Join our lab
Master & PhD students
Graduate students at the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology at Auburn University are fully funded by Research Assistantship.
At this time, Mizumoto-lab is not accepting students. However, if you are very interested in joining the lab in the future. We are happy to start discussing the opportunity beforehand.
Postdocs
Please send me an email to discuss opportunities and funding possibilities.
Undergraduate students
Are you interested in insect behavior, social insects, and/or computational behavioral analysis?
Please send a brief message describing your background and motivation. The below is the example opportunity:
Research Assistant Positions: Termite Behavior and Evolution
The Mizumoto Lab is recruiting two motivated undergraduate research assistants to explore the evolution of complex termite social behaviors. Our research compares termite behaviors across various scales—statewide, nationwide, and internationally—by integrating classic behavioral observations with advanced computational video analysis. Undergraduate assistants will work on one of two primary projects:
- Project 1: Video Tracking of Termite Behavior
Responsibilities include using deep-learning software (sleap.ai) to extract and analyze termite posture and movements from video footage. Key tasks involve reviewing and manually correcting tracking data, labeling termite body parts for machine learning, and possibly recording new termite behavior videos or analyzing movement data. No prior programming or coding skills are required. This project is ideal for students interested in animal behavior analysis.
- Project 2: Termite Identification and Classification
Assist in developing image-based software for identifying Alabama’s five similar termite species. Main tasks include processing termite samples, dissecting specimens, and photographing body parts. No prior experience with insects is necessary, and students may have the chance to study interspecies behavioral differences as the project progresses. This project suits students interested in insect diversity and identification.
Expected commitment is at least 10 hours per week during the semester, with opportunities for summer research and conference presentations. The starting pay rate is $12 per hour. Please send your CV (including major, academic year, and expected graduation date) and a short paragraph about your background and research interests to Nobuaki Mizumoto at nzm0095@auburn.edu. Join us in investigating the fascinating behaviors of termite societies and contributing to the understanding of social evolution!
See also here