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About the Water and Life Interface Institute (WALII, pronounced “Wally”): WALII studies how life interacts with water, from the molecular to the organismal level, across plants, fungi, and animals. WALII is a virtual institute, with scientists located at 11 research facilities across the United States. WALII team members have diverse expertise, ranging from biophysics to plant biology, and experience with several desiccation-tolerant and -sensitive systems. Working together, WALII researchers aim to uncover the rules by which organisms interact with water, exploring four integrated themes: The Institute’s long-term goals are to understand how organisms can tolerate desiccation; invent technologies and concepts to study anhydrobiosis; engineer macromolecules, cells, and organisms that can survive desiccation; and produce the next generation of leaders in all sectors of our society. To achieve these aims, WALII provides mentoring, outreach opportunities, and professional development for all affiliated scientists. That includes funding support for travel to scientific conferences, and internal professional development/training programs.
2025 Summer Internships for Undergraduates
Summer internships are available in multiple WALII labs (see below). Each location has a separate application process and offers different experiences. Students interested in WALII projects are encouraged to apply to multiple campuses.
Interns working on WALII projects will form virtual cohorts*. Interns will have opportunities to attend seminars, participate in a mentorship program, and engage with online career development activities (such as a Q&A career panel and a graduate school preparation workshop). All internships are paid opportunities, but the stipend amounts, and program benefits, may vary by geographic region. No previous research experience is required. WALII has created a handout with tips for applying for summer internships. Click here to view the application tips.
*Interns hosted by labs at Baylor College of Medicine, Michigan State University, and University of Wisconsin-Madison will be part of an on-campus cohort of interns unaffiliated with WALII and will have additional opportunities for in-person social activities.
Now Accepting Summer Internship Applications:
Interns working on WALII projects will form virtual cohorts*. Interns will have opportunities to attend seminars, participate in a mentorship program, and engage with online career development activities (such as a Q&A career panel and a graduate school preparation workshop). All internships are paid opportunities, but the stipend amounts, and program benefits, may vary by geographic region. No previous research experience is required. WALII has created a handout with tips for applying for summer internships. Click here to view the application tips.
*Interns hosted by labs at Baylor College of Medicine, Michigan State University, and University of Wisconsin-Madison will be part of an on-campus cohort of interns unaffiliated with WALII and will have additional opportunities for in-person social activities.
Now Accepting Summer Internship Applications:
- Baylor College of Medicine (Boeynaems Lab). WALII Project: Molecular rules of membraneless organelle water responsiveness. Applications are due January 20, 2025. Click here to learn more and apply.
- Michigan State University (Rhee Lab and the VanBuren Lab). Applications are due February 7, 2025. Click here to learn more and apply.
- WALII Project (Rhee Lab): Investigating molecular pathways essential for seeds to survive desiccation and rehydration.
- WALII Project (VanBuren Lab): Identify conserved and lineage-specific molecular responses to anhydrobiosis.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (Otegui Lab). WALII Project: How do cellular structures change during dehydration? Applications are due February 15, 2025. Click here to learn more and apply.
- University of Wyoming (Boothby Lab). WALII Project option a: Investigating the material and biophysical properties that allow for survival/protection in the solid state. WALII Project option b: Tardigrade taxonomy and distribution citizen science project. Applications are due March 31, 2025. Click here to learn more and apply.
Open positions
Research Associate fixed-term position available at the Water and Life Interface Institute – Michigan State University campus (the Rhee Lab): We seek to recruit a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher with training in molecular biology, plant genetics, or cell biology. The project will leverage recent advances in microscopy, genetics, and physiology to understand molecular mechanisms of dehydration and desiccation tolerance in Arabidopsis. This project is part of a recently funded NSF Biology Integration Institute called Water and Life Interface Institute (WALII, pronounced “Wally”). WALII studies how life interacts with water, from the molecular to the organismal level, across plants, fungi, and animals. WALII is a virtual institute, with scientists located at nine research facilities across the United States. Working together, WALII team members aim to uncover the rules by which organisms interact with water. The candidate selected for this position will be working primarily on Theme 2. Learn more and apply here.
