{"id":36,"date":"2022-08-23T13:44:15","date_gmt":"2022-08-23T20:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/?page_id=36"},"modified":"2026-05-20T12:54:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T19:54:31","slug":"opportunities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Fernandez Lab welcomes prospective PhD and postdoctoral fellows interested in disease ecology, infectious disease systems, One Health, movement ecology, spatial modeling, and AI-enabled ecological inference. Projects in the lab examine how ecological conditions, human and animal movement, behavior, health systems, and landscapes shape pathogen exposure and transmission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We do not currently have open funded positions. However, prospective candidates are encouraged to explore the fellowship opportunities listed below. Candidates should review each opportunity carefully, including eligibility requirements, deadlines, and program priorities, before contacting Dr. Fernandez. Early contact is strongly recommended so that there is sufficient time to develop a project that aligns with the fellowship mechanism, the lab\u2019s research program, and the candidate\u2019s long-term research goals.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-accordion\">\r\n    <h3 id=\"unique-id-1__72421\" class=\"wsu-accordion__title\">\r\n        <button class=\"wsu-accordion__title-button wsu-accordion--toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"unique-id-1__content\">Graduate fellowships<\/button>\r\n    <\/h3>\r\n    <div id=\"unique-id-1__content\" class=\"wsu-accordion__content\" aria-labelledby=\"unique-id-1__72421\">\r\n        <div class=\"wsu-accordion__content-inner\">\r\n            \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Opportunity<\/th><th>Best candidate profile<\/th><th>Potential project areas in the lab<\/th><th>What makes the fit strong<\/th><th>Deadline \/ timing<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/nsfgrfp.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program \u2014 GRFP<\/a><\/strong><\/td><td>Advanced undergraduate students, recent bachelor\u2019s graduates, post-baccalaureate researchers, or first-year graduate students who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and plan to pursue a research-based master\u2019s or PhD in an NSF-supported STEM field.<\/td><td>Projects could focus on <strong>disease ecology, One Health, movement ecology, spatial modeling, vector-borne disease systems, host\u2013pathogen interactions, or AI-enabled ecological inference<\/strong>. Students might develop projects on how landscapes, animal and human movement, environmental change, or behavior shape pathogen exposure and transmission.<\/td><td>Strong fit for students interested in <strong>fundamental ecological and biological questions<\/strong> with broader impacts for public health, environmental health, or community-engaged science. Competitive projects should emphasize biological insight, research potential, quantitative or field-based training, and clear broader impacts. NSF evaluates applications using <strong>Intellectual Merit<\/strong> and <strong>Broader Impacts<\/strong>.<\/td><td><strong>Life Sciences:  November 10, 2025<\/strong><br><br>Yearly applications in October\/<br>November<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quadfellowship.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Quad Fellowship<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td>Prospective or current full-time graduate students in eligible STEM fields at U.S.-based universities. <br><br>Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of Australia, India, Japan, the United States, or one of the 10 ASEAN countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam. <br><br>Eligible fields include Biology, Data Science, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and related STEM areas.<\/td><td>Projects could focus on <strong>disease ecology, One Health, data science for infectious disease systems, environmental drivers of pathogen exposure, movement ecology, spatial modeling, or AI-enabled ecological inference<\/strong>. This could include work on how human and animal movement, landscapes, environmental change, or health systems shape exposure to zoonotic, vector-borne, or environmentally mediated pathogens.<\/td><td>Strong fit for students interested in the intersection of <strong>STEM, social impact, international collaboration, and public benefit<\/strong>. Competitive applicants should be able to explain how their scientific training can contribute to collective good, cross-cultural collaboration, and solutions to complex global health or environmental challenges.<\/td><td>The application to select the <strong>2025\u20132026 Fellows is closed<\/strong>. <br><br>Yearly applications<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NSF GRFP<\/strong> is one of the strongest fellowship opportunities for undergraduate students and recent graduates who are considering a research-based PhD. It is especially appropriate for students who already have some research experience and are ready to develop an independent graduate research idea. Students interested in the Fern\u00e1ndez Lab may consider projects that ask how ecological conditions, movement, behavior, landscapes, and host\u2013pathogen systems shape infectious disease exposure and transmission. Applicants should review NSF GRFP eligibility carefully before contacting Dr. Fernandez, as the fellowship is limited to U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents and has specific rules about prior graduate enrollment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Quad Fellowship <\/strong>may be appropriate for prospective or current graduate students from eligible countries who are interested in STEM research with societal impact. In the Fern\u00e1ndez Lab, strong project directions could include One Health, disease ecology, movement ecology, infectious disease data science, spatial modeling, and AI-enabled ecological inference. This fellowship is especially relevant for students who want to connect rigorous STEM training with international collaboration, public benefit, and complex global health or environmental problems. Applicants should review eligibility carefully, including citizenship or permanent residency requirements, eligible STEM fields, and U.S.-based graduate enrollment requirements, before contacting Dr. Fernandez.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wsu-accordion\">\r\n    <h3 id=\"unique-id-1__37048\" class=\"wsu-accordion__title\">\r\n        <button class=\"wsu-accordion__title-button wsu-accordion--toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"unique-id-1__content\">Postdoctoral fellowship opportunities<\/button>\r\n    <\/h3>\r\n    <div id=\"unique-id-1__content\" class=\"wsu-accordion__content\" aria-labelledby=\"unique-id-1__37048\">\r\n        <div class=\"wsu-accordion__content-inner\">\r\n            \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Opportunity<\/th><th>Best candidate profile<\/th><th>Potential project areas in the lab<\/th><th>What makes the fit strong<\/th><th>Upcoming deadline<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pew.org\/en\/projects\/pew-latin-american-fellows\/directory-of-latin-fellows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences<\/a><\/strong><\/td><td>Early-career scientist from Latin America seeking postdoctoral training in the U.S. Best suited for candidates with backgrounds in infectious disease, microbiology, parasitology, vector biology, antimicrobial resistance, epidemiology, or host\u2013pathogen ecology.<\/td><td>Projects could focus on <strong>zoonotic, vector-borne, or antimicrobial-resistant infections in Latin America<\/strong>, including how pathogens move across people, animals, households, health systems, and landscapes. Examples include Chagas disease ecology, antimicrobial resistance at the hospital\u2013community interface, or animal-associated pathogen exposure.<\/td><td>Strong fit for candidates interested in <strong>biomedical infectious disease research with a Latin America focus<\/strong> and in building long-term research capacity and collaborations in the region.<\/td><td>Opens <strong>June 3, 2026<\/strong>; closes <strong>August 19, 2026<\/strong> for the 2027 class.<br><br>Yearly applications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfsp.org\/funding\/hfsp-funding\/postdoctoral-fellowships\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships<\/a><\/strong><\/td><td>International candidates proposing a major shift in discipline or research direction. Strong fit for applicants from quantitative biology, ecology, evolution, microbiology, physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, or complex systems science.<\/td><td>Projects could examine <strong>general biological rules of pathogen transmission<\/strong>, such as how host movement, animal behavior, contact networks, environmental heterogeneity, and microbial or parasite ecology shape infection risk across scales.<\/td><td>Strong fit for candidates interested in <strong>high-risk, interdisciplinary, basic life-science questions<\/strong> using infectious disease systems as model systems for broader biological insight.<\/td><td>Letter of intent initiation due <strong>before May 5, 2026<\/strong>; LOI due <strong>May 12, 2026<\/strong>; invited full proposals due <strong>September 24, 2026<\/strong>.<br><br>Yearly applications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wrfseattle.org\/grants\/wrf-postdoctoral-fellowships\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships<\/a><\/strong><\/td><td>Early-career postdocs conducting innovative research at a Washington-based nonprofit research institution. Strong fit for candidates with backgrounds in data science, disease ecology, spatial epidemiology, environmental health, mobile health, computational biology, or public health technology.<\/td><td>Projects could develop <strong>data-driven tools for infectious disease exposure and surveillance<\/strong>, such as models that combine human or animal movement, environmental risk, ecological data, and behavioral information to improve exposure assessment or guide prevention. Potential systems include tick-borne diseases, zoonotic influenza, or adaptive surveillance under limited resources.<\/td><td>Strong fit for candidates interested in <strong>translational research, enabling technologies, public benefit, and decision-support tools<\/strong> developed in Washington state.<\/td><td>Opens <strong>May 1, 2026<\/strong>; applications and recommendation letters due <strong>June 25, 2026, 11:59 PM PDT<\/strong>.<br><br>Yearly applications<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/prfb-postdoctoral-research-fellowships-biology\">NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology \u2014 PRFB<\/a><\/strong><\/td><td>U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident; early-career scientist seeking independent training at the interface of biology and artificial intelligence. Strong fit for biologists seeking AI training or computational researchers moving into biological systems.<\/td><td>Projects could use <strong>AI or machine learning to discover ecological and biological patterns in host\u2013pathogen systems<\/strong>, such as how movement through heterogeneous landscapes creates exposure to vectors or pathogens, or how sparse ecological and surveillance data can reveal hidden biological processes.<\/td><td>Strong fit for candidates interested in <strong>AI-enabled biological discovery<\/strong>, ecological inference, host\u2013pathogen systems, and generalizable biological mechanisms rather than purely applied surveillance or clinical prediction.<\/td><td>Full proposal due <strong>September 29, 2026<\/strong>; future deadlines listed as <strong>September 28, 2027<\/strong>, then the fourth Tuesday in September annually. Priority topics may change between calls.<br><br><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Fernandez Lab welcomes prospective PhD and postdoctoral fellows interested in disease ecology, infectious disease systems, One Health, movement ecology, spatial modeling, and AI-enabled ecological inference. Projects in the lab examine how ecological conditions, human and animal movement, behavior, health systems, and landscapes shape pathogen exposure and transmission. We do not currently have open funded [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23264,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_wsuwp_accessibility_report":null},"categories":[],"tags":[],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/36"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23264"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/36\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":170,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/36\/revisions\/170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/eco-epi-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=36"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}