08/16/2026
PhD / MSc Position: Soil Microbial Ecology and Global Change
Evans Lab, Michigan State University, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station
• Institution: Michigan State University, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS)
• Location: Hickory Corners, Michigan (approx. 1 hour 15 minutes from East Lansing, near Kalamazoo)
• Degree Program: PhD or MSc, Department of Integrative Biology
• Advisor: Dr. Sarah Evans
• Start Date: Fall 2027
Project Overview
The Evans Lab is recruiting PhD or MSc students in microbial ecology and global change biology. The lab studies how microbial communities respond to environmental change and how they, in turn, influence ecosystem function, with particular interests in climate and land use change, plant-microbe interactions, microbial community assembly, and carbon and nutrient cycling.
Graduate projects will build on research at the KBS Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), while developing independent questions within these systems. Recent lab work has investigated microbial contributions to plant drought tolerance, bacterial-fungal interactions and nitrogen availability, and effects of agricultural management on soil health, microbial communities, and soil carbon cycling.
Research Setting
KBS hosts long-term research programs including the KBS LTER and Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) sites, which examine agricultural landscapes from complementary ecological and agricultural perspectives, along with research associated with GLBRC. These programs provide access to long-term experiments, environmental datasets, archived samples, and a broad community of collaborators in ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry, community ecology, evolution, and sustainable agriculture. KBS is a community of more than one hundred staff, researchers, students, faculty, and postdocs.
Funding and Support
Students are admitted through MSU's Department of Integrative Biology and receive guaranteed graduate support through a combination of research and teaching assistantships. Research assistantship support is available through lab grants, and prospective students are encouraged to contact Dr. Evans early if interested in developing an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship or other fellowship proposal.
Requirements
• Self-motivated, with previous research experience typically expected
• Interest in microbial ecology, global change biology, or agroecosystem sustainability
• Eligibility for admission to MSU's Department of Integrative Biology graduate program
How to Apply
Interested prospective students should contact Dr. Sarah Evans ([email protected]), describing their background and interest and attaching a resume or CV. There is no stated application deadline; early contact is encouraged, particularly for students interested in pursuing fellowship funding.
Relevant Links
• Evans Lab website: [www.saraheevanslab.weebly.com](https://www.saraheevanslab.weebly.com)
• KBS LTER: lter.kbs.msu.edu
• Kellogg Biological Station: www.kbs.msu.edu
• Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC): www.glbrc.org
• MSU Department of Integrative Biology, Graduate Program: integrativebiology.natsci.msu.edu
