gratitude to my committee members Dr. Victor Busov, Dr. Stephen Techtmann, Dr. David Kainer, and program coordinator Dr. Molly Cavaleri as well as lab members, friends and family, whose continuous support and help have been vital for my accomplishment during my studies at Michigan Tech. I am excited for the learning and growth that awaits me, which I know will greatly influence my future pursuits.

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship – Spring 2022 Recipient – James K. Rauschendorfer

James Rauschendorfer is a PhD candidate in the Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology graduate program. He is the recipient of a spring 2022 finishing fellowship and is advised by Dr. Carsten Külheim and Dr. Molly Cavaleri. 

The main goal of his PhD project is to assess the climate change readiness of these species using provenance trials, genetics, and physiology. His study is the first to use such a combination to assess climate adaptation in trees and will help prevent deforestation through climate-related events.  He is personally excited to live at a time when genetic resources are becoming widely available for many tree species.

Michigan Space Grant Consortium graduate fellowship application support

The Graduate School is offering support services to assist graduate students in applying for the Michigan Space Grant Consortium’s Graduate Fellowship, including a workshop and one-on-one writing support.

MSGC’s Graduate Fellowship opportunity supports graduate students from affiliate
institutions who are conducting research and public service projects relevant to NASA’s strategic interests as expressed in NASA’s 2014 & 2018 Strategic Plans, specifically, research focused on aerospace, space science, and earth system science. Graduate students working in other, related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields are also eligible to apply. Starting this year, MSGC is piloting an expanded definition of STEM to include support for interdisciplinary projects that include art, so graduate students conducting research and projects relevant to NASA’s strategic interests in disciplines not traditionally considered STEM, such as the humanities or social sciences, are likewise encouraged to apply.

Fellowship recipients are awarded $5,000. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. nationals, have a good academic record, and be in good academic standing. Women, under-represented minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Students currently receiving MSGC Fellowships are eligible to reapply.

Workshop information: Overview and tips from an MSGC Fellowship reviewer
Date and Time: Friday, September 17th, from 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM
Location: Admin 404
Presenter: Will Cantrell, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School
Host: Sarah Isaacson, GLAS Program Director, sisaacso@mtu.edu
Register here: https://forms.gle/RSPYtUHVD6Yjimou6
A recording of the workshop will be available beginning September 21st.

Deadlines:
Wednesday, Nov. 3 at noon — Internal deadline for undergraduate and graduate fellowship proposals
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m. — Final materials, after review and approval by SPO, must be uploaded to MSGC by the applicant

For more information and specific application instructions, visit the MSGC website and the MTU Graduate School’s MSGC web page.

Doctoral Finishing Fellowship Fall 2018 Recipient – Wenping Deng

Wendping Deng
Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
wenping deng

I started my PhD in Michigan Tech. in August 2015 after working as a lecturer for ten years in Northeast Forestry University, China.

My PhD research is focused on developing appropriate statistical and machine learning models to reconstruct gene regulatory network from gene expression data. In these 3 years, I developed a backward elimination random forest (BWERF) algorithm for reconstructing multilayered hierarchical gene regulatory network, and a new graphical Gaussian model (JRmGRN) for joint reconstruction of multiple gene regulatory networks using data from multiple tissues or conditions. Reconstructing gene regulatory networks helps elucidating the nature of complex biological processes and disease mechanisms in a variety of organisms. Comprehending the associations between genes has important ramifications in pathological studies for explaining disease pathways and identifying biomarkers for prognosis and diagnosis.
I would like to give my sincere gratitude to the Graduate School at Michigan Tech. for this financial support, which gives me an opportunity to put all my efforts on completing my PHD degree this semester.

Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship – Spring 2018 Recipients

Congratulations! Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship Award Spring 2018 Recipients

Shadi Ahmadi Darani (Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics PhD)
Ting Bao (Civil Engineering PhD)
Kishan Bellur (Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics PhD)
El Hachemi Bouali (Geology PhD)
Liang Chang (Materials Science and Engineering PhD)
Joshua Davis (Accounting MS)
Wenping Deng (Forest Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology PhD)
Jennifer Dunn (Environmental  and Energy Policy PhD)
Brandon Jackson (Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics PhD)
Meghnath Jaishi (Physics PhD)
Zhaoxiang Jin (Computer Science PhD)
Steven Landry (Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors PhD)
Xiaoyu Liang (Mathematical Sciences PhD)
Ameya Narkar (Biomedical Engineering PhD)
Kimberly Tweedale (Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture PhD)
Le Zhao (Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics PhD)
Saeedeh Ziaeefard (Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics PhD)

Graduate School Announces Award Recipients

The Graduate School is pleased to announce that the following students have earned:

Doctoral Finishing Fellowships:

Jun Ma, PhD candidate in Computer Science
Evgeniy Kulakov, PhD candidate in Geology
Colin Gurganus, PhD candidate in Atmospheric Sciences
Suntara Fueangfung, PhD candidate in Chemistry
Fang Chen, PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering
Xiaohui Wang, PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering
Jennifer Riehl, PhD candidate in Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
Stephanie Ogren, PhD candidate in Biological Sciences
Tayloria Adams, PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering

Dean’s Fellowships:

Bonnie Zwissler, PhD candidate in Civil Engineering
Matthew Brege, PhD candidate in Chemistry
Bryan Steinhoff, PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics

DeVlieg Foundation Fellowships:

Howard Haselhuhn, PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering
John Henderson, PhD candidate in Forest Science

King-Ch`avez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowships:

Zoe Miller, MS candidate in Environmental Engineering
Darnishia Slade, PhD candidate in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors
Ronesha Strozier, MS candidate in Environmental Policy

Photographs and details of awards and fellowships coordinated by the Graduate School can be found online:

www.mtu.edu/gradschool/administration/academics/awards-fellowships/

New theses available in the Library

The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:

  • Applied Ecology
  • Applied Natural Resource Economics
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Forest Ecology and Management
  • Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Forestry
  • Geology
  • Industrial Archaeology
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Mechanical Engineering

WWF funding and fellowship opportunities

The Luc Hoffmann Institute pursues synthesis ideas that will deliver cutting edge results with a clear pathway to application for decision makers and civil society practitioners in WWF’s key focus areas.  WWF focus areas can be broken into goals focused onpriority places and priority species, and goals focused on reducing human impact, or the human footprint.  Many of these goals receive additional focus through WWF’s Global Initiatives.

Our next call for full proposals is JANUARY 5th, 2014.  For this call, we are accepting proposal ideas across the full suite of WWF focus areas, with a particular focus on synthesis proposals relevant to the goals of WWF Global Initiatives, as well as proposals that explore trade-offs and consequences of alternative social, economic, and ecological futures in the greater Yangtze River area.

To allow enough time to make the next proposal deadline, we recommend that you send us your proposal ideas no later than December 1st, 2013.

If you have any questions related to our process, or in submitting your idea, please contact Emilie Cavallo at ecavallo@wwfint.org.

Proposal submission is a two-step process.

New Theses and Dissertations Available in the Library

The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses and dissertations are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:

  • Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Forest Ecology and Management
  • Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Geology
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
  • Physics