Join the Mizumoto Lab
Graduate students
We are recruiting two PhD students in Entomology for Fall 2027:
- Termite collective behavior and nest building: fieldwork, behavioral experiments, and video analysis
- Termite social and nest evolution: comparative data, phylogenetics, modeling, and simulation
Applicants may apply to either or both positions. See the Fall 2027 PhD recruitment page for full descriptions and application instructions.
Postdocs
An NSF-funded postdoctoral position is anticipated for 2027, with flexibility for a later start.
The project investigates how collective nest-building behavior evolved in termites by integrating comparative behavioral experiments across 21 species, computational modeling of the relationship between individual behavior and colony-level structures, and phylogenetic comparative analysis.
I am particularly interested in hearing from researchers with a strong background in computational modeling or quantitative behavioral analysis and an interest in social insects, collective behavior, or behavioral evolution. The postdoctoral researcher would take intellectual leadership in developing a computational framework that connects variation in individual building behavior with variation in emergent nest structures.
Researchers whose background is a strong fit for this project are welcome to contact Dr. Mizumoto with a brief introduction and CV.
Undergraduate researchers
Undergraduate students may participate through research credit (ENTM 4980, 1–3 credit hours) or paid hourly work.
Research-credit students conduct a small, student-led project developed with Dr. Mizumoto based on their interests and available lab projects. Previous topics include environmental effects on termite tunneling and the evolution of body size in termites and cockroaches. Students are expected to work consistently, maintain organized records, analyze their results, and communicate their findings through a report or presentation. Students are also encouraged to present at the Auburn Research Symposium and submit their work to the Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship.
Paid undergraduate positions are compensated at $12 per hour, subject to available funding and project needs. Students typically assist with graduate student-led or faculty-led projects. Tasks may include termite colony maintenance, behavioral tracking correction, labeling termite body parts for machine-learning analysis, specimen processing, and database entry.
To inquire, email Dr. Nobuaki Mizumoto at nzm0095@auburn.edu with:
- CV
- Major
- Academic year and expected graduation date
- Brief description of research interests
- Interest in ENTM 4980, paid work, or either option