Student Researcher Mushroom Cultivation (Piovesan)

Gannon University • Erie, PA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

As a research assistant on this Pennsylvania Manufacturing Innovation-funded project, you will collaborate in the development of innovative, light-reflective carbon foam containers for optimized mushroom cultivation. This interdisciplinary role involves hands-on laboratory work, experimental design, data analysis, and potential contributions to patentable innovations. The position offers opportunities to gain experience in sustainable agriculture, materials science, food safety testing, and industrial product development. Career Readiness Learning Objectives: Critical Thinking- The student workers will gather and analyze the information from the literature and identify the proper solution to the existing problems. It is expected that the student workers will summarize and interpret experimental data, and also prioritize the action steps. Communication- The student workers are expected to improve writing skills by drafting project reports and/or manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals. The students are also expected to attend workshops or conferences to present their results, which can further strengthen their communication skills. The GA position will be expected to present the findings for their work at Celebrate Gannon in Spring 2026.

Requirements

• Interest in sustainable agriculture or materials research.
• Willingness to work in lab environments, including microbiology and mechanical testing labs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with microbiological techniques, spectrometry, or material testing equipment.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the selection and preparation of fungal cultures (e.g., Pleurotus ostreatus , Ganoderma , Trametes ).
• Monitor growth conditions (humidity, temperature, light exposure, pH, nutrient media).
• Document and analyze the effect of container reflectivity on mushroom growth and yield.
• Participate in UVC sterilization experiments and evaluate material integrity post-exposure.
• Track container performance over multiple growth cycles and harvests.
• Support testing of harvested mushrooms for chemical safety (GC/LC-MS, ICP -MS analysis).
• Ensure compliance of materials with food-grade and cultivation regulations.
• Maintain detailed lab notebooks and contribute to progress reports.
• Present findings at internal research meetings, and optionally, at external conferences.

Benefits

• Gain applied research experience in agritech and sustainable materials.
• Develop skills that translate into careers in biotech, food science, and engineering industries.
• Contribute to publications, presentations, and potentially intellectual property filings.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed