Current opportunities
Academic positions in the lab
For postdoctoral researchers: I am always interested in hearing from prospective postdoc candidates. If you are interested in working with me, please reach out to me at jejohnson@ku.edu with a cover letter and CV. I am particularly interested in understanding the big questions you care about, the kinds of methods you already have expertise in and those you want to develop experience with, and how postdoctoral training in my lab would advance your career goals. If our research interests are a good match, I would be happy to discuss current projects in the lab, and/or to help you develop applications to external fellowships. Some 2026 fellowship opportunities that may be of interest are listed below.
For graduate students: In 2026, I’m recruiting PhD students to start at KU in 2027. The KU EEB website has lots of information about the application process, admission requirements, and FAQs. If you are interested in joining my lab, please reach out to me at jejohnson@ku.edu with a cover letter that describes why you are interested in working with me, and a CV that summarizes your education and any previous research experience. If our research interests are a good match, I would be happy to help you develop an application to KU’s PhD program, as well as to external fellowships. You can apply to some external fellowships in parallel with the PhD program, and others after you have been accepted to the program (see below).
For undergraduate students and recent graduates: For current undergraduate students at KU and recent graduates with BS/BA degrees, there is a range of opportunities to be involved in research in my lab. You can see a few fellowships below that are supporting current lab members, and find many more through KU’s Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships. If you are curious about research in plant ecophysiology, the first step is to reach out to me at jejohnson@ku.edu to discuss opportunities for contributing to ongoing projects and/or developing independent projects in my lab.
Research fellowships
For postdoctoral researchers:
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These fellowships are open to applicants from any country. They provide support for three years, including salary and research expenses. For the current competition, letters of intent are due in May 2026 and full proposals in September 2026. For details, see:
https://www.hfsp.org/funding/hfsp-funding/postdoctoral-fellowships
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Individuals from EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries can apply for two to three years of support for salary and research expenses. The next call for applications will open in April 2026 with proposals due in September 2026.
For details, see:
https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships
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These fellowships are open to applicants from any country. They provide three years of support, including salary and research expenses. For the next round of competition, full applications are anticipated to be due in October 2026.
For details, see:
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These fellowships are open to US citizens and permanent residents. They provide two years of support for salary, benefits, and research expenses.
For a recent solicitation, see:
For graduate students:
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These fellowships are open to all students applying to PhD programs in biology in the US. They provide three full years of support for stipend ($50,000/yr); a cost of education allowance that covers tuition and other fees ($25,000/yr); research funds ($3,000/yr); and indirect costs ($10,600/yr).
For details, see:
https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons-graduate-fellowships-in-ecology-and-evolution/
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These fellowships are open to US citizens and permanent residents, and you can apply either before and/or after you have been accepted to KU. They provide three years of support for salary ($37,000/year in 2025) as well as a cost of education allowance that covers tuition and other fees ($16,000/year in 2025). For the current round of competition, the solicitation is available below and applications are due in November 2025.
For details on the previous call, see:
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These fellowships are only open to US citizens and permanent residents, and you can only apply after you have been accepted at KU. They provide support for you to complete 3-12 months of your PhD research at a DOE National Laboratory. You can explore the solicitation for the current round of competition below, and consider applying after you have been accepted at KU and are developing your PhD project.
For details, see:
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These fellowships are open to anyone, regardless of whether you are a US citizen of permanent resident, and you can apply either before or after you have been accepted at KU. They typically provide three years of support for salary ($40,000/year) as well as tuition, fees, and other educational costs ($10,000/year). For the current round of competition, the due date for full proposals is currently TBD.
For details, see:
For undergraduate students:
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The BioGEM program provides financial support for recent college graduates who have limited or no prior research experience. Scholars engage in interdisciplinary projects that study how organisms, populations and species respond to their past and present environment and how genetic mechanisms equip organisms to respond to future environmental change.
For details, see:
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The Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides selected undergraduate applicants with a scholarship award (up to a maximum of $9,500) for two academic years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time internship ($700/week) during the summer at a NOAA or partner facility.
For more information, see:
https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/hollings-scholarship/prospective/faq
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The Emerging Scholars Program provides research experiences for low-income students in their first year at KU and supports their overall transition to college. Students get paid an hourly wage to work 4-7 hours per week as a research assistant and to complete a monthly professional development activity and attend the monthly professional development workshops. Incoming KU undergraduates who have a Federal Work-Study Award are eligible to apply.
For details, see: