Graduate School
Opportunities
Graduate School Opportunities Listings will be kept for a
month after being posted or until their deadline (if
listed). I do not post positions that require a masters
degree, as this site is aimed at undergraduates. Please
send any opportunities not listed here by clicking on this
link:
Email
Graduate Student
Opportunities in Arctic Carbon and Climate Change
Position Description: How fast is the permafrost carbon
climate feedback happening and what can be done? Graduate
student positions available to build the Arctic Carbon
Warning Network, providing real-time carbon cycle updates
to society. The research spans both field work and data
synthesis, including a primary field location near Denali
National Park, Alaska. The experimental research foci are
(1) net ecosystem carbon exchange (eddy covariance) from a
gradient of sites undergoing permafrost thaw, and (2)
coupled radiocarbon measurements to detect loss of old
carbon. Related projects apply these research tools to
understand how land management can reduce permafrost
carbon loss and store organic matter in soil. We are
recruiting motivated PhD or MS students to join the Schuur
lab in the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society at
Northern Arizona University. Please contact Ted Schuur (ted.schuur
@nau.edu) and provide CV and cover letter.
Posted 11/14/24
Graduate Student
Opportunities in Urban Systems and Carbon Cycle
Solutions
Position Description: Interested in innovative carbon
cycle solutions in urban environments? Graduate student
positions available to join an effort to use radiocarbon
isotope measurements of urban plants to understand
local-scale fossil fuel emissions in Arizona urban spaces
with a goal of quantifying efforts to decrease use. The
position includes collecting field plant samples in urban
environments across AZ, radiocarbon lab analysis, and
helping to develop community science sampling efforts. We
are recruiting motivated PhD or MS students to join the
Schuur lab in the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society
at Northern Arizona University.
Please contact Ted Schuur (ted.schuur @nau.edu)
and provide CV and cover letter.
Posted 11/14/24
Funded Ph.D. Assistantships
in Geospatial Analytics at NC State University
The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Geospatial
Analytics at the Center for Geospatial Analytics (geospatial.ncsu.edu)
at North Carolina State University is now accepting
applications for Fall 2025 enrollment. We expect to admit
a cohort of ten students, all with fully funded graduate
research assistantships with minimum $30,000 salary,
health insurance, and tuition waiver, renewable for up to
four years.
The application deadline is February 1, 2025.
Our program includes:
Collaborative, cross-disciplinary teamwork uniting
students and faculty from many research fields
Core courses in topics such as remote sensing,
geovisualization and data mining
Experiential learning including a professional seminar,
conference travel funding and internship opportunities
Prioritizing mental health, work/life balance, open data
and a strong commitment to community and collaboration
Learn more at our website: https://cnr.ncsu.edu/geospatial/academics/phd/
Assistantship
positions available for Fall 2025 include:
Sweetpotato Analytics for Produce Provenance
Aquatic Species Distribution Modeling to Inform Recovery
and Conservation
Greenhouse Gas Source Estimates
Data Democracy and Justice in Environmental Management
Environmental Remote Sensing
Mapping Compound Flooding with Satellite Data
Leveraging AI with Mechanistic Models to Predict Plant
Disease
Environmental Impacts of Wood Pellet Production Plants in
the Rural US South
We welcome applicants with quantitative and computational
backgrounds interested in pushing the boundaries of
geospatial analytics and technology from a variety of
perspectives, including natural resources and the
environment, social and behavioral sciences, computer
science, engineering, design and more. Competitive
applicants are encouraged to apply even if they do not fit
with one of the above assistantships, as a select number
of students will be admitted on internal program funding.
Rachel Kasten
University Program Specialist | Center for Geospatial
Analytics
Pronouns: she/her/hers
College of Natural Resources
Jordan Hall 5105B | Campus Box 7106
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
Posted 11/14/24
Master's position -
Behavioral Ecology, Northern Michigan University
Graduate position in parental care evolution
The Potticary Lab at Northern Michigan University is
recruiting a Masters (MS) student to work on the ecology
of parental care evolution of burying beetles (start date
fall 2025).
Parental care is thought to evolve to buffer offspring
development from hazardous environments. Yet hazardous
environments are ubiquitous for young and parental care is
a relatively rare strategy across taxa. Thus, it is
perplexing how and why parenting evolves. In the Potticary
lab, we are investigating the ecology of parenting using
burying beetles of the genus Nicrophorus as a study
system. Depending on the interests of the successful
candidate, there are several projects on northern Michigan
burying beetles that may be available. On-going and
planned projects include work on the transgenerational
effects of parenting, the impact of ecological variation
on parenting strategies, and how species interactions
influence carrion decomposition.
Applicants with strong interests in evolution, behavior,
ecology, natural history, or related fields are encouraged
to apply. Desired qualifications include the ability to
balance working independently and collaboratively,
excellent work habits, and strong writing skills. Projects
will involve working with both a laboratory colony
containing multiple species of Nicrophorus burying
beetles, as well as consistent field work under a
diversity of conditions. All projects require the handling
of live beetles and their primary food/breeding resource
(carrion). No prior fieldwork experience is required, but
the successful candidate must be keen to develop their
fieldwork skills and comfortable handling insects, or are
interested in handling insects. The Potticary Lab aims to
promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in the sciences
and encourages applications from students who are members
of historically excluded or marginalized groups.
To apply informally, please send a letter of interest, CV,
transcript (unofficial is fine), and contact information
for three references to Dr. Ahvi Potticary, apottica@nmu.edu.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue
until a suitable candidate is identified (official
admissions procedures to follow). All applications
received by December 15 will receive full
consideration.
For more information on the graduate program at Northern
Michigan University, please see here: https://nmu.edu/biology/masters-science-biology
Posted 11/14/24
Seeking a doctoral student with research interests in the population and community ecology of freshwater ponds
I am seeking to fill a doctoral student position with an individual having research interests in the population and community ecology of freshwater ponds; particularly the animals that live within and around them. Research in my lab is largely focused on enhancing our understanding of three fundamental questions in ecology: (1) why are some ecological communities more diverse than others, (2) how does the biodiversity of a community affect ecological processes and the stability of ecological systems, and (3) what mechanisms control the population size of a species? Example topics that students could pursue include 1) predator-prey and competitive interactions, 2) habitat selection and the process of community assembly, and 3) ecological causes and consequences of variation in biodiversity but I am open to the possibility of working with students on other topics in aquatic ecology as well. Students will have the opportunity to address ecological questions via a multitude of quantitative approaches (including modeling, experimental and macroecological). The student would be a member of the Department of Biology at East Carolina University and enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biology, Biomedicine and Chemistry (https://idpbbc.ecu.edu/). Ideally, the student will begin during the fall semester of 2025. Interested individuals should contact David Chalcraft (chalcraftd@ecu.edu). Please include a copy of your resume/cv, information about your past academic performance (e.g., GPA), and a description of your interest in this position. More information about the research conducted in the Chalcraft lab can be found at http://core.ecu.edu/chalcraftd/.
East Carolina University (ECU) is a member of the University of North Carolina system, enrolls about 27,000 students annually, with over 5,500 pursuing graduate and professional degrees. ECU is classified as a R2-Doctoral/Research-intensive University and is located in Greenville, NC (pop. 92,000), which lies 80 miles east of Raleigh and a short distance to the Atlantic coast. A thriving small city and regional center for education, health, and the arts, Greenville offers a college-town atmosphere and is a great place to live, work, play, and visit. It has a cost of living more than 10 percent below the national average and boasts a vibrant Downtown district with restaurants, breweries, and shopping. Greenville hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year and offers numerous recreational opportunities, including access to the Tar River, more than nine miles of greenways, nearly 30 parks and recreational facilities, and a growing arts scene.
ECU’s Department of Biology (https://biology.ecu.edu/) is home to more than 1,300 undergraduate majors (BS and BA in Biology and BS in Biochemistry) and instructs more than 17,000 students each academic year. Faculty in the department are committed to providing high-impact training in research to undergraduate, Masters (https://biology.ecu.edu/graduate-studies/) and Doctoral-level (https://idpbbc.ecu.edu/) students. The Department of Biology is broad in its representation of different biological subdisciplines and emphasizes integrative approaches drawing from across the natural sciences. The Department of Biology and its research facilities (Microscopy, Genomics, and a vivarium) are primarily housed in the new Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building. ECU's West Research Campus (West Research Campus | Department of Biology | ECU; https://biology.ecu.edu/west-research-campus/) provides opportunities for outdoor research within a short drive (15 minutes) of our lab spaces. Other nearby natural areas where we have conducted research include the Croatan National Forest near Morehead City, NC and A Time for Science in Ayden, NC.
Dr. David R. Chalcraft (he/him)
Professor and Department Chair
Department of Biology
East Carolina University
252-328-2797
http://core.ecu.edu/chalcraftd/
Posted 11/13/24
Funded MA/MS assistantship: Environmental social science/social-ecological systems in Idaho
A funded research assistantship is available for a
motivated MA/MS student interested in environmental social
science and social-ecological systems to join a
transdisciplinary team as part of the Idaho wide project,
Idaho Community-engaged Resilience for Energy-Water
Systems (I-CREWS). This project will be in Idaho and will
align with or be related to the themes of social
resilience, environmental stewardship, local/Indigenous
knowledges, food sovereignty, and/or energy-water systems.
The student will be part of a transdisciplinary group of
researchers investigating how social systems, such as
governance dynamics and local knowledge, can inform
behaviors, trade-offs, and energy-water futures in
relation to climate, population, and technological change.
Key partners within this project are the Shoshone-Bannock
Tribes, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and the Treasure Valley
energy-water community. Potential interdisciplinary
graduate student projects will include a variety of
innovative and integrative aspects and can focus on 1)
working with diverse stakeholders and rightsholders to
identify local knowledge of the drivers of
social-ecological change and their consequences; and 2)
exploring stakeholder/rightsholder social resilience in
connection to energy and water through interviews and
surveys; 4) assessing pathways to sustaining Indigenous
sovereignty and/or the resilience of Tribal energy-water
systems, and others. Students will be able to develop
their own research projects within these or related
themes. Students interested in projects that will benefit
Tribal citizens and Nations and/or that integrate social
science and ecology are especially encouraged to apply.
The position will begin in Summer or Fall of 2025 and
includes one year of support for the student
(approximately $24,000 per year), a tuition waiver, funds
for fieldwork, and support for travel to meetings. The
second year will either be funded in the same way as the
first year, or through a Teaching Assistantship. The
student’s degree home will be in the Department of
Anthropology and Languages at Idaho State University, and
their major advisor will be Dr. Georgia Hart-Fredeluces (https://www.isu.edu/anthropology/anthropology-programs/anthropology-faculty/).
The student will also work closely with other graduate
students and faculty at Boise State University and the
University of Idaho committed to transdisciplinary,
team-based, actionable research that addresses real-world
environmental challenges.
To apply
Interested students should send a letter of interest that
includes a 1) description of their research interests and
interest in this position (including how your experience
and skills would enable you to be successful in a
team-based, transdisciplinary project); 2) a CV; and 3)
undergraduate transcripts to Georgia Hart-Fredeluces at georgiahartfredel@isu.edu
by December 13th.
Additional information about I-CREWS: https://www.idahoepscor.org/i-crews
Pocatello, Idaho is located in the mountains of southeast
Idaho. The small city provides easy access to world-class
mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and other outdoor
activities, and is within a two-hour drive of two national
parks.
Assistant Professor | Anthropology and Languages | EPSCoR
ICREWS (https://idahocrews.org/)
| Pronouns: she, her, hers
Graveley Hall | Room 162
921 S 8th Ave. | Pocatello, Idaho 83209
georgiahartfredel@isu.edu
| 208-282-5580
Idaho State University (Pocatello) acknowledges that it is
located within the boundaries of the original Fort Hall
Reservation on the traditional lands of the Shoshone and
Bannock peoples.
Posted 11/13/24
3 PhD positions in marine ecology at the University of Virginia
(1) PhD position in seagrass community ecology at University of Virginia / Virginia Coast Reserve LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RhrMq7aXW73WfRdhoDTgd9XuzEVvYEPB/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is recruiting a PhD student to study seagrass biodiversity and community ecology at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term Ecological Research project (VCR LTER; https://vcrlter.virginia.edu/). The Virginia Coast Reserve is a temperate coastal lagoon with a 20-year legacy of seagrass restoration led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and studied by researchers at UVA and beyond (https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/vcr-marine-restoration/). The interdisciplinary VCR LTER research program has been supported by the National Science Foundation for >40 years to study the long-term dynamics of this coastal barrier-island landscape. The student will use field studies and long-term data from VCR LTER to study the processes structuring assemblages of fishes and invertebrates across the world’s largest restored seagrass meadow.
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes: community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/) and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/). The student will have the opportunity to interact with a large community of VCR LTER scientists, TNC restoration practitioners and educators, and the broader LTER Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students), which offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science. Graduate students accepted into the program are typically supported through teaching and research assistantships that provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly qualified applicants will have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology, ecology, oceanography, fisheries, or a related field. Ideal candidates will have interests in seagrass biodiversity, food webs, or species interactions; experience in field ecology; and demonstrated quantitative skills, such as data analysis or scientific programming (or a motivation to acquire such skills).
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(2) PhD position in oyster reef ecology at University of Virginia / Virginia Coast Reserve LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rt_eCmT9qOmQAfHFg_GVVM2lopCSTTnh/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is recruiting a PhD student to study the population dynamics of oysters on restored reefs at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term Ecological Research project (VCR LTER; https://vcrlter.virginia.edu/). The Virginia Coast Reserve is a temperate coastal lagoon with a 20-year legacy of oyster restoration led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and studied by researchers at UVA and beyond (https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/vcr-marine-restoration/). The interdisciplinary VCR LTER research program has been supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for >40 years to study the long-term dynamics of this coastal barrier-island landscape. The student will use field studies and long-term data and models from VCR LTER to study the dispersal and demography of oyster populations, contributing towards the broader goal of informing TNC restoration planning in a changing climate.
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes: community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/) and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/). The student will have the opportunity to interact with a large community of VCR LTER scientists, restoration practitioners and educators at TNC, and the broader LTER Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students), which offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science. Graduate students accepted into the program are typically supported through teaching and research assistantships that provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly qualified applicants will have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology, ecology, oceanography, fisheries, or a related field. Ideal candidates will have interests in oyster reef ecology and restoration; experience in field ecology; and demonstrated quantitative skills, such as data analysis or scientific programming (or a motivation to acquire such skills).
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(3) PhD position in kelp forest community ecology at University of Virginia / Santa Barbara Coastal LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sj7l1R5bCjlXyc9ifj67ggN4cV9k6Z77/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is recruiting a PhD student to study the drivers of kelp forest ecosystem structure and function at the Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research project (SBC LTER; http://sbc.lternet.edu/). The interdisciplinary SBC LTER research program has been supported by the National Science Foundation for 25 years to study the long-term dynamics of kelp forest ecosystems. The student will use data from SBC LTER and other ecological research programs to study the processes maintaining biodiversity and stability in kelp communities from local to regional scales (this position does not include support for field work).
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes: community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/) and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/). The student will have the opportunity to interact with a large community of SBC LTER scientists, and be a part of the broader LTER Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students), which offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science. Graduate students accepted into the program are typically supported through teaching and research assistantships that provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly-qualified applicants will have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology, ecology, oceanography, statistics, computer science, mathematics, or a related field. Ideal candidates will have interests in kelp forest ecology at the scale of populations, communities, ecosystems, or landscapes, and demonstrated quantitative skills, such as data analysis, ecological modeling, or scientific programming (or motivation to acquire such skills).
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TO APPLY:
Those interested should send the following items, as a single PDF, to Dr. Max Castorani (castorani@virginia.edu): (1) a brief description of their background, career goals, motivations for pursuing a PhD, research ideas, and why they are specifically interested in joining the Castorani Lab; (2) a CV with academic and professional experience (including GPA); (3) contact information for 3 references; and (4) a writing sample, if available.
The application deadline is January 15, 2025, for enrollment in Fall 2025. However, serious applicants should express their interest by email as soon as possible.
Posted 11/13/24
Job Posting: Four Arctic Bio PhD positions with The Evolving Meta Ecosystems Institute
The Evolving Meta-Ecosystems (EVOME) Institute is recruiting for four PhD positions at three of its partner institutions: University of Alabama, University of Alaska Fairbanks (2 positions), and University of Connecticut. Students will work with a diverse and highly dynamic group of collaborators and will have the unique experience of spending their summers conducting field work at Toolik Field Station in the Alaskan Arctic. Ideally students would begin in the spring of 2025, starting with summer field work in the Arctic.
The Evolving Meta-Ecosystems (EVOME) Institute bridges disciplines to explore if organisms can adapt to rapid climate change and maintain ecosystem connectivity and productivity. EVOME integrates research from genes to ecosystems, focusing on the resilience of Arctic Alaskan stream-riparian systems amid fast climate shifts. Participants benefit from training, mentoring, synthesis efforts, and networking with a fun and dedicated research team. We welcome applicants to bring their unique perspectives and identities through their culture, national origin, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, age, religion and beliefs to EVOME.
Short position descriptions:
University of Alabama – Atkinson and Lozier Labs
We seek a student interested in studying terrestrial and stream invertebrates (ground beetles, mayflies, stoneflies) to investigate links between community ecology, trait variation, ecological stoichiometry, thermal biology, and genomics across a broad latitudinal gradient in Alaska. The student’s research will help address major questions about adaptability to a warming arctic in diverse terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate species.
University of Alaska Fairbanks - Schoen, Westley and Gilbert labs
We are seeking candidates for two Ph.D. assistantships at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences investigating how Arctic grayling are responding to rapid climate change in northern Alaska. One student will focus on questions of trophic interactions and growth. Another student will focus on the evolutionary ecology of grayling through measurement of fitness-related traits such as metabolism and timing of key life history events. Both students will assess contributions of the environment (phenotypic plasticity) and evolution (heritability) to thermal performance through fieldwork along a 300 km latitudinal gradient and through common garden and streamside experiments.
University of Connecticut – Urban Lab
We are seeking a graduate student to join a dynamic lab in the ecology and evolutionary biology department at the University of Connecticut and the EVOME Institute. A research assistantship and funding are available for projects on ecology and evolution, with flexibility in taxa and questions. Our lab focuses on biodiversity, ecosystem resilience to climate change, and current projects include amphibian community experiments, climate impacts on Arctic fish, adaptation genomics, and extinction risk prediction. We welcome independent thinkers to complement our research team.
Detailed position descriptions and desired qualifications can be found at this link: https://www.woodwellclimate.org/project/evolving-meta-ecosystems-institute/join-the-team/
Posted 11/13/24
MS Position - Improving Climate Change Forecasts for Dryland Plant Communities
The Palmquist Lab at Marshall University is recruiting for a funded MS position focused on improving climate change forecasts for dryland plant communities through an integration of process-based simulation modeling and field-derived measures of plant water uptake. Our research focuses on quantifying vegetation dynamics over space and time and identifying how the relative importance of ecological processes structuring plant communities changes with spatial and temporal scale. In addition, a key goal of our research is to understand how pattern and process in plant communities will be altered in the face of global environmental change. An important motivation for our work is to address ecological questions at large spatial scales to inform landscape conservation. We collect field data, use existing large observational data sets, and implement remote sensing and simulation modeling to address these goals in drylands of the western U.S., forests and woodlands, and salt marshes. Additional information about the lab can be found at http://www.kylepalmquist.org/.
RESEARCH FOCUS: The successful candidate will improve forecasts of western U.S. dryland plant community responses to climate change by integrating field-derived plant water uptake. These water-limited ecosystems are undergoing rapid environmental change due to multiple stressors (climate change, increases in wildfire activity, species invasions) and represent some of the most threatened systems in North America. This project will use an individual-based plant simulation model to quantify the impacts of climate change on plant species biomass for a variety of dominant species in western U.S. drylands. The student will participate in field research during the summers of 2025 and 2026 in collaboration with the Kulmatiski lab at Utah State University (https://andrewkulmatiski.wixsite.com/kulmatiski-lab).
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Knowledge of and experience in drylands of the western U.S. A background, including relevant course work, in ecology and statistics, and strong communication skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Experience in ecological modeling and computer programming is highly desirable.
EXPECTATIONS: The successful candidate will be expected to conduct high-quality research, serve as a teaching assistant within the Department of Biological Sciences, present their research to the scientific community at regional and national meetings, and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
TIMELINE: The position is available starting June 2025, when fieldwork will begin. The student will begin coursework in August 2025.
FUNDING: Funding will consist of a combination of research and teaching assistantships for two and a half years. A 12-month competitive stipend and full tuition waiver will be provided.
HOW TO APPLY: Interested students should apply by submitting the following to Dr. Kyle Palmquist (palmquist@marshall.edu): 1) short statement of research interests and career goals (no longer than 1 page), 2) CV, 3) unofficial transcripts, and 4) contact information for three professional references. Please include: “improving climate change forecasts for drylands” and your name in the email subject.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the deadline: December 15th, 2024 11:59pm ET.
I will contact you to discuss your research interests and goals for graduate school to determine if you would be a good fit for the lab. If selected, a full application must be submitted to the Department of Biological Sciences at Marshall University, Huntington, WV. Faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences have expertise in a variety of biological fields, including but not limited to ecology, evolution, herpetology, and physiology. More information about the Department and its programs can be found here: https://www.marshall.edu/biology/. Application requirements for admission to the DBS graduate program can be found here: https://www.marshall.edu/biology/admission/.
Marshall University is located in Huntington, an affordable college town located on the Ohio River in the beautiful state of West Virginia. The town is small enough to get around on foot and bike, but large enough to support a variety of restaurants and other cultural activities. Huntington and the surrounding area offer ample recreational opportunities (hiking, skiing, rafting), along with proximity to larger cities, including Louisville, KY, Cincinnati, OH, and Columbus, OH. In the Palmquist Lab, we highly value and encourage work-life balance.
I strongly encourage students from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. Feel free to contact me with questions at any time.
Kyle Palmquist
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Marshall University
Huntington, WV 25755
phone: 304-696-3987
email: palmquist@marshall.edu
website: kylepalmquist.org
twitter: @kyleapalmquist
Posted 11/12/24
PhD position in Coastal Plant-Microbe Interactions
About the program
The Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Society is
designed to provide transdisciplinary graduate education
and research training integrating the environmental and
social sciences. Students in the program will take a
transdisciplinary core course in socio-environmental
systems and multi-disciplinary electives across
environmental sciences, social sciences, and research
methods as part of a highly flexible curriculum designed
to allow diverse specializations. The Doctor of Philosophy
degree is awarded in recognition of a student's
demonstrated ability to conduct original, scholarly
research at the highest levels without extensive
supervision. Earning a Ph.D. in Environment and Society
demonstrates a level of competence and accomplishment that
enables graduates to pursue careers as transdisciplinary
scientists, academics, and environmental managers focused
on understanding and addressing society’s most pressing
environmental problems.
Applicants must have completed at least a bachelor’s
degree or equivalent by the start date of the position and
should have a strong interest in mycology, plant ecology,
and global change. Preference will be given to students
with prior research experience and/or a background in
mycorrhizal and plant community ecology. The Stokes School
of Marine and Environmental Sciences and the Graduate
School at the University of South Alabama specify
requirements for GPA and standardized testing. https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/artsandsci/marinesciences/GraduateProgram.html
Interested students should email Dr Jeremiah Henning (henning@southalabama.edu)
with CV and a short statement describing relevant
experience and why they are interested in working on this
project (1 page max). I am happy to answer questions
regarding the position or the PhD program via email.
Highly ranked students may be invited to attend a
recruitment weekend during the first weekend in February
2025.
Review of applications will begin on 12/1/2024
Jeremiah A Henning, PhD
Assistant Professor
Biology Department
henning@southalabama.edu
@JeremiahHenning
jeremiahahenning.com
P: (251) 460-7987
University of South Alabama
121 Life Sciences Building
5871 USA Dr. N
Mobile, AL 36688
southalabama.edu
Posted 11/12/24
MS Position Iowa State University: Butterflies
Apply by: 1/31/2025
Start date: 5/19/2025
Salary: start at $27,000
Project description: We are seeking an M.S. student to work on a research project to determine how butterfly communities differ between remnant and reconstructed prairies. This project is being funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to guide decisions on management and reconstruction efforts in the Prairie Pothole Region of Minnesota. The student will enroll in either the Wildlife Ecology program in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management or the Entomology program in the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology at Iowa State University.
Duties: The student will conduct fieldwork, run statistical analyses, and interpret and communicate results to meet project objectives. They will also be expected to develop additional research questions within their expertise. Fieldwork will take place in Minnesota from May-August 2025-2026. The student will collect butterfly and plant data using line transects and quadrat frames, along with additional site information related to disturbance management and landscape context. This student will work in tandem with another M.S. student collecting butterfly data at the same sites. Academic responsibilities will include taking classes and writing a thesis based on research findings.
Qualifications: B.S. in Entomology, Wildlife Sciences, Biology, Ecology, or a related field with an undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.0. An ideal candidate has a positive attitude, inclusive mindset, good organizational skills, attention to detail, strong work ethic, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work well both independently and on a team. Applicants with experience with pollinator survey methods and quantitative methods will be most competitive. Applicants from underrepresented and historically excluded groups are encouraged to apply. GRE scores are not required. Candidates must have a valid driver’s license (or ability to get one) and a clean driving record.
Funding: The student will be supported by a research assistantship with a stipend of approximately $27,000 per year. Benefits include health insurance and a tuition waiver.
To apply: Please apply by completing this form: https://forms.gle/ZXMnGstVE8E5ArGB6. You will need to upload a single pdf document containing 1) a one-page cover letter describing your background, interest in this position, and career goals; 2) your CV or resume; 3) unofficial transcripts; and 4) contact information for three professional references. Contact Dr. Katherine Kral-O’Brien (kralob@iastate.edu) with questions.
Katherine Kral-O'Brien, PhD
Assistant Professor
Pollinator Ecology and Conservation
Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
she/her
107 Science II
2310 Pammel Drive
Ames, Iowa 50011-1130
Phone: 515-294-7315
MS Assistantship in biogeochemistry/fire ecology at Utah State University
Position Description
Our group is seeking a motivated MS student interested in biogeochemistry and fire ecology at Utah State University (http://zhoulabusu.weebly.com/). This position focuses on studying the effects of prescribed fires on carbon storage and dynamics in Florida’s pine savannas and forests. The graduate student will have opportunities to collaborate with diverse groups of researchers at University of Florida and US Forest Service.
Preferred qualifications:
BS in ecology, environmental science, biology, soil science or related fields;
Research experience in biogeochemistry and/or fire ecology;
Desire to travel and conduct field research in remote sites;
The ability to work independently as well as with a diverse research group.
Benefits:
Successful candidates will be supported with a competitive stipend, tuition/fee coverage, and health coverage.
How to apply:
The preferred start date is Spring or summer 2025, with some flexibility to start in fall 2025. The positions will remain open until filled.
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Yong Zhou (yong.zhou@usu.edu) with a compiled pdf including:
(1) a cover letter that describes your experience and interests and addresses the preferred position qualifications as well as your availability,
(2) a resume or CV,
(3) contact information for three professional references, and
(4) most recent academic transcript (unofficial or official).
Our research group at Utah State University is dedicated to fostering a diverse environment. All qualified applicants will be considered; however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. The chosen candidate would be expected to gain acceptance into the Ecology program through the Utah State University Graduate School: https://gradschool.usu.edu/
About Logan and Utah State University
Utah State University is a public land-grant university and is classified as a Carnegie R1 University with very high research activity. USU is located in the city of Logan, Utah, a town with approximately 50,000 residents. Situated in a valley between the Wellsville and Bear River Mountain ranges, Logan offers numerous opportunities for outdoor activities including local ski resorts, biking, and hiking trails. Logan is just a short drive to Salt Lake City, as well as many National Parks, Monuments, and Conservation Areas.
Yong Zhou, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center
Utah State University
http://zhoulabusu.weebly.com/
Posted 11/9/24
Graduate Position: PhD on Plant-Microbe Interactions After Wildfire
The Cheeke lab at Washington State University (WSU) seeks a PhD student for Fall 2025 to join in investigating the role of soil microbes in facilitating or inhibiting forest regeneration after high-severity wildfire. The PhD student will have the opportunity to study post-fire tree seedling regeneration and soil microbiomes using a combination of laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments, integrating molecular tools (amplicon sequencing, metagenomics), microscopy, modeling, and statistical approaches, including network analysis. A MS degree and/or prior experience in microbial ecology, forest ecology, molecular biology, analysis and management of large datasets, and bioinformatics would be useful for this project. The successful candidate will join a collaborative research team, with Dr. Tanya Cheeke (WSU Tri-Cities) serving as the PhD advisor (microbial ecology, plant-microbe interactions, restoration ecology), Dr. Stephanie Porter (WSU Vancouver) serving as the co-Advisor (evolutionary ecology, plant-microbe interactions), and with Dr. Geoff Zahn from Utah Valley University (mycology, genomics, biostatistics, bioinformatics), serving as a member of the student’s Graduate Committee.
Project Background. Although high-severity wildfires imperil forest ecosystems, the large-scale disturbance they impose also provides a window of opportunity to dissect ecological patterns and processes shaping microbiome-host dynamics. This project leverages multi-institutional collaboration and partnerships with existing afforestation efforts to identify the ecological factors and microbiome attributes that support forest regeneration after wildfire disturbance. Data will be used to build a predictive framework for understanding how soil microbes may contribute to reforestation efforts.
Lab Description. The PhD student will be Advised by Dr. Tanya Cheeke in the School of Biological Sciences at WSU. The Cheeke lab (https://tanyacheeke.com) focuses on understanding how changing environments impact plants and microbial communities across scales. Current research projects examine how symbiotic interactions shape above and belowground communities in response to disturbance and investigate how microbiomes can be tailored to improve plant productivity. Work in the Cheeke lab spans agricultural and natural systems, bridges basic and applied science, and integrates molecular tools, microscopy, and laboratory, field, and greenhouse experiments to address their research questions. The Cheeke lab is housed in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University, Tri-Cities.
The PhD student will be co-advised by Dr. Stephanie Porter, WSU. The Porter lab (https://labs.wsu.edu/stephanie-porter/) investigates diverse projects on the Evolutionary Ecology of Plant-Microbe Interactions, ranging from how symbiotic plants and microbes adapt to environmental stresses to the ways in which plant-microbe cooperation shifts during crop domestication. The Porter lab is housed in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University, Vancouver, WA.
The student will also work with collaborator Dr. Geoff Zahn at Utah Valley University (Orem, UT), who will serve on the graduate student’s committee. Dr. Zahn’s lab (https://gzahn.github.io) investigates microbial dispersal, microbiome assembly, and microbial contributions to plant phenotypes in a range of terrestrial and aquatic systems, with a focus on bioinformatics and modeling.
How to Apply. A BS in a relevant scientific field is required; an MS with a relevant scientific field is preferred. If interested, please email an inquiry with the subject header, “Plant-Microbe-Fire PhD,” with CV, GPA, relevant experience, skills, and coursework, and a short statement explaining your interest in the position to tanya.cheeke@wsu.edu. Application review will begin on November 18, 2024, and the successful applicant will begin their PhD program in the School of Biological Sciences (SBS) at WSU in Fall 2025. Acceptance for this position is contingent upon acceptance to the graduate program in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University (deadline January 10, 2024) https://sbs.wsu.edu/graduate-studies/apply/
More information:
For more information about the School of Biological
Sciences (SBS) at WSU, please see: https://sbs.wsu.edu/
For more information about the graduate program in SBS,
please see: https://sbs.wsu.edu/graduate-studies/
For more information about the WSU Tri-Cities campus,
please see: https://tricities.wsu.edu/
Tanya Cheeke (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences
Washington State University
2710 Crimson Way
Richland, WA 99354
www.tanyacheeke.com
MS Graduate Assistantship in Natural Resource Management at South Dakota State University
Position Title: MS Graduate Assistantship in Natural Resource Management – Remote Sensing and Ecological Modeling of Rangeland Plant Communities
Key Responsibilities:
• Remote Sensing Data Acquisition: Collection and
processing of remote sensing datasets to assess vegetation
cover, biomass, and species composition on rangelands.
• Ecological Modeling: Assist in the integration of remote
sensing data into ecological models (e.g., APEX,
process-based models) to simulate plant community
dynamics.
• Data Analysis: Utilize GIS and statistical tools (e.g.,
R, Python) to analyze spatial and temporal patterns in
plant communities and correlate them with environmental
drivers and management regimes.
• Dissemination: Work with advisor on peer-reviewed
publications, presentations, and reports based on research
findings. Present research at scientific conferences and
stakeholder meetings.
Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Range Science, Natural Resources,
Ecology, Environmental Science, Geography, or a related
field.
• Familiarity with remote sensing techniques and tools
(e.g., UAVs, satellite imagery).
• Strong interest in rangeland ecosystems, plant ecology,
and sustainable land management.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a team setting.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Some experience with GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS)
and/or programming languages (e.g., R, Python).
• Prior research experience in remote sensing, ecological
modeling, or rangeland ecology.
• Knowledge of process-based ecological models (e.g.,
APEX, DayCent) or other spatially explicit models.
• Experience in statistical data analysis and technical
writing.
Funding and Support:
• Full tuition waiver and stipend for two years (pending
satisfactory performance).
• Opportunities for conference travel, professional
development, and networking with interdisciplinary
research teams.
Location: South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
Start Date: Fall 2025 (or earlier if available)
Application Process: Interested applicants should submit
the following materials:
• A cover letter describing your research interests and
career goals, and how they align with this position.
• Curriculum vitae (CV).
• Contact information for three professional references.
• Unofficial academic transcripts (official transcripts
will be required upon acceptance).
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed
starting January 2025 and will continue until the
position is filled.
Contact Information: For more information or to submit
your application materials, contact:
Dr. Sean Di Stéfano, Natural Resource Management, SDSU, sean.distefano@sdstate.edu,
(605) 688-5122
Posted 11/8/24
PhD opportunity at Colorado State University - Arctic ground squirrels life history strategies in northern Alaska
We are currently recruiting a PhD student for Fall 2025 to work jointly with the Williams Lab (http://www.corytwilliams.com/) and the Aubry Lab (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lise-Aubry) at Colorado State University. The research project will focus on physiological ecology, population ecology, and/or life-history strategies of arctic ground squirrels, with field work taking place at Toolik Field Station in northern Alaska. Please provide a letter of interest to Cory Williams & Lise Aubry that describes your background and research interests and a copy of your CV: cory.williams@colostate.edu. Prospective graduate students may either apply to the Biology Graduate Program (https://www.biology.colostate.edu/degree-programs/) or the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE; https://ecology.colostate.edu/) (preferred deadline Dec 15th).
Dr. Lise M. Aubry (She/Her)
Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology
Colorado State University
Email: Lise.Aubry@colostate.edu
Web: AubryPopEcol (https://liseaubry.wixsite.com/aubrypopecology/)
Posted 11/8/24
MSc opportunity: Insect mating behavior and sexual conflict
An MSc opportunity is available in my lab at St Francis Xavier University. I'd be delighted to support interested students in preparing an application for NSERC MSc funding.
My lab studies insect behaviour and evolution. We generally focus on mating and reproductive behaviour and how evolutionary conflict between males and females leads to interesting phenotypes. Another theme is how insect reproduction and behaviour respond to temperature extremes.
I aim to recruit a student to study mating interactions in diving beetles. The project aims to explore how male and female mating traits diverge across populations and how population divergence relates to environmental variation. Research training will include field work, insect identification and biology, behavioural assays, morphometrics, and statistical modelling.
I welcome students interested in proposing other research topics to get in touch.
Join us (1 PhD student, 3 MSc students, 1 undergraduate project student and a research technician) on Canada’s beautiful east coast! Lab website: https://www.jenperrylab.com/
Please email me at jperry@stfx.ca to discuss. Informal enquiries welcome!
Dr Jen Perry
Assistant Professor, Biology
St. Francis Xavier University
https://www.jenperrylab.com/
https://twitter.com/jennyperry
PhD Position in Conservation Biogeographical Modeling
I am excited to recruit a Ph.D. student to start in the fall of 2025 to join our Global Change and Conservation Lab at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Working with lab members, other mentors, and me, the successful applicant will design her/his/their own research project focused on developing ecological models at biogeographic scales and/or temporal scales relevant to conservation and global change (decades, centuries, millennia). Possible areas of focus include examining how extreme weather affects species' distributions and abundances, joining models with phenological or morphological data collected from the Missouri Botanical Garden’s herbarium (one of the largest in the world), or designing methods to evaluate the conservation status of rare species for which we only have "messy" data. We do not have a geographic area of focus other than Earth, but nearly all of our work has a strong modeling component.
The student will join the Global Change and Conservation Lab and ~70 Ph.D.-level researchers, plus other Ph.D. students, and postdocs at the Garden. The student will be enrolled in and receive their degree from the Ecology and Evolutionary graduate program at nearby Washington University in Saint Louis where I have a joint adjunct appointment, and so will also be part of that vibrant academic community. Support for 4 years is available through Garden and University fellowships and one semester of required teaching assistantship.
Applications for Ph.D. positions are due December 1st of 2024. To apply, please:
• Submit an application to Washington University in Saint Louis’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology: https://gradstudies.artsci.wustl.edu/browse (click the “Evolution, Ecology, and Population Biology” link)
• Complete an application form for the Global Change and Conservation Lab: https://forms.gle/wSahZsgY7fRsu2We8
Relevant websites:
• Global Change and Conservation Lab website: https://earthskysea.org and especially my mentoring statement https://earthskysea.org/mentoring
• Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Population Biology at Washington University in Saint Louis: https://dbbs.wustl.edu/programs/ecology-evolutionary-biology
• Research at the Missouri Botanical Garden: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plant-science/plant-science/research and https://discoverandshare.org/category/science-and-research
If you have questions, please contact me at adam.smith@mobot.org.
Adam B. Smith, Ph.D.
Scientist in Global Change & Conservation
Center for Conservation & Sustainable Development
Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Boulevard
Saint Louis, MO 63110 USA
+01 314-577-9473 ext. 76314
www.earthSkySea.org
Posted 11/7/24
MS Assistantship in Fisheries, Eastern IL University
MS Graduate Research Assistantship Opportunity in Fisheries Ecology and Management
Location: Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL
The Center for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at Eastern Illinois University (EIU) is seeking a MS graduate assistantship candidate with a preferred start date in January 2025. We will also consider applicants for a later start date if needed.
Research Focus:
Investigating catfish population dynamics and recruitment in the Wabash River to help evaluate current management and harvest regulations. This project will provide valuable catfish (Flathead, Blue, and Channel) management recommendations and conservation strategies. Candidates will also have the opportunity to collaborate on a variety of other on-going research projects in the Center for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.
Responsibilities and Benefits:
We seek a highly motivated student to assist with field sampling, laboratory work, data analyses, and report/manuscript writing. The position includes a tuition waiver and a $1600/month stipend. The candidate will gain diverse experiences in aquatic sciences, cooperating on other graduate student projects and working with fisheries professionals throughout the state. Candidates will also have several opportunities to attend scientific conferences to highlight their research and network with professionals.
Qualifications:
Effective teamwork and individual work capabilities.
Previous fisheries experience preferred, including field and lab techniques.
Bachelor’s degree with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Ability to lift 40 pounds and work in inclement weather conditions.
Application Deadline:
Review of applications will begin on November 25th, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.
About EIU Center for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences:
EIU boasts a robust fisheries and aquatic ecology program with 8-10 graduate students and numerous undergraduates working on diverse research topics including sportfish management, impacts of invasive species, and stream habitat restoration. We foster a collaborative environment where faculty, staff and students work together to achieve research goals while allowing students to develop their own personal research interests and experiences.
For more information, visit EIU Center for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences | Eastern Illinois University
To apply:
Email a cover letter, a CV (including undergraduate GPA), undergraduate academic transcripts (unofficial okay), and a list of three professional references to drroth@eiu.edu using subject line “MS Application, EIU Fisheries”.
Daniel Roth-Fisheries Researcher and Laboratory Manager
Office: 2114 - Life Science Annex
Phone: 217-581-3100
Email: drroth@eiu.edu
Faculty Advisors:
Dr. Eden L Effert-Fanta, Professor
Office: 1044 - Life Science
Email: eleffert@eiu.edu
Dr. Robert E Colombo, Professor
Office: 2112 - Life Science Annex
Email: recolombo@eiu.edu
Posted 11/7/24
PhD Position - Population
Modelling of an At Risk Species - University of New
Hampshire
Seeking a highly motivated PhD for
Fall 2025 to conduct research in conservation of the
imperiled New England cottontail rabbit, at the University
of New Hampshire, in Dr. Adrienne Kovach’s lab (http://www.kovachlab.com)
in the Department of Natural Resources & the
Environment.
The student will be supported on a
Research Assistantship to conduct research to evaluate
population abundance and viability for a threatened
lagomorph. A focus will be to apply spatially explicit
genetic mark-recapture abundance estimation with noninvasive
genetic sampling and to develop models that predict density
for known New England cottontail metapopulations and
conservation focus areas. Additional work will include
predictive population viability modeling in a spatially
explicit context. The student may pursue additional research
questions of their own design, which may center around
additional population modeling and/or additional analyses of
genetic data to address questions about landscape genetics
and conservation genetics concerns. The research and
modeling tools developed under this project will be applied
to the conservation of New England cottontail populations
through a range-wide conservation initiative. The New
England Cottontail Conservation Initiative is a large,
multi-state collaborative effort that has been focused for a
dozen years on restoration of this at-risk species. Graduate
students will be immersed in a network, including
conservation partners and academic researchers collaborating
in this initiative, providing strong outreach and engagement
opportunities. Working within this system provides students
an opportunity to participate in and help inform adaptive
management.
The PhD student will be enrolled
in the Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science (NRESS)
program (https://www.unh.edu/nressphd).
The
University of New Hampshire is committed to social justice
and actively creates an educational environment that fosters
diversity, inclusion, and quality engagement for all.
Qualifications: Successful
candidates will have a background in
wildlife/ecology/conservation and strong analytical and
quantitative skills, as well as experience with or a strong
interest in genetic lab work. Interest and ability for field
work is also preferred. A Masters degree or relevant
experience is preferred, but not required. Willingness to
work collaboratively and advance diversity, equity and
inclusivity is required. Good communication skills are also
desirable. Individuals who are intellectually curious,
responsible, eager to learn, team-oriented, and have
attention to detail are encouraged to apply.
How to apply: Please send a 1)
cover letter describing your qualifications, explicitly in
relation to the qualifications listed above, including your
commitment to diversity and inclusion, 2) a curriculum vitae
or resume, 3) unofficial transcripts, and 4) contact
information for at least three references to Adrienne Kovach
at adrienne.kovach@unh.edu.
Use “Cottontail Population Viability PhD” in the subject
heading of the email. Applications will be reviewed on a
rolling basis, beginning in mid-November.
Salary: $38,150 for 12 months
Start Date: Student may start in
the summer of 2025 or no later than mid-August 2025
The University of New Hampshire –
an R1 research institution – and the Department of Natural
Resources and the Environment (https://colsa.unh.edu/natural-resources-environment)
are home to a vibrant community of productive researchers
with a strong commitment to student success. Located in the
town of Durham, UNH is a beautiful campus surrounded by
forest and natural landscapes. Only 30 minutes from the sea
and less than 2 hours from the White Mountains, outdoor and
other recreational activities abound, including right on
campus.
The University of New Hampshire is
a public institution with a long-standing commitment to
equal opportunity for all. It is an EEO/AA employer and does
not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age, veteran's status, gender identity or
expression, sexual orientation, marital status, or
disability in admission or access to, or treatment or
employment in, its programs, services, or activities. Please
contact the Affirmative Action and Equity Office, Thompson
Hall 305, 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824-3547 at
603-862-2930 (voice), TTY: (603) 862-1527 • Relay NH: 7-1-1,
or affirmaction.equity@unh.edu
with questions or concerns.
Posted 11/6/24
Graduate Positions in
Evolutionary Biology and Behavioral Ecology at Illinois
State University
MS and PhD positions are available
in the Nietlisbach Lab at Illinois State University in
Normal, IL, USA, to start in summer or fall 2025. We have
openings within two projects.
We seek one to two candidates
interested in studying extra-pair reproduction and its costs
and benefits in a house wren population in central Illinois.
We additionally seek a candidate interested in studying the
evolutionary genomics of isolated island populations of
North American deermice, possibly involving their
microbiomes. Please see our lab website for further
information about these projects: https://about.illinoisstate.edu/pnietli/research/.
Interested students are encouraged
to contact Pirmin Nietlisbach (pnietli@ilstu.edu).
Please include a cover letter explaining what projects and
questions interest you, why you would like to pursue
graduate studies and how your experiences have prepared you
for it. Please also include a CV and a copy of your course
transcript. After an initial screening of applications, we
will set up Zoom meetings in the next few weeks. Preferred
candidates will then be encouraged to formally apply to our
graduate program. Please see this website for more
information about our graduate program, associated benefits
(tuition waiver and teaching assistantships), and its
admission requirements: https://biology.illinoisstate.edu/graduate/bio-as-graduate/application-procedure/.
Dr. Pirmin Nietlisbach (he, him,
his)
Assistant Professor of
Evolutionary Biology
School of Biological Sciences
Illinois State University
Normal, IL 61790-4120
United States of America
Website: https://about.illinoisstate.edu/pnietli/
Office: Science Lab Building 339
Email: pnietli@ilstu.edu
Phone: +1 (309) 438 8549
Posted 11/6/24
PhD Assistantship in spatial
infectious diseases – University of Oklahoma
We are looking for an independent,
highly motivated and enthusiastic student who is passionate
about pursuing research in infectious disease transmission
and one health to join my lab (https://spatialdisease.com/)
housed in the Department of Geography and Environmental
Sustainability at the University of Oklahoma (https://www.ou.edu/ags/geography).
Our
lab focuses on questions at the intersection of
medical/health geography, disease ecology, and epidemiology.
A central goal of our lab is to understand the (re)emergence
of infectious diseases, spatiotemporal dynamics of disease
transmission, and the resilience of animal and human health
systems in the changing environment to better inform disease
control, surveillance, and one-health strategies. To explore
these topics, we employ cutting-edge methods and new
theoretical frameworks in geography, disease ecology, and
epidemiology including geospatial analysis, ecological
models, machine learning algorithms, and dynamic simulation
models.
Location: Successful candidates
will join a dynamic, interactive lab in the Department of
Geography and Environmental Sustainability at the University
of Oklahoma – Norman campus.
Qualifications: Successful
applicants will be creative, motivated, and capable of
working effectively both independently and in collaborative
groups. A MA/MS in the field of medical and health
geography, disease ecology, epidemiology, and
public/veterinary health, or other related fields. Strong
writing, quantitative, and passion for disease and health
are essential.
Stipend: ~$2,600/month plus full
tuition waiver and health benefits will be guaranteed for
four years.
Start date: Fall 2025
How to apply to the position:
Application review will begin on November 30th, 2024,
with applications accepted until suitable candidates are
found. If interested, please email Dr. Anni Yang (anni.yang@ou.edu): 1) a
one-page letter of interest that briefly describes your
educational and research background, as well as your
research interests/goals; 2) a curriculum vitae (or resume);
3) an unofficial copy of your transcript and 4) if
applicable, TOEFL/IELTS scores for international applicants.
Please put “PhD GRA position” in the subject line. The
selected candidates will be required to formally apply
through OU’s graduate school by Jan 15th, 2025.
Additional information: For
additional information about application procedures and
requirements, visit https://gograd.ou.edu/apply/;
For more information about the PhD program at DGES, visit https://www.ou.edu/ags/geography/academics/graduate.
Anni Yang, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography and
Environmental Sustainability
University of Oklahoma
100 East Boyd ST, SEC 654,
Norman, OK, 73019
Posted 11/5/24
PhD assistantship - virus
transmission in salmon
We are seeking a PhD student to
begin in Fall 2025. The
student will be supervised by Dr. Paige Ferguson, Associate
Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the
University of Alabama.
Research will focus on estimating
rates of exposure and infection of Pacific salmonids with
infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and will
build upon work such as Ferguson et al. (2018), Paez et al.
(2020), and Mattheiss et al. (2023). The PhD student will
work with Dr. Ferguson and collaborators to define the
dissertation research questions, but potential directions
include estimating the influence of juvenile abundance at
salmon hatcheries on transmission, estimating the influence
of dams on transmission, estimating the susceptibility of
different host types to different IHNV lineages, and
estimating exposure events in a complex spatial network.
This is a great opportunity for a
student to learn about disease ecology, Bayesian modeling,
and fisheries management while working with a supportive
group of collaborators.
Applicants should have a
background in many of the following: fish and wildlife
science, fisheries management, ecological modeling,
statistics, computer programming, GIS, and clear written and
oral communication. Applicants should be highly motivated,
prepared to conduct independent research, and enthusiastic
about writing scientific papers for publication.
To apply, please email Dr.
Ferguson (pfferguson@ua.edu)
the following:
1. a cover letter describing your
interest in the project and prior experiences that have
prepared you for graduate work in Dr. Ferguson’s lab
2. your transcript(s) (an
unofficial copy is fine),
3. a sample of your scientific
writing (for example a manuscript or lab report), and
4. contact information for 3
references.
Application are due November
15. Review of applications will begin immediately and
will continue until the position is filled.
The position comes with a full
tuition waiver, a competitive stipend, and health insurance.
Funding is available as a Graduate Teaching Assistant
through the Department of Biological Sciences. Highly
qualified applicants may be considered for Graduate School
Fellowships, which offer a Research Assistantship during the
student’s first year and a Teaching Assistantship in
subsequent years.
Additional information:
Mattheiss, J., R. Breyta, G.
Kurath, S. LaDeau, D. Páez, and P.F.B. Ferguson. 2023.
Coproduction prevents bias about infectious hematopoietic
necrosis virus transmission for Snake River Basin salmonids.
Journal of Environmental Management 334: 117415.
Páez, D., S. LaDeau, R. Breyta, G.
Kurath, K. Naish, and P.F.B. Ferguson. 2020. Infectious
hematopoietic necrosis virus specialization in a multihost
salmonid system. Evolutionary Applications, 00: 1-13.
Ferguson, P.F.B., R. Breyta, I.
Brito, G. Kurath, and S. LaDeau. 2018. An epidemiological
model of virus transmission in salmonid fishes of the
Columbia River Basin. Ecological Modeling, 377:1-15.
Department of Biological Sciences:
http://bsc.ua.edu/
Graduate School: http://graduate.ua.edu
University of Alabama: http://www.ua.edu
Tuscaloosa: http://www.tuscaloosa.com/visitor-services
Outdoor opportunities in Alabama:
http://www.outdooralabama.com
Dr. Paige Ferguson
Associate Professor, Department of
Biological Sciences
The University of Alabama
Shelby 2019A
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Phone 205-348-1807
pfferguson@ua.edu
| https://bsc.ua.edu/paige-ferguson/
Posted 11/5/24
Graduate Research Assistantships
(MS and PhD) in Salt Marsh Resilience
The Coastal Disturbance Ecology
Lab (www.cdel.org) at
Stony Brook University is seeking to fill two graduate
positions (preferably one MS and one PhD) to research salt
marsh resilience and the impacts of restoration. These fully
funded Research Assistant positions, including a tuition
wavier and a competitive stipend, are within the School for
Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) and will begin Fall
or Summer 2025.
The successful applicants will
conduct field research and spatial analysis that monitors
salt marsh vegetation, hydrology, elevation, and soil
properties. One position will focus on monitoring the impact
of tidal restoration on salt marsh health and the other
position will quantify and model salt marsh resilience along
the Long Island Sound. Prior knowledge of and experience (or
a desire to learn!) with wetland/coastal plants, GIS, and R
programming is highly desirable. There will be an
opportunity for both positions to be trained and fly drones
that capture LiDAR and multispectral imagery. Candidates
from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM are highly
encouraged to apply.
Interested candidates should email
Giovanna McClenachan (giovanna.mcclenachan@stonybrook.edu)
for more information about the positions. In the email,
please include a CV, contact info for 3 references, and a
paragraph that addresses: (i) your research interests, (ii)
why you are interested in this position, and (iii) why you
feel qualified to successfully complete a graduate degree.
Please indicate whether you are interested in the MS or PhD
position.
The deadline for application for
admission to the SoMAS Graduate program is December 15th
but interested applicants must contact Giovanna McClenachan
prior to applying. For more information about the program
visit: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/somas/education/graduate/mar.
Giovanna McClenachan, PhD
(she/her)
Assistant Professor
121 Discovery Hall
School of Marine and Atmospheric
Sciences
Stony Brook University
Posted 11/5/24
PhD Position at Univ. Alabama to
Study Evolving MetaEcosystems in Alaskan Riparian Insect
Communities
Funding for a PhD position is
available at the University of Alabama Dept. Biological
Sciences in the laboratories of Dr. Carla Atkinson and Dr.
Jeff Lozier. The position is part of a recently awarded NSF
Institute, The Evolving Meta-Ecosystems (EvoME; woodwellclimate.org/evome)
Institute, to investigate the resilience of Arctic organisms
and ecosystems to rapid environmental change. We are seeking
a student interested in studying terrestrial and stream
invertebrates (ground beetles, mayflies, stoneflies) to
investigate links between community ecology, trait
variation, ecological stoichiometry, thermal biology, and
genomics across a broad latitudinal gradient in Alaska. The
EvoME Institute is a 6-year project that will involve a
large collaborative team, and the student’s research will
help address major questions about adaptability to a warming
arctic in diverse terrestrial and aquatic species, including
fish, willows, sparrows, beetles, and mayflies.
The student will get to work with
a diverse and highly dynamic group of collaborators and will
have the unique experience of spending their summers
conducting field work at Toolik Field Station (www.uaf.edu/toolik/)
in the Alaskan tundra. Field work will include quantitative
sampling of terrestrial beetles and stream invertebrates at
project sites for studying taxonomic composition and for
genome sequencing, as well as collecting live specimens to
conduct experimental work in the field and lab. The ideal
student will thus have experience or interest in working
with insects from different taxonomic groups and be
comfortable with extended field work in a remote field
station setting.
The Atkinson and Lozier labs have
a history of successful collaboration, and the applicant
would become part of friendly and interactive lab groups in
the Department of Biological Sciences at UA. Funds are
available for stipend and research support, and the position
will be available starting in the Spring 2025 semester. The
ideal candidate would be available in Summer 2025, but there
is flexibility in the start date for qualified applicants so
please apply if interested.
Interested applicants should
contact Carla Atkinson (clatkinson@ua.edu)
or Jeff Lozier (jlozier@ua.edu)
for more information.
Atkinson Lab: atkinsonlab.ua.edu
Lozier Lab: lozierlab.ua.edu
U Alabama Biological Sciences: bsc.ua.edu
EVOME: woodwellclimate.org/evome
Posted 11/5/24
Graduate Research Assistantship
in Fire Ecology
Position Description: The Forest
Ecosystem Management and Silviculture Lab (https://forestecosystemsilviculture.weebly.com/)
and The MTU Dendroecology & Ecophysiology Lab (https://drstevevoelker.weebly.com/)
in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources are recruiting a MS or PhD
student. The position may begin in summer/fall of 2025.
Support includes three years of a graduate assistantship
(tuition and stipend). The research goal is to gain a
greater understanding of the historical fire ecology of
pine-hardwood forests in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to
help guide forest management of this region. The research
objectives will be to: 1) develop new dendrochronological
fire history records to fill in knowledge gaps within Upper
Michigan, and 2) assess the spatial correspondence, at the
landscape-scale, between disturbance-dependent tree species
and various climatic, geomorphological and anthropogenic
influences. In all cases, the incumbent will communicate
results with a broad range of stakeholders as well as the
scientific community. The incumbent will work with
collaborators at Michigan Tech (Julia Burton, Steve
Voelker), the Wisconsin Department of Natural resources (Jed
Meunier), and the USDA Forest Service (Eric Rebitzke).
Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree
in forestry, biology, natural resources, ecology,
environmental science, or a closely related field is
required. Preferred qualifications include: master’s degree
in a field as described above; strong interest in developing
expertise in fire ecology, dendrochronology, landscape
ecology, silviculture and tree physiology; quantitative
skills or interest in developing quantitative skills;
previous research experience; ability to work independently
and on a team; strong work ethic; communication skills;
field experience; and leadership experience or potential.
Application: Expressions of
interest may be emailed to Steve Voelker (slvoelke@mtu.edu) with
the subject heading: “Fire Ecology Project”. Please provide
1) your resume/CV, 2) a brief statement of purpose,
including why you are interested in working as part of this
research team as well as a paragraph describing what
diversity and inclusion mean to you. We are committed to
promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and a sense of
belonging (https://www.mtu.edu/diversity-inclusion/).
Women
and people from other underrepresented groups are encouraged
to apply. Following a selection process, if encouraged, you
will need to apply to the graduate program in the College of
Forest Resources and Environmental Science (https://www.mtu.edu/forest/graduate/).
Michigan
Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational
Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal
opportunity for all, including protected veterans and
individuals with disabilities
Posted 11/5/24
Graduate student positions
I am recruiting 1 postdoctoral
scholar and 1 PhD or Master students interested in one or
more of the following areas:1) Integrated taxonomy of
leafhopper, beetles and mantis and modelling/digital mapping
of their distribution/habitats/populations under climate
change; 2) The movement structure of beetles based on
Micro-CT, Electron Microscope and 3D etc.; and 3) integrated
pest management and control for main crops including
maize/corn, wheat, canola and potato. The candidates would
join Dr. Yang Liu’s group at the Department of Entomology,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. Postdoc position
is available immediately. The starting date for graduate
student is summer or fall 2025, more information can be
found at https://catalog.umanitoba.ca/graduate-studies/agricultural-food-sciences-agriculture/.
Positions remains open till filled, visiting scholars and
students are also welcome. Each application needs to be
combined into one pdf file with cover letter, CV, research
statement, transcripts and list of three references. Please
address any inquiries to Dr. Liu (yang.
liu2@umanitoba.ca).
Yang Liu, Ph.D. (she/her)
Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology (The
Department of Entomology (http://www.umanitoba.ca/afs/entomology/)
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry
campus)
12 Dafoe Road
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
Posted 11/4/24
PhD positions in Biology at the
University of Texas at Arlington (Dallas-Fort Worth,
Texas)
The Department of Biology at the
University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is recruiting
doctoral students for Fall 2025! All PhD students are
guaranteed a full five years of funding, including salary,
tuition, and healthcare.
Our department spans a wide range
of cutting-edge topics and techniques in biological
research, with four major research areas: genomics,
microbiology, ecology and evolution, and cellular, molecular
and developmental biology. Our PhD program focuses on
training students to apply sophisticated quantitative
techniques to solve research problems in these areas, giving
our graduates a competitive advantage for careers in
industry, government, or academia.
Applicants can either apply to
single labs (direct entry), or apply to enter the rotation
program, which gives students the opportunity to conduct
research in three labs before deciding which to join.
Applications are due on December 1, 2024. Applicants
should contact faculty and identify potential advisors
before applying – you can begin by consulting the list of
recruiting labs below!
Recruiting professors include:
Esther Betran: The Betran Lab is
interested in novelty in the genomes. We focus on the origin
of new genes and their functions. We try to understand their
role in genome evolution, adaptation and species
differences. The model organism we use for this is Drosophila
and the current projects are on duplicated genes and genes
"domesticated" from transposable elements.
Cara Boutte: The Boutte lab
studies the molecular mechanisms of expansion and remodeling
of the mycobacterial cell wall. In addition, we study how
cell wall metabolism is regulated, and how that regulation
contributes to antibiotic resistance and antibiotic
tolerance.
JC Buckner: The IDER lab largely
focuses on understanding the evolutionary history of
terrestrial tetrapods. We integrate genetics, morphometrics
and paleontological data to understand how biodiversity is
generated, maintained and lost through time. Our work
typically starts with molecular systematics - building
comprehensive, time-calibrated phylogenies that reveal
species relationships as well as the tempo and mode of
diversification. From there, we explore trait evolution and
the evolution of adaptive genetic loci in the context of
evolutionary ecology. Some of our current projects include
signals of genetic quality and mate choice in squirrel
monkeys, evolutionary immunogenetics in California newts,
and the genetic basis of convergent phenotypes in waterfowl.
Please visit our website, iderlab.org,
to learn more.
Todd Castoe: Population genomics
of speciation to link theory with empirical data; Population
genomics of schistomiasis transmission and the impact of
control measures on natural selection. Genome-wide
association studies to link traits with selection in the
context of speciation and hybridization.
Woo-Suk Chang: The Chang Lab
focuses on soil microbiomes related to climate change and
probiotics-related human gut microbiomes. For soil
microbiomes, the lab collaborates with farmers to implement
climate-smart practices aimed at reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, particularly in soybean fields. In the area of
human gut microbiomes, the lab studies the effects of
fermented soybean products on gut health and microbiome
composition.
Jeff Demuth: The Demuth Lab
studies the evolution of sex chromosomes and molecular
genetics of behavior, primarily using beetles as a model
system.
Shane DuBay: We use natural
history collections to understand environmental change and
its diverse impacts. Work in the lab focuses on urban
ecology and evolution, environmental health, and
environmental justice.
Theodora Koromila: The Koromila
Lab studies the regulatory mechanisms that drive cell
identity over time, using cutting-edge genomics and
super-resolution live imaging techniques.
Daniela Palmer: We are interested
in understanding the genetic underpinnings of biodiversity,
especially in sex-related traits. We study the evolution of
sex chromosomes and other parts of the genome that
contribute to sex-specific adaptation. Our research focuses
on a group of insects known as treehoppers that show
fascinating diversity in morphology, behavior, and beyond.
Alison Ravenscraft: Our ultimate
goal is to understand how the bacterial symbionts of insects
impact ecosystem-level processes such as plant consumption
and pollination. We are currently focused on understanding
when and how gut microbiota detoxify both natural plant
defenses and made-made pesticides for herbivorous insects
(beetles, grasshoppers and caterpillars).
Alicia Rogers: The Rogers Lab
seeks to understand how small RNA-mediated gene regulation
maintains robust execution of cellular and physiological
processes during normal and stress conditions. We aim to
establish a comprehensive map of the regulatory logic
embedded within small RNA pathways that coordinates pathway
homeostasis and robust gene expression.
Qing Tang: Bacterial physiology,
pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance, and host
interactions of human pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and
Staphylococcus aureus. We use both cell-culture and mouse
models.
Matthew Walsh: The Walsh lab
evaluates the ecological drivers of evolutionary change in
killifish on the island of Trinidad and waterfleas in lakes
in Alaska.
To apply, and for more information
see: https://www.uta.edu/academics/schools-colleges/science/departments/biology/graduate-programs/phd-program
About UTA:
UT Arlington is an R1-ranked
research university, the second largest institution in the
University of Texas system and one of the 10 fastest growing
universities in the nation. We are a Hispanic-serving
institution and rank #5 in the nation for ethnic diversity.
The Biology Department (http://www.uta.edu/biology)
offers access to numerous resources including
state-of-the-art labs, an Animal Care Facility, a Genomics
Core Facility, the North Texas Genomics Center, the
world-class Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center,
and the Shimadzu Institute for Research Technologies. These
offer extensive and cutting-edge resources for
high-throughput sequencing, imaging, proteomics, analytical
chemistry, and more.
About Arlington:
Arlington is situated in the
Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, affording access to numerous
restaurants and entertainment opportunities (museums, zoos,
aquariums, theatre, music, sports, microbreweries). The city
of Arlington alone has 82 public parks, including River
Legacy Parks, a 1,300-acre oasis on the Trinity River in the
heart of north Arlington. Arlington is the home of the
Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the Texas Rangers Ballpark, and Six
Flags Over Texas. More information on the city of Arlington
can be found at www.experiencearlington.org.
Qualifications
• Applicants must have completed
their bachelor's degree in biology or a related field by
summer 2025.
• Strong work ethic and
independence
• Strong communication and
teamwork skills
• Excellent English writing and
speaking ability.
Posted 11/4/24
PhD Position at the University
of New Hampshire –Population Modeling of an At-Risk
Species
Seeking a highly motivated PhD for
Fall 2025 to conduct research in conservation of the
imperiled New England cottontail rabbit, at the University
of New Hampshire, in Dr. Adrienne Kovach’s lab (http://www.kovachlab.com)
in the Department of Natural Resources & the
Environment.
The student will be supported on a Research Assistantship to
conduct research to evaluate population abundance and
viability for a threatened lagomorph. A focus will be to
apply spatially explicit genetic mark-recapture abundance
estimation with noninvasive genetic sampling and to develop
models that predict density for known New England cottontail
metapopulations and conservation focus areas. Additional
work will include predictive population viability modeling
in a spatially explicit context. The student may pursue
additional research questions of their own design, which may
center around additional population modeling and/or
additional analyses of genetic data to address questions
about landscape genetics and conservation genetics concerns.
The research and modeling tools developed under this project
will be applied to the conservation of New England
cottontail populations through a range-wide conservation
initiative. The New England Cottontail Conservation
Initiative is a large, multi-state collaborative effort that
has been focused for a dozen years on restoration of this
at-risk species. Graduate students will be immersed in a
network, including conservation partners and academic
researchers collaborating in this initiative, providing
strong outreach and engagement opportunities. Working within
this system provides students an opportunity to participate
in and help inform adaptive management.
The PhD student will be enrolled in the Natural Resources
and Earth Systems Science (NRESS) program (https://www.unh.edu/nressphd).
The
University of New Hampshire is committed to social justice
and actively creates an educational environment that fosters
diversity, inclusion, and quality engagement for all.
Qualifications: Successful candidates will have a background
in wildlife/ecology/conservation and strong analytical and
quantitative skills, as well as experience with or a strong
interest in genetic lab work. Interest and ability for field
work is also preferred. A Masters degree or relevant
experience is preferred, but not required. Willingness to
work collaboratively and advance diversity, equity and
inclusivity is required. Good communication skills are also
desirable. Individuals who are intellectually curious,
responsible, eager to learn, team-oriented, and have
attention to detail are encouraged to apply.
How to apply: Please send a 1) cover letter describing your
qualifications, explicitly in relation to the qualifications
listed above, including your commitment to diversity and
inclusion, 2) a curriculum vitae or resume, 3) unofficial
transcripts, and 4) contact information for at least three
references to Adrienne Kovach at adrienne.kovach@unh.edu.
Use “Cottontail Population Viability PhD” in the subject
heading of the email. Applications will be reviewed on a
rolling basis, beginning in mid-November.
Salary: $38,150 for 12 months
Start Date: Student may start in the summer of 2025 or
no later than mid-August 2025
The University of New Hampshire – an R1 research institution
– and the Department of Natural Resources and the
Environment (https://colsa.unh.edu/natural-resources-environment)
are home to a vibrant community of productive researchers
with a strong commitment to student success. Located
in the town of Durham, UNH is a beautiful campus surrounded
by forest and natural landscapes. Only 30 minutes from
the sea and less than 2 hours from the White Mountains,
outdoor and other recreational activities abound, including
right on campus.
The University of New Hampshire is a public institution with
a long-standing commitment to equal opportunity for all. It
is an EEO/AA employer and does not discriminate on the basis
of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age,
veteran's status, gender identity or expression, sexual
orientation, marital status, or disability in admission or
access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs,
services, or activities. Please contact the Affirmative
Action and Equity Office, Thompson Hall 305, 105 Main
Street, Durham, NH 03824-3547 at 603-862-2930 (voice), TTY:
(603) 862-1527 • Relay NH: 7-1-1, or affirmaction.equity@unh.edu
with questions or concerns.
Posted 11/2/24
PhD Assistantship in Forest
Chemical Ecology at PSU
The Mitchell lab in the Department of Entomology at
Pennsylvania State University is recruiting a doctoral
student to study the chemical ecology of forest insects. The
project will extend ongoing laboratory research on beetles
associated with dead and degrading wood, including
longhorned beetles, click beetles, and scarabs. The student
will learn analytical methods to characterize the pheromones
of wood-boring beetles and develop field bioassays to
document the communities of beetles that respond to
pheromones, with a goal of establishing indicators for
forest health in eastern North America. Students wishing to
develop skills in genomics and molecular techniques will
also have opportunities to lead projects investigating the
evolution of the pheromone receptors in the study species.
The course of study is funded for four years and includes
full coverage of tuition, as well as an academic year
stipend with summer salary (https://ento.psu.edu/graduate/prospective/apply/faqs).
Coursework
will be completed through the university’s PhD program in
Entomology (https://ento.psu.edu/graduate/degrees).
Applicants must have completed at least a Bachelor’s degree
or equivalent by the start date of the position and should
have a strong interest in entomology. Preference will be
given to students with prior research experience and/or a
background in entomology and chemical ecology. The
Department of Entomology and the Graduate School at Penn
State specify further requirements for GPA and standardized
testing.
Interested students should contact Dr. Mitchell regarding
their intention to apply (please include a CV) and submit an
application to the Graduate School at Penn State by December
1st, 2024. Students who apply to our department and
are highly ranked may be invited to our Graduate Student
Recruitment Event, which will occur in early 2025.
Application requirements and further details may be found
here: https://ento.psu.edu/graduate/prospective/apply/applying-needs
Robert F. Mitchell, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Entomology
The Pennsylvania State University
Ph. (814) 863-6141
web: https://sites.psu.edu/rfmitchell
Posted 11/2/24
PhD positions on species
interactions and ecological function in tropical
rainforests
I’m seeking candidates for two fully funded PhD position at
the University of Montana (UM) to conduct research in tropical
rainforests.
1) Danum Valley, Malaysian Borneo.
This position is open to any students and offers significant
flexibility for the candidate to shape their research
questions, focusing broadly on ecological interactions
involving birds, insects, plants, annelids, or fungi. Possible
research projects could explore the impact of birds on insect
populations (through predation) or plants (via seed
dispersal), the role of insects and fungi in plant ecology
(e.g., through seed predation), or how annelids contribute to
plant growth via soil nutrient cycling.
2) Any ForestGeo tropical forest site.
Our lab has developed a partnership with ForestGEO and is
working to advance understanding of plant-animal interactions
and ecological function in tropical forests. This position is
open to students with field experience from a ForestGeo
tropical site to develop or expand research, in collaboration
with other PIs, on important ecological interactions in any of
a suite of vertebrate, invertebrate, plant, or fungal taxa.
Research in my lab typically blends field experiments,
observational studies (in some cases with access to long-term
datasets collected at the field site), and quantitative
modeling. The positions include a mix of research and teaching
assistantships, as well as funding for research-related travel
and expenses.
UM’s Ecology & Evolution and Wildlife Biology programs are
among the top-ranked in North America, drawing outstanding
graduate students who engage in both fundamental ecological
research and applied conservation science.
Interested candidates should apply to the UM Ecology &
Evolution graduate program (https://www.umt.edu/biological-sciences/grad-programs/ee/apply.php)
by 1 December 2024. If you have any questions
about the position or would like to discuss your suitability
before applying, please feel free to reach out via the contact
information below. The position is open to all applicants;
women and candidates from groups underrepresented in science
are particularly encouraged to apply. A master’s degree in
ecology or a related field is desirable though not required.
Jedediah Brodie
jedediah.brodie@umontana.edu
Jedediah F. Brodie, Ph.D.
www.jedediahbrodie.weebly
Twitter: @BrodieEcology
Posted
11/1/24
Graduate Student Opportunities
in Boreal Forest and Arctic Tundra Research: Climate
Change, Wildfire Disturbance, and Carbon Balance
Position Description: Our research group studies the
impacts of climate warming and changing wildfire disturbance
regimes on the carbon balance of northern boreal forests and
tundra ecosystems in Alaska and Canada. We are recruiting
motivated PhD and MS students to join the Mack/Walker lab in
the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss) at
Northern Arizona University. Students will have the
opportunity to work on two exciting, grant-funded projects:
Wildfire and Permafrost Dynamics –
investigating how increasing wildfire severity affects
permafrost carbon loss and carbon source-sink dynamics
Wildfire Management Strategies:
developing innovative approaches, such as applying biochar
in fuel treatments, to mitigate carbon loss and enhance
ecosystem resilience in a warming climate.
Our Research: We study the community and ecosystem impacts
of a warming climate on plants, soils, and people, focusing
on how changing disturbance regimes affect vegetation
succession, nutrient dynamics, carbon storage, and climate
feedbacks. We apply ecological theory to design effective
wildfire management strategies that support human adaptation
to a warming climate. Our work combines ecosystem and
landscape ecology with diverse field and laboratory methods,
including radiocarbon dating, stable carbon and nitrogen
isotope analysis, dendrochronology, and advanced statistical
modeling. Through long-term collaborations, we also access
methods in molecular biology and remote sensing. Our
research group leads the NSF-funded Bonanza Creek Long-term
Ecological Research (https://www.lter.uaf.edu/)
program (Michelle Mack is the PI, and Xanthe Walker leads
wildfire research) and participates in the NASA
Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (https://above.nasa.gov/).
Degree Programs: Students may pursue an M.Sc. or Ph.D. in
Biological Sciences, or a Ph.D. in Ecoinformatics through
the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cybersystems.
To Apply: If interested, please contact Xanthe Walker (xanthe.walker@nau.edu)
or Michelle Mack (michelle.mack@nau.edu).
Xanthe Walker Ph.D.
Center for Ecosystem Science and Society
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona
Posted 10/31/24
Funded Master's Position in
Avian Migration Physiology Available
Master's Student Position Available Fall 2025 the University
of South Alabama.
Are you Interested in migration and seasonal behavior more
broadly? I am looking to recruit a MS student for Fall 2025
to work on a NSF funded project exploring the neural and
physiological mechanisms regulating seasonal migration in
birds. The project will combine both field and laboratory
work responsibilities. Experience conducting field work
under variable conditions is strongly preferred. Experience
working with songbirds or similar is a bonus, but not
required.
Interested students should email Dr. Jonathan Perez (jhperez@southalabama.edu)
with CV and a short statement describing relevant past
experience and why they are interested in working on this
project. This does not need to be lengthy, a paragraph or
two is sufficient, maximum 1 page. I am also happy to answer
questions regarding the position or the MS program via
email. Selected Candidates will still have to complete the
University's Graduate school application via the portal in
order to formally enroll in the program.
You can learn more about the Biology department at https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/artsandsci/biology/.
Review of applications will begin on 12/15/2024.
Jonathan Pérez, PhD (He/Him/His)
(P): 251-460-7527
jhperez@southalabama.edu
Dept. of Biology, Assistant Professor
Univ. of South Alabama
133 Earth and Life Sciences Building
5871 USA Dr. N
Mobile, AL 36688
southalabama.edu
Posted 10/31/24
PhD Position at the University
of New Hampshire –Population Modeling of an At-Risk
Species
Seeking a highly motivated PhD for Fall 2025 to conduct
research in conservation of the imperiled New England
cottontail rabbit, at the University of New Hampshire, in Dr.
Adrienne Kovach’s lab (http://www.kovachlab.com)
in the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment.
The student will be supported on a Research Assistantship to
conduct research to evaluate population abundance and
viability for a threatened lagomorph. A focus will be to apply
spatially explicit genetic mark-recapture abundance estimation
with noninvasive genetic sampling and to develop models that
predict density for known New England cottontail
metapopulations and conservation focus areas. Additional work
will include predictive population viability modeling in a
spatially explicit context. The student may pursue additional
research questions of their own design, which may center
around additional population modeling and/or additional
analyses of genetic data to address questions about landscape
genetics and conservation genetics concerns. The research and
modeling tools developed under this project will be applied to
the conservation of New England cottontail populations through
a range-wide conservation initiative. The New England
Cottontail Conservation Initiative is a large, multi-state
collaborative effort that has been focused for a dozen years
on restoration of this at-risk species. Graduate students will
be immersed in a network, including conservation partners and
academic researchers collaborating in this initiative,
providing strong outreach and engagement opportunities.
Working within this system provides students an opportunity to
participate in and help inform adaptive management.
The PhD student will be enrolled in the Natural Resources and
Earth Systems Science (NRESS) program (https://www.unh.edu/nressphd).
The
University of New Hampshire is committed to social justice and
actively creates an educational environment that fosters
diversity, inclusion, and quality engagement for all.
Qualifications: Successful candidates will have a background
in wildlife/ecology/conservation and strong analytical and
quantitative skills, as well as experience with or a strong
interest in genetic lab work. Interest and ability for field
work is also preferred. A Masters degree or relevant
experience is preferred, but not required. Willingness to work
collaboratively and advance diversity, equity and inclusivity
is required. Good communication skills are also desirable.
Individuals who are intellectually curious, responsible, eager
to learn, team-oriented, and have attention to detail are
encouraged to apply.
How to apply: Please send a 1) cover letter describing your
qualifications, explicitly in relation to the qualifications
listed above, including your commitment to diversity and
inclusion, 2) a curriculum vitae or resume, 3) unofficial
transcripts, and 4) contact information for at least three
references to Adrienne Kovach at adrienne.kovach@unh.edu.
Use “Cottontail Population Viability PhD” in the subject
heading of the email. Applications will be reviewed on a
rolling basis, beginning in mid-November.
Salary: $38,150 for 12 months
Start Date: Student may start in the summer of 2025 or
no later than mid-August 2025
The University of New Hampshire – an R1 research institution –
and the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (https://colsa.unh.edu/natural-resources-environment)
are home to a vibrant community of productive researchers with
a strong commitment to student success. Located in the
town of Durham, UNH is a beautiful campus surrounded by forest
and natural landscapes. Only 30 minutes from the sea and
less than 2 hours from the White Mountains, outdoor and other
recreational activities abound, including right on campus.
The University of New Hampshire is a public institution with a
long-standing commitment to equal opportunity for all. It is
an EEO/AA employer and does not discriminate on the basis of
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran's
status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation,
marital status, or disability in admission or access to, or
treatment or employment in, its programs, services, or
activities. Please contact the Affirmative Action and Equity
Office, Thompson Hall 305, 105 Main Street, Durham, NH
03824-3547 at 603-862-2930 (voice), TTY: (603) 862-1527 •
Relay NH: 7-1-1, or affirmaction.equity@unh.edu with
questions
or concerns.
Posted
10/30/24
PhD Assistantship in Forest
Chemical Ecology at PSU
The Mitchell lab in the Department of Entomology at
Pennsylvania State University is recruiting a doctoral
student to study the chemical ecology of forest insects. The
project will extend ongoing laboratory research on beetles
associated with dead and degrading wood, including
longhorned beetles, click beetles, and scarabs. The student
will learn analytical methods to characterize the pheromones
of wood-boring beetles and develop field bioassays to
document the communities of beetles that respond to
pheromones, with a goal of establishing indicators for
forest health in eastern North America. Students wishing to
develop skills in genomics and molecular techniques will
also have opportunities to lead projects investigating the
evolution of the pheromone receptors in the study species.
The course of study is funded for four years and includes
full coverage of tuition, as well as an academic year
stipend with summer salary (https://ento.psu.edu/graduate/prospective/apply/faqs).
Coursework
will be completed through the university’s PhD program in
Entomology (https://ento.psu.edu/graduate/degrees).
Applicants must have completed at least a Bachelor’s degree
or equivalent by the start date of the position and should
have a strong interest in entomology. Preference will be
given to students with prior research experience and/or a
background in entomology and chemical ecology. The
Department of Entomology and the Graduate School at Penn
State specify further requirements for GPA and standardized
testing.
Interested students should contact Dr. Mitchell regarding
their intention to apply (please include a CV) and submit an
application to the Graduate School at Penn State by December
1st, 2024. Students who apply to our department and
are highly ranked may be invited to our Graduate Student
Recruitment Event, which will occur in early 2025.
Application requirements and further details may be found
here: https://ento.psu.edu/graduate/prospective/apply/applying-needs
Robert F. Mitchell, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Entomology
The Pennsylvania State University
Ph. (814) 863-6141
web: https://sites.psu.edu/rfmitchell
Posted 10/30/24
M.S. Assistantship in Forest
Entomology at the University of Georgia
The Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the
University of Georgia, Athens invites applications from
highly motivated and enthusiastic students for a M.S.
Assistantship starting in Fall 2025. The student’s
project will assist with developing novel sensor technology
using artificial intelligence to allow real-time monitoring
of economically important bark beetles in forest stands that
are stressed due to multiple factors including climate
change. This research will be the first step towards
creating an early warning system for bark beetle activity in
southern pine stands, thus, allowing rapid management
interventions for long-term conservation. The student
will be advised by Drs. Kamal Gandhi (Warnell School,
University of Georgia) and Ryan Nadel (Weyerhaeuser
Company). The project is a highly collaborative effort
between the Southern Pine Health Research Cooperative (https://southernpinehealth.org)
at the Warnell School, private companies specializing in
cutting-edge insect monitoring technologies, and private
forest companies. The ideal candidate would possess
both field and laboratory experience related to ecology,
strong statistical background with an interest in artificial
intelligence, and an independent spirit to develop, conduct,
and publish research. A B.S. degree in a related
field, especially in biology, ecology, entomology, or
forestry is a prerequisite for the position.
The Forest Entomology Laboratory (https://kjgandhi.wixsite.com/gandhi-lab)
at the University of Georgia is a dynamic group that works
on a broad range of ecological issues, forest insect
species, and ecosystems across the country. Further
training in forest ecology, entomology, and statistics will
be provided. A competitive M.S. assistantship along
with full tuition waiver is available. Interested
students should submit a statement of interest, current CV
along with contact information for three references, GRE
scores, and unofficial transcripts to Dr. Kamal Gandhi (kjgandhi@uga.edu;
706-247-4025).
The Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources (http://www.warnell.uga.edu/)
is the oldest forestry school in the South, has >70
faculty working in diverse fields, and provides exemplary
training of students in the fields of forestry, ecology, and
conservation biology. The School is housed in a
four-building complex on campus, and has >23,000 acres in
the state for research, teaching, and service
activities. The University of Georgia (http://www.uga.edu/) is a
“land-grant and sea-grant university, and is also the
state's oldest, most comprehensive and most diversified
institution of higher education”. Its motto is: "to teach,
to serve and to inquire into the nature of things”.
The University of Georgia is an Equal
Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without
regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender
identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status.
Posted 10/29/24
Eco physiological studies of
greenhouse gases-cycling microbes across changing
ecosystems at the School of Life Sciences (SOLS), Arizona
State University
The Cadillo Lab in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona
State University (Tempe, AZ) is seeking a PhD student to
begin in 2025. Research in the Cadillo Lab (https://faculty.thecollege.asu.edu/cadillo)
examines interdisciplinary subjects related to ecosystem
processes, carbon cycling, and the role of microbes in
ecosystem solutions at various scales.
This PhD position focuses on transdisciplinary work in
ecosystem analysis and integrating microbial activity and
greenhouse gas flux predictions across pristine, degraded,
or managed ecosystems. The incoming PhD student will
participate in studies of the spatial ecology of decomposers
and greenhouse gas-cycling microbes, use genomic and
metagenomic approaches to evaluate and predict microbial
traits and their variation (cultured and uncultured), and
collaboratively integrate trait-based values into GHG flux
modeling, ecosystem restoration, and natural carbon
solutions. This project uses a trait-based framework for key
microbial guilds, including decomposers and GHG-producing or
consuming microbes and their feedback to climate change. The
student will join either an active NSF project or conduct
independent research. Activities include field work in
English, Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries according
to the project, omics-research to parameterize and predict
trait variation, microbial physiology and genomics research
and modeling collaborations. Prior research experience in
genomics or metagenomics, microbial physiology and molecular
microbial ecology is desirable, and any level of numerical
modeling is a plus but not strictly required. The student
will be expected to demonstrate an ability to work
collaboratively, participate in international training, and
bridge field and laboratory-based research. Minority
students from diverse backgrounds or with a relationship to
ecosystem studies are highly encouraged!
Students with appropriate background in either of the
following fields: environmental sciences, microbiology,
bioinformatics, geomicrobiology, or related fields are
encouraged to apply. Students with a record of publication
or master’s degree, strong quantitative skills, and
appropriate experiences will be given preference. Start date
for graduate studies is Fall 2025, according to project
needs. To express interest before formal application, please
email Prof Cadillo-Quiroz at cadillo-lab-appl@asu.edu and
include
a CV and a statement of research interests and experience.
Candidates are to be considered for admission through the
PhD in Environmental Life Sciences, PhD in Microbiology, PhD
in Molecular Biology or PhD in Biology programs (November
15 is the expected deadline across programs,
although late submissions could be considered) see
application details at: https://sols.asu.edu/degree-programs/graduate).
ASU
provides a strong research environment through the School of
Life Sciences (https://sols.asu.edu), the Center for
Environmental Biotechnology (https://environmentalbiotechnology.org/),
the
Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics (https://biodesign.asu.edu/Research/Centers/fundamental-and-applied-microbiomics)
and several others that involve research in the Cadillo lab.
Posted 10/29/24
M.S. Assistantship in
Data-Limited Tropical Fisheries at the University of
Hawaii
The Marine Biology Graduate Program at the University of
Hawaii at Manoa invites applications from highly motivated and
enthusiastic students for an M.S. Assistantship starting in
Fall 2025. The student’s project will focus on the examination
of data-limited stock assessment methods through simulation
testing to help define equivalent rate-based OFL, ABC, and ACL
control rules to support the use of alternative assessment
approaches under National Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. The student will be advised by Dr. Erik Franklin
(University of Hawaii) with close collaborations with Dr.
Jason Cope (NOAA Fisheries) and scientists in the Stock
Assessment Program at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries
Science Center. The ideal candidate would possess experience
related to fisheries, have a strong background in statistics
and scientific computing, and a desire to develop, conduct,
present, and publish research. Students from Hawaii, Guam,
CNMI, American Samoa and other Pacific Islands are strongly
encouraged to apply.
The Franklin Lab at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology in
the University of Hawaii at Manoa is a dynamic research group
focused on the development of science-based solutions for the
sustainable management of marine resources under changing
environmental conditions. Skills learned would include coding
for simulation testing, analytical analysis, science
communication, and applied fisheries management. A competitive
M.S. assistantship along with a full tuition waiver is
available. Transition into a Ph.D. is possible based on
performance and available funding.
Applications due Nov 15th, 2024 through
University of Hawaii Marine Biology Graduate Program: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/marinebiograd/apply/
Candidates should email Dr. Erik Franklin (erik.franklin@hawaii.edu)
with a statement of interests, a current CV along with contact
info for references, and an unofficial transcript.
Erik C. Franklin, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Director, Climate Resilient Aquaculture Innovation Megahub
(CliRAIM)
Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation
University of Hawaii System
PO Box 1346 (delivery: 46-007 Lilipuna Road)
Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744 USA
office: (808) 236-7466
lab: (808) 236-7467
fax: (808) 236-7443
LinkedIn: erikcfranklin
Google Scholar: Erik C. Franklin
Posted
10/29/24
PhD Position in Climate Change
Biology - snowshoe hares pop dynamics
PhD Student Position at the Zimova Lab at Ohio University
The Zimova Lab (https://www.marketazimova.com/)
at Ohio University, Dept of Biological Sciences (https://www.ohio.edu/cas/biology)
is looking for a PhD student to join our group and to work
closely with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The PhD
student would investigate the drivers behind the decline of
Pennsylvania’s snowshoe hare population. Up to five years of
support (salary and tuition) are available. The position
start date is August 2025.
Background
Snowshoe hares have experienced population declines across
the state of Pennsylvania with populations having contracted
to areas with greater amounts of snowfall in recent decades.
Numerous factors may be affecting snowshoe hare populations
including mismatch in seasonal camouflage, availability and
connectivity of suitable habitats, and a lack of genetic
diversity. The PhD student would lead investigation into the
causes of the recent range contractions and explore effects
of habitat management to mitigate negative consequences of
camouflage mismatch.
The student will use a combination of radiotelemetry, remote
camera traps, genomics, and advanced statistical analyses.
They will develop strong field ecology and quantitative
skills. The student will be supported by a combination of
research assistantship (up to eight semesters, min $30k/year
+ tuition waiver) and teaching assistantship (at least two
semesters, min $23k/year + tuition waiver).
Required Qualifications
BS degree in biology, zoology, wildlife and fisheries
science or related field
Interest in conservation biology, animal ecology, and or
evolutionary biology
Ability to safely conduct field work in all seasons,
including leading crews of field technicians
Ability to manage and analyze data using R, Python, and or
ArcGIS
Excellent interpersonal and verbal/written communication
skills with evidence of the ability to work collaboratively
Valid US driver’s license and ability to drive long
distances to field sites
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in quantitative analysis and or spatial modeling
Familiarity with live-trapping, radiotelemetry, and or
remote camera trapping for wildlife research
Interest in solving key questions in ecology, evolution and
behavior
Interest in benefitting wildlife through habitat management
MS degree in biology, zoology, wildlife and fisheries
science or related field
Track record of peer-reviewed publications
About Zimova lab
The research in Zimova lab focuses on quantifying
consequences of climate change for vertebrate populations
and understanding the potential for evolutionary change to
facilitate adaptation to climate change-related stressors.
Our work integrates a broad range of tools and approaches
including field surveys, museum specimens, high-resolution
climate and environmental data, genetics, and advanced
statistical modeling.
About BIOS and Athens, OH
The Department of Biological Sciences has a diverse
intellectual community of faculty and scientists. The
University is located in Athens, a small and affordable
college town situated in the Appalachian foothills of
southeastern Ohio. It has a vibrant downtown, large farmer's
market, multiple breweries, and an active music scene. It is
adjacent to several state/national forests and offers many
opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Application Instructions
To apply, please fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/aytGJ2317AnQFkmRA by November
24. Please include the following materials:
A cover letter highlighting your research motivations, your
short and long-term career goals, and which component of the
research interests you most.
A curriculum vitae / resume that outlines your academic and
professional experience and lists names and email addresses
of three references.
A writing sample (e.g., technical report, academic paper,
class research project).
Copies of unofficial transcripts or a list of classes taken
that include your undergraduate GPA. Please do not upload
your GRE scores.
PI Zimova will begin to review applications immediately and
contact the top candidates to arrange a time for an
interview via MS Teams. The selected candidate will be
invited to apply through the official OU Admissions process
(due January 8th). For more information contact Marketa
Zimova (zimova@ohio.edu).
Marketa Zimova, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Ohio University
Irvine 423
Athens, Ohio 45701
www.marketazimova.com
Posted 10/29/24
PhD position in movement ecology
and demography at the University of Florida
The Florida Snail Kite at the University of Florida is
recruiting a PhD student to study movement ecology and
demography of this critically endangered species. This
student will be advised by Dr. Miguel Acevedo (https://www.EcoSigmaSquared.com)
in close collaboration with Rob Fletcher (University of
Cambridge, UK) and Caroline Poli (Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission). The ideal candidate will hold a
master’s degree in wildlife ecology, biology, natural
resources, environmental statistics, or related
fields. Applicants with previous experience with
demographic modeling, animal movement and/or computational
ecology are particularly encouraged to apply.
About Gainesville, Florida: Situated in the rolling
countryside of north-central Florida, Gainesville is much
more than a stereotypical college town. Home of the
University of Florida, seat of Alachua County’s government
and the region’s commercial hub, it is progressive,
environmentally conscious, and culturally diverse. The
presence of many students and faculty from abroad among its
99,000-plus population adds a strong cross-cultural flavor
to its historic small-town Southern roots. Its natural
environment, temperate climate, and civic amenities make
Gainesville a beautiful, pleasant, and interesting place in
which to learn and live. Gainesville has been ranked as one
of the best cities to live in the United States.
Miguel A. Acevedo (he,him;él)
Assistant Professor
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
University of Florida
http://www.EcoSigmaSquared.com
Posted 10/29/24
PhD opportunity – Response of US
forests to climate change, University of Florida
This PhD opportunity at the University of Florida, to begin in
fall 2025, will leverage the national-scale US Forest
Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database and may also include
field work.
Supervisor: Jeremy Lichstein (https://people.clas.ufl.edu/jlichstein/)
Background: Multiple factors may affect trends in forest
dynamics, including rising concentrations of atmospheric
carbon dioxide, climate change, and nutrient limitation. These
factors may affect forest growth and mortality directly
through physiological mechanisms, as well as indirectly
through shifts in species composition. As the spatial and
temporal coverage of national-scale data continues to improve,
so do opportunities to better characterize and understand
changes in forest dynamics. However, interactions between
multiple global change drivers and the complex disturbance
history of U.S. forests pose significant challenges for
attributing changes to different mechanisms. Addressing these
challenges requires creative modeling approaches. Our recent
paper (doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2311132121)
illustrates the type of research that our project is pursuing.
Details: This PhD position is associated with a USDA-funded
project to study the carbon dynamics of US forests. The
project aims to improve our understanding of how and why US
forest dynamics have changed over recent decades. We are
interested in better understanding both carbon dynamics and
demography across life stages (seedlings, saplings, and large
trees). Within this broad framework, the PhD student will
develop questions aligned with their specific interests.
Tuition and stipend ($32,500/yr with 3%/yr cost-of-living
increase) are provided for up to five years, including two
semesters of TA support and up to four years of RA support.
Start date: fall semester (around Aug. 15) of 2025.
Potential degree programs include the UF School of Natural
Resources and the Environment (https://snre.ifas.ufl.edu/;
application deadline Feb. 1, 2025) and the UF Biology
Department (https://biology.ufl.edu/;
application deadline Dec. 1, 2024). If you are
interested in applying, please contact Jeremy Lichstein (jlichstein@ufl.edu) by
around Oct. 15, 2024 with the following pre-application
materials:
- Cover letter explaining your interest in the position and
relevant experience.
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Contact information for three references.
- Any questions you have about the position.
This informal pre-application does not have a strict deadline
and is intended to: (1) help determine if this position would
be a good fit for you, and (2) help you think about how you
might approach your PhD, which will strengthen your subsequent
formal application(s). Formal application to one or both
programs listed above is also required if you decide to move
forward.
Posted
10/25/24
2 PhD positions (SW climate
adaptation, memory effects) at UNLV
1) PhD in Climate Adaptation Science to address
pressing climate-driven issues facing the Southwest, such as
wildfire, managing freshwater, managing for aridification,
extreme weather and climate, wildlife, and climate and
environmental justice. The PhD student would pursue
independent research focused on addressing such issues,
likely to involve some combination of ecophysiology, field
sampling of disturbed forests, dendroecology, and ecological
modelling. The student would have the opportunity to develop
their own research and also participate in synthesis efforts
across the Southwest as part of the Southwest Climate
Adaptation Center (SWCASC, https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/about/overview).
2) PhD in Memory effects in forest carbon cycle to quantify
memory and legacy effects in tree growth. The PhD student
would quantify the magnitude and duration of climate
legacies on tree growth and carbon fluxes across National
Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) sites in the western
US. A major focus of the position is linking dynamics in
tree rings to those in NEON flux tower records. The student
would have the opportunity to participate in field sampling
of tree rings, processing and measurement of tree cores, and
potential visits with collaborators at NAU, UCLA, and
NASA-JPL. Bayesian modelling of carbon cycle processes is a
major component of the project, but the student would have
the opportunity to develop their own research.
Applications due Dec. 15th through UNLV
Graduate College:
https://www.unlv.edu/graduatecollege/apply Candidates
should
email Drew.Peltier@unlv.edu
describing their interests in the position and
relevant experience, including a CV. I can answer questions
about the position and provide details on how to apply. Or
see drewpeltier.com/opportunities.
Posted 10/26/24
PhD opportunity in
biology/paleontology at the University of Alabama
The recently NSF-funded project “Energetic Controls on
Marine Benthic Community Structure in Space and Time”
aims to (1) evaluate how productivity affects the energetic
and trophic structure of marine benthic communities on
either side of the modern Isthmus of Panama, where there is
now a strong contrast between the high productivity,
upwelling-dominated regime of the eastern Pacific and the
low-productivity, low-seasonality regime of the Caribbean
(2) use this knowledge to evaluate the fossil record of
Caribbean benthic ecosystems before, during, and after the
uplift of the isthmus during which planktonic productivity
decreased in the Caribbean and (3) relate ecosystem changes
driven by productivity shifts to the well documented
Caribbean extinction event ~2 Ma. This is a project in
collaboration with colleagues and their students/postdoc at
the Ohio State University (Dr. Jill Leonard-Pingel), the
University of California Berkeley (Dr. Seth Finnegan), and
the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Dr. Aaron
O’Dea).
One key component of this project is to assess biotic
interactions such as predator-prey interactions using fossil
and modern molluscan assemblages from both sides of the
Isthmus of Panama. I am recruiting a PhD student for the
Fall 2025 semester with a background in biology,
paleontology, and/or geology who has an interest in biotic
interactions and quantitative methods. While the study will
use pre-existing collections, there is a trip to Panama
included. For interested candidates, please get in touch
with Dr. Adiel Klompmaker (aaklompmaker@ua.edu),
preferably sending along a CV.
The student will be supported for 5 semesters as a graduate
research assistant and as graduate teaching assistant for
the remainder of the PhD program. Conference support is
provided. The student will be part of the Department of
Biological Sciences or the Department of Geological Sciences
at the University of Alabama depending on the background of
the student. Apply to one of these departments through https://graduate.ua.edu/applicants/
Applications are due on 10 December 2024.
Posted 10/25/24
Online GIS Master's Certificate
from Michigan Tech: Applications are Open Spring 2025
TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS BECOMING A GISCIENCE PROFESSIONAL!
This is Parth Bhatt reaching out to inform you about a new
online 9-credit graduate certificate from Michigan Tech's
College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science: Foundations
in
GIScience for Natural Resources. This comprehensive
9-credit certificate, available in Spring 2025, is one of the
three comprising our innovative, multidisciplinary online
master's degree in GIScience (available in 2025).
As an experienced instructor with a wealth of international
experience in GIS, Remote Sensing, GPS, and more, I am excited
to share my expertise with students and help them build their
valuable GIScience toolkits.
Why Earn Your Online GIScience Cert. from MTU?
FLEXIBILITY & CHOICE
Our asynchronous program can fit around your busy schedule,
allowing you to balance work, life, and education seamlessly.
You can earn this certificate alone or take all three to build
your MGIS degree.
VERSATILE SKILLS
You will gain not only practical skills but also hands-on
experience with modern GIS tools, such as the following:
ArcPro
ArcGIS Online
Survey123
FieldMaps
Avenza Maps and more
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Whether you’re looking to enhance your current role or pivot
to a new career, you will acquire job-ready skills that are
in-demand in various industries, such as forestry, natural
resource management, urban planning, and environmental and
civil engineering.
I'm confident, too, that as the field evolves, those with
GIScience expertise will find additional opportunities in
other emerging areas and industries that leverage
location-based data for crucial decision-making and necessary
innovation.
If you are interested in pursuing this certificate or
acquiring more information, contact me at ppbhatt@mtu.edu.
Alternatively, if you know of students or fellow professionals
who need GIScience skills and expertise, please share this
email broadly.
Dr.
Parth
Bhatt
Assistant Teaching Professor / Researcher
College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
PS. Michigan Tech Global Campus also has an admissions
advisor, Amanda Irwin, who is dedicated to helping students
choose programs and complete the application process. You can
reach her at 906-487-1000 or at globalcampus@mtu.edu.
Request
Information
Start
Application
Michigan Technological University
Michigan
Tech
Global Campus
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931
globalcampus@mtu.edu
906-487-1000
Courses: FW5550 - GIS for Natural Resource Management (4
credits), FW4545 - Map Design with GIS (3 credits), FW5554 -
GPS Field Techniques (2 credits)
Parth Bhatt
Assistant
Teaching
Professor/Researcher/Ph.D.
GIS/Remote Sensing/Forest Science
MGIS Online
Program Director: Foundations
in
Geographic Information Science for Natural Resources |
Michigan Tech Global Campus (mtu.edu)
Office: U.J. Noblet 189/GIS-RS Lab # 135/ Phone (Office):
906-487-2291
Posted
10/24/24
MS Position - Plant
Ecophysiology in Savannas
The O’Keefe Lab (https://kimokeefe.weebly.com/)
at Northern Michigan University is recruiting a MS student
to investigate the ecophysiology of savanna plants (start
date Fall 2025). The student will work with a team to study
how plant physiological traits promote ecosystem resilience
to co-occurring extreme perturbations (extreme fire, grazing
and drought) in a South African savanna. This position
includes a full tuition waiver, as well as academic year and
summer support for two years. Applicants with strong
interests in plant ecology, grasslands and savannas, climate
change biology, or related fields are encouraged to apply.
This position requires a bachelor’s degree in biology,
ecology, or related fields. Desired qualifications include:
ability to balance working independently and
collaboratively, comfort in remote locations and field work,
strong writing skills, experience with or a strong desire to
learn plant ecophysiology measurements, experience with or
interest in learning ecological data analysis. The O’Keefe
Lab aims to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the
sciences and encourages applications from students who are
members of historically excluded or marginalized groups.
To apply, please send a letter of interest, CV, unofficial
transcript, and contact information for 2 references to Dr.
Kim O’Keefe (kiokeefe@nmu.edu).
Review of applications will begin immediately and all
applications received by December 15, 2024 will
receive full consideration.
Kim O'Keefe (she/her)
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, MI 49855
Posted 10/24/24
Graduate Assistantship in Forest
Nutrient Cycling
Ruth Yanai is seeking new graduate students (MS or PhD) to
participate in a large collaborative project investigating
forest ecology and nutrient cycling. A study of Multiple
Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE)
has field sites located at Hubbard Brook, Jeffers Brook, and
Bartlett Experimental Forests in the White Mountains of New
Hampshire. Since 2011, thirteen stands have received
full-factorial N x P treatments annually in 0.25-ha plots,
with seven stands also including plots treated with CaSiO2.
Previous students in the MELNHE project have studied tree
diameter growth, leaf production by species, foliar nutrient
resorption, soil nutrient availability, soil enzymes, soil
respiration, litter decomposition, beech bark disease, and
mycorrhizae. We are currently seeking funding to address how
our N and P additions have affected carbon cycling. Our
long-term measurements of litter production and soil
respiration could be combined to assess below ground carbon
allocation. We are also interested in the nutrient
composition of fine roots. An interest in the Multiple
Element Limitation (MEL) model would be a plus. Another
proposal in preparation focuses on the microbial communities
involved in decomposition of fine roots and fungal hyphal
necromass; for this project, valuable background would
include molecular ecology and bioinformatics (i.e. qPCR,
high-throughput sequencing, metagenomics). We welcome other
ideas for research in the context of the MELNHE project.
More information on the project can be found at http://www.esf.edu/melnhe.
Applicants should be self-motivated, excited to work as part
of a multi-investigator project, have laboratory and field
experience, and be comfortable living and working in a group
setting. A field crew blog from previous years is available
at https://shoestringproject.wordpress.com/.
Ideally, new students join us at the start of the summer
field season at the beginning of June, so as to become
familiar with the field sites and our research activities
before starting classes in late August.
Funding will consist of a combination of research and
teaching assistantships. A stipend, full tuition waiver,
health insurance, and a summer position with the field crew
in New Hampshire will be provided. Prospective students may
apply to the Department of Sustainable Resources Management
or the Graduate Program in Environmental Science, both at
the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry,
Syracuse, NY.
Communicating with students is part of our selection
process. Students are encouraged to review MELNHE data to
begin thinking about how they might contribute to the
project. Prospective students should begin that conversation
by requesting the password for MELNHE project materials from
Mary Hagemann at forestecology@esf.edu.
Posted 10/24/24
PhD position - Forest carbon
cycling, management, and climate resilience
I am recruiting a PhD student to join my lab at West Virginia
University next summer or fall to work on a NSF-funded project
centered around how the legacies of past forest management
have impacted contemporary carbon storage and climate
resilience across Appalachia. This work is deeply
interdisciplinary and involves collaborations across forest
ecologists, soil scientists, forest economists, and human
geographers. While one of the primary responsibilities will be
to conduct surveys and sample tree cores across a network of
forest plots, there will be a lot of room for the development
of independent research questions.
More information is available at the link below, and please
contact me if you are interested!
https://www.stevekannenberg.com/opportunities
Posted
10/23/24
MSc Opportunity in Plant-Insect
Interactions
The Mooney laboratory at the University of Colorado Colorado
Springs is recruiting a MSc student interested in
plant-insect interactions. The fully funded project will
explore the impacts of warming temperatures on the
integrated responses of soil microbes, host plants, and the
ant-aphid mutualism. This project is in collaboration with
Dr. Kate Becklin at Syracuse University and Dr. Christie
Bahlai at Kent State University. Fieldwork will take place
at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (https://www.rmbl.org/)
and the MSc will be completed through the Biology Department
at UCCS.
The award covers tuition at UCCS, housing and fees at RMBL,
and provides a research assistantship for summers 2025 and
2026. Additional financial support is possible through
the academic year if the MSc student takes part as a
teaching assistant for introductory biology laboratories at
UCCS.
Interested students should send an email to Dr. Mooney (emooney@uccs.edu)
describing their research interests, include a CV, and
attach a copy of their unofficial undergraduate transcripts.
Additional information on the MSc program at UCCS can be
found here: https://biology.uccs.edu/academics/general-msc
Graduate school application deadline is December 15,
2024
Dr. Mooney's Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AJgeAvEAAAAJ&hl=en
Posted 10/23/24
Graduate opportunities: UGA,
Odum School, Ballantyne Lab
The Ballantyne Lab in the Odum School of Ecology invites
inquiries about, and applications to join, the graduate
program. Current emphasis is on microbial metabolism
and the flux of organic matter, whole stream metabolism,
eco-evo feedbacks, and interactions between land cover,
meteorology, plant physiology/traits, and C flux between
terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. Students
with empirical, experimental, or theoretical interests, or
some combination of the three, are all encouraged to
apply. For more information, please contact Ford
Ballantyne (fb4@uga.edu)
and consult the graduate program website https://ecology.uga.edu/academics/graduate-school/
Graduate Programs
Odum School of Ecology graduate programs enable students to
explore the fundamental—and pressing—basic and applied
questions in ecology.
ecology.uga.edu
Ford Ballantyne IV
Odum School of Ecology
140 E. Green St.
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
Tel: 706-542-2437
Fax: 706-542-4819
Posted 10/23/24
Graduate Assistantships (PhD or
MS) in Tree Ecophysiology at Oklahoma State University
I am seeking interested applicants for a Graduate
Assistantship (PhD or MS) to study carbohydrate storage in
trees at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK starting
in Fall 2025. Carbohydrate storage provides a source of carbon
and energy that can be remobilized for use when photosynthesis
does not meet a tree’s current demands; it can therefore play
an important role in determining tree survival. My lab’s
research seeks to understand how stress and disturbance affect
carbohydrate storage, how carbohydrate storage differs between
species, and what the consequences of these
effects/differences are on tree growth, survival and stress
tolerance.
This position will be funded through a combination of research
and teaching assistantships. In addition to a stipend,
students will receive tuition and health insurance. More
information about the OK State’s Plant Biology graduate
programs can be found here:
https://go.okstate.edu/graduate-academics/programs/masters/plant-biology-ms.html
https://go.okstate.edu/graduate-academics/programs/doctoral/plant-biology-phd.html
Qualifications: B.S. in Biology, Environmental Science, or
related field. Previous research experience, either lab or
fieldwork is preferred, but not required. Additionally, the
ideal candidate should have strong writing and verbal
communication skills, a strong work ethic, be able to work
independently, and have an interest and some background in
plant physiology (e.g., coursework).
To Apply: If interested, please email the following documents
to Dr. Erin Wiley (erin.t.wiley@okstate.edu):
statement of interest (i.e. description of your research
interests and experience—and relevance to this position,
qualifications, and career goals)—no more than 1.5 pages
CV or resume
unofficial transcripts
names and contact information for two references.
Use the subject line “Graduate Position (your last
name)”. Applications will be considered through November
20, 2024 or until the position is filled. If
selected as a finalist for this position, you will need to
submit an application to the Plant Biology graduate program by
January 15, 2025.
Erin Wiley
https://experts.okstate.edu/erin.t.wiley
Posted
10/23/24
Graduate student opening eDNA
I am recruiting a graduate student (PhD or MS) to work on a
funded project to develop eDNA surveillance methods for rare
and endangered pollinators. The student would join the
Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology program at The
Ohio State University and work with Karen Goodell, a native
bee ecologist, Julie Reynolds, a molecular geneticist and
evolutionary biologist, and Rodney Richardson (West
Environmental Statistical Consultants), a molecular
ecologist. More information about the graduate program can
be found here: https://eeob.osu.edu/grad/graduate-program.
Funding could begin as early as May 2025 and enrollment in
the graduate program in August 2025. Please reach out to
Karen Goodell (goodell.18@osu.edu)
for information. Applications received by Nov 15 will
receive full consideration, though the position remains open
until filled.
Karen Goodell, PhD
Professor
Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology
The Ohio State University
1179 University Drive
Newark, Ohio 43055
(740)366-9101
goodell.18@osu.edu
http://u.osu.edu/goodell.18
Posted 10/22/24
Postdoc and PhD Opening: Global
Change Ecology at Vanderbilt University
The Meng Lab (https://my.vanderbilt.edu/lin-meng/)
at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at
Vanderbilt University, USA, is seeking a post-doctoral
scholar and a fully funded PhD student interested in
vegetation dynamics using remote sensing, in situ
observation, and modeling. The Meng Lab aims to answer key
ecosystem questions: How do climate change and human
activities affect terrestrial ecosystems? We study the
response of plants to climate changes and human activities
such as urbanization and deforestation.
Specific areas of interest include:
1. Phenology changes and modeling;
2. Vegetation-climate feedback;
3. Urban ecosystems for climate
adaptation.
Postdoc position is available immediately. The starting date
for PhD student is Fall 2025.
Details and apply here: https://sites.google.com/view/linmeng/join-us
Contact: Dr. Lin Meng, lin.meng@vanderbilt.edu
Lin Meng, Ph.D.
(she/her)
Assistant Professor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Vanderbilt University
2301 Vanderbilt PL, PMB 351805
Nashville, TN 37235-1805
https://my.vanderbilt.edu/lin-meng/
Posted 10/22/24
Graduate Position:
Restoration Ecology at the University of Wyoming
The Hufford Lab at the University of Wyoming is seeking
applicants for a PhD fellowship funded to study seed ecology
and restoration. The student will conduct research to assess
population viability effects of wild seed harvesting in
western rangelands. Wild seed collections play a crucial
role in ecological restoration and benefit public lands
through enhanced wildlife habitat, recreational
opportunities, and sustainable livestock grazing. Current
permitting practices demonstrate a wide range of seed
removal, from policies of harvesting no more than 20% of
seeds to commercial permits allowing up to 100% removal.
Project activities will include field studies and PVA
modeling with the goal to develop policies and practices
that ensure the sustainable management of public lands and
the preservation of vital ecosystem services.
Qualifications include a minimum bachelor's GPA of 3.0 and
master's degree (completed by the start date) in ecology,
environmental sciences, plant biology, or a related
discipline. In rare cases, exceptions to the GPA or degree
requirement will be considered. Applicants must have a
driver's license and the ability to drive and work in
occasionally harsh conditions.
Interested students are encouraged to reach out with
questions by contacting Dr. Kristina Hufford at khufford@uwyo.edu. You
may apply by emailing the following information: (1) a
one-page statement describing your interest in the project
and relevant aspects of your background, (2) transcripts
from undergraduate and graduate degrees (unofficial
transcripts are acceptable), (3) a resume or CV, and (4) the
contact information of three references. Review of
applications will continue until the position is filled.
Start date is flexible for either spring 2025, or
summer/fall 2025. The PhD fellowship is funded for up to
four years with satisfactory progress. To learn more
about UW graduate studies, please visit https://www.uwyo.edu/uwgrad/index.html
UW is located in Laramie, a town of 32,000 in the heart of
the Rocky Mountain West. Laramie is located approximately 50
miles from Fort Collins and 130 miles from Denver, providing
residents with easy access to a variety of outdoor
recreation and cultural amenities, professional
opportunities, and larger entertainment options while
enjoying the relaxed environment of small-town life. The
state of Wyoming continues to invest in its university,
helping to make it a leader in academics, research and
outreach.
The University of Wyoming is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action institution.
Posted 10/18/24
The Ecology Graduate Program at
Penn State
The Ecology Graduate Program at Penn State has
assistantships are available Fall 2025. Faculty have funding
to recruit in the following areas and others: invasion
biology, theoretical ecology, microbiome science,
agroecology, aquatic ecology, disease ecology, wildlife
biology, ecohydrology, global change ecology, and
ecotoxicology. Learn more at: https://www.huck.psu.edu/graduate-programs/ecology,
including a list of faculty, admissions requirements, and a
list of known projects recruiting this year in the "apply
now" tab. Or contact Jason Kaye (jpk12@psu.edu), the
program chair, directly.
Posted 10/18/24
M.S. GRA-Clemson University -
Assessing Climate-Driven Impacts on PFAS and Microplastic
Contamination in South eastern Wetlands through Alligator
Biomonitoring
M.S. Graduate Research Assistantship - Assessing
Climate-Driven Impacts on PFAS and Microplastic
Contamination in Southeastern Wetlands through Alligator
Biomonitoring
STARTING DATE: January 2025
CLOSING DATE: The position is open until filled.
Applications will be evaluated starting in October.
DESCRIPTION: The James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and
Wetlands Conservation Center at Clemson University is
recruiting a highly motivated M.S. student interested in
exploring environmental contaminants in wetlands and
wildlife. Our overarching goal is to model how projected
climate change impacts may influence contaminants of
emerging concern (CEC) (i.e., perfluorinated chemicals
(PFAS) and microplastic) in wetlands and waterways in
coastal South Carolina. This position will work closely with
a Ph.D. student integrating environmental CEC data with
tissue concentrations in alligators. There is an opportunity
to develop additional research objectives beyond modeling
outputs, which could include alligator-derived data. Project
activities will include laboratory sample analysis of
alligator tissues, water, and sediment for PFAS and
microplastic, assisting with sample collection in the field,
data integration and analysis, and mentoring undergraduate
students.
The prevalence of CECs in South Carolina's surface waters
and biota is poorly understood. While aquatic invertebrates,
finfish, and shellfish are commonly used to monitor
contaminants, top predators like alligators may better
reflect the long-term fate of CECs due to their higher
trophic level, longevity, and body size, making them
effective sentinel species for human health risks. Concerns
about CECs are heightened by climate change, which may alter
contaminant distribution and exposure. By combining
alligator CEC data with climate variables and habitat
selection, we aim to assess how climate influences CEC
discharges and microplastic deposition, identifying coastal
wetlands most vulnerable to these threats. The student will
1) conduct an in-depth literature review, 2) collect
necessary climate change data from various sources, and 3)
model climate influence on discharges and deposition of CECs
into coastal wetlands to identify systems most at risk
through the integration of modeled CEC exposure and
vulnerability of coastal wetlands to climate change.
The student will be working toward a graduate degree in
Wildlife and Fisheries Biology at Clemson University
(Wildlife and Fisheries Biology (MWFR, M.S., Ph.D.) (clemson.edu)). Clemson
University (https://www.clemson.edu/about/) is a public
land-grant Carnegie R1 Research University in a college town
atmosphere on Lake Hartwell within view of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Students will take classes on the main campus and
conduct fieldwork along South Carolina's coast near the
Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science,
located on the 16,000-acre Hobcaw Barony property, which is
dedicated to research and education. Hobcaw Barony is 5
miles north of Georgetown, SC, and 35 miles south of Myrtle
Beach, SC. Temporary housing in cottages is available
on-site while you conduct research. Clemson University does
not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sexual
orientation, gender, pregnancy, national origin, age, or
disability. We encourage applications from minorities,
women, veterans, and all other qualified applicants.
QUALIFICATIONS: B.S. in wildlife, ecology, or a closely
related field. Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00. A strong
interest and/or experience in climate change, GIS,
ecological modeling, and contaminants of concern. Interest
in policy, wetlands, statistics, and publishing is a plus.
This project is supported by many collaborators and engages
undergraduate students who assist with sample analysis.
Strong interpersonal skills and a willingness to work as
part of a dynamic and diverse team is critical.
STIPEND: $23,000 plus tuition waiver.
CONTACT: The student will be co-advised by Dr. Thomas
Rainwater and Dr. James T. Anderson. The student will work
closely with a staff biologist and have the opportunity to
mentor an undergraduate student. Interested individuals
should send a letter of interest and resume.
Posted 10/18/24
PhD fellowships in Ecology,
Columbia University
The Uriarte lab at Columbia University in New York is
seeking a doctoral student to study the effects of drought
on tropical forests in the island of Puerto Rico. Within
this general area, the topic of research is flexible. A
master's degree, strong quantitative or remote sensing
skills, and experience working in forest ecology or plant
physiology are desirable. Interested parties should contact
Dr. María Uriarte at mu2126@columbia.edu.
Please include your CV and a brief statement about your
interests. Details about applying to graduate school at
Columbia are available at https://e3b.coulbia.edu/students/prospective/phd
Posted 10/17/24
Funded Ph.D. and M.S. positions
in ecosystem ecology/agroecology at University of Delaware
The Huddell lab at University of Delaware is recruiting for
multiple funded graduate student positions starting summer or
fall of 2025. Our lab works at the intersection of ecosystem
ecology and agronomy to research sustainable nutrient cycling.
We explore how to maximize ecosystem services such as food
production and soil health while minimizing eutrophication and
greenhouse gas production in various agroecosystems. Please
see our lab site https://sites.udel.edu/ahuddell/ and
this
form https://forms.gle/D8uFNhwxLy94LEkt7 for
more
information and to indicate your interest in a position.
Posted
10/17/24
Grad Assistantship - western
monarch ecology
We seek a new MS or PhD student to join the lab to work on a
project funded to advance conservation of western monarch
butterfly at Washington State University in Vancouver, WA.
Student will be part of a project team with collaborators at
UC Davis, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, and
others. The new student will start in the field as a
technician in May or June 2025, and formally matriculate
into the graduate program in Fall 2025.
Broadly we use a population ecology lens to gain
understanding of the ecology of at-risk butterflies and to
develop conservation and restoration responses to global
change. Our work largely focuses on using rare butterflies
and their habitats in the Pacific Northwest as a model
system to address broad ecological questions to advance
conservation on-the-ground. We work closely with federal,
state and local agencies as well as non-profit organizations
to conduct research which is useful and practical for these
organizations while building on a strong foundation in
ecological theory. Students from our program have secured
career positions with many of these organizations.
Washington State University Vancouver is a small campus in
the WSU system located in Southwest Washington just across
the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon and is close to
Willamette Valley and South Puget Sound prairies. Washington
State University Vancouver is in the homeland of Chinookan
and Taidnapam peoples and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. Students
benefit from outstanding faculty, world-class research,
state-of-the-art facilities and small class sizes. http://cas.vancouver.wsu.edu/science-graduate-programs/
Interested students should send a CV/resume, transcripts and
a cover letter describing past research experience and
future research interests to Dr. Cheryl Schultz, schultzc@wsu.edu. The
position requires excellent field, leadership, and
organizational skills and a strong interest in research in
butterfly ecology and conservation. We encourage interested
students to get in touch to learn more about the program and
research in our labs. Also please note that while the
admitted graduate student will formally matriculate in Fall,
the position includes about 3-4 months as a technician in
the field, starting in May- June 2025 (exact start date is
negotiable)
More information on our work can be found at https://labs.wsu.edu/conservation-biology/ For
background
on our monarch work, please see final reports in the
Publication list - Schultz et al. 2019 and 2021.
Posted 10/16/24
MS/PhD in quantitative ecology
We (https://quantmarineecolab.github.io/join)
will accept 1-2 MS or PhD students in 2025. Students could
work on a variety of projects, including the
socio-ecological dynamics of small-scale fisheries,
aquaculture mathematical modeling, or decision science
related to how to optimize ecological monitoring programs.
The applicant would be expected to have a strong data
science or mathematical modeling background. Applicants that
will be the most competitive for a position will have
experience (and willingness to learn more) with R and
quantitative skills (e.g., mathematical modeling,
statistics). A basic understanding of Spanish, French, or
American Sign Language is a plus for some of the lab
projects.
Details on how to apply here: https://quantmarineecolab.github.io/join
Easton White, University of New Hampshire
Posted 10/16/24
Recruiting PhD student in global
change at the Missouri Botanical Garden for 2025+
Recruiting a PhD student in global change and conservation at
the Missouri Botanical Garden starting in 2025
Web-friendly version: https://earthskysea.org/recruiting-a-phd-student-in-global-change-and-conservation-for-2025/
I am excited to recruit a Ph.D. student to start in the fall
of 2025 to join our Global Change and Conservation Lab at the
Missouri Botanical Garden. Working with lab members, other
mentors, and me, the successful applicant will design
her/his/their own research project focused on developing
ecological models at biogeographic scales and/or temporal
scales relevant to global change (decades, centuries,
millennia). Possible areas of focus include examining how
extreme weather affects species' distributions and abundances,
joining models with phenological or morphological data
collected from the Missouri Botanical Garden's herbarium (one
of the largest in the world), or designing methods to evaluate
the conservation status of rare species for which we only have
"messy" data. We do not have a geographic area of focus other
than Earth, but nearly all of our work has a strong modeling
component.
The student will join the Global Change and Conservation Lab
and ~70 Ph.D.-level researchers, plus other Ph.D. students,
and postdocs at the Garden. The student will be enrolled in
and receive their degree from the Ecology and Evolutionary
graduate program at nearby Washington University in Saint
Louis where I have a joint adjunct appointment, and so will
also be part of that vibrant academic community. Support for 4
years is available through Garden and University fellowships
and one semester of required teaching assistantship.
Applications for Ph.D. positions are due December 1st
of 2024. To apply, please:
* Submit an application to Washington University in Saint
Louis's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology: https://gradstudies.artsci.wustl.edu/browse (click
the
"Evolution, Ecology, and Population Biology" link)
* Complete an application form for the Global Change and
Conservation Lab: https://forms.gle/wSahZsgY7fRsu2We8
Relevant websites:
* Global Change and Conservation Lab website: https://earthskysea.org and
especially my mentoring statement https://earthskysea.org/mentoring
* Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Population
Biology at Washington University in Saint Louis: https://dbbs.wustl.edu/programs/ecology-evolutionary-biology
* Research at the Missouri Botanical Garden: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plant-science/plant-science/research and https://discoverandshare.org/category/science-and-research
If you have questions, please contact me at adam.smith@mobot.org.
Adam B. Smith, Ph.D.
Scientist in Global Change & Conservation
Center for Conservation & Sustainable Development
Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Boulevard
Saint Louis, MO 63110 USA
+01 314-577-9473 ext. 76314
www.earthSkySea.org
Posted
10/16/24
M.S. Assistantship in the
Feeding Ecology of Native Freshwater Mussels in the
Columbia River to begin in August 2025
Dr. Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens and Dr. Stephen Bollens,
Co-Directors of the Aquatic Ecology Lab at Washington State
University, Vancouver, WA, USA have one paid position
available for a new master’s degree student in Environmental
and Natural Resources Sciences (ENRS) to start in August
2025. Note: The priority deadline to apply for the
M.S. in ENRS is January 10, 2025.
In addition, see below for information about an exciting
NSF-supported National Research Trainee (NRT) opportunity
that is also available starting in August 2025. (Note: NRT
fellowship applications are due November 7, 2024; which is
BEFORE the M.S. assistantship priority deadline of January
10, 2025.)
The M.S. assistantship will specifically support a student
to conduct research related to the feeding dynamics of
native freshwater mussels (i.e., grazing on phytoplankton
and microzooplankton) in the lower Columbia River. The
academic position will officially begin on August 16, 2025;
however, there is an opportunity to begin the position
earlier in summer 2025, prior to the start of the Fall 2025
semester.
The successful graduate student will be supported on a
combination of Research Assistantships and Teaching
Assistantships, and possibly Fellowships (see below), plus
full tuition waivers and health benefits. Graduate
students at WSU are now unionized as Academic Student
Employees (https://wsucase.org/before-and-after-union/),
and
students on the Vancouver campus receive a competitive
stipend ($2,974/month, equivalent to ~$35,000 annually).
Please visit our website for more information about the
Aquatic Ecology Lab and our research (https://labs.wsu.edu/aquatic-ecology/).
Our
group is committed to supporting the professional
development of diverse students in aquatic science, with a
focus on equity and inclusion in all aspects of our
research, collaboration, and mentoring. We welcome
applications from students who will contribute to this
mission.
Degree program: M.S. in Environmental and Natural
Resource Sciences
Deadline: For admission to our graduate program, we
are currently accepting applications, with priority given to
those who apply by January 10, 2025. For further
information about the graduate programs in Environmental
Science, and for instructions on how to apply, please visit
the website (https://cas.vancouver.wsu.edu/science-graduate-programs).
NSF-supported NRT fellowship opportunity: In addition,
there is an exciting fellowship opportunity available
through the National Science Foundation's National Research
Traineeship (NRT) Program on "Rivers, Watersheds &
Communities: Training an Innovative, Cross-Sector Workforce
for Equitable, Multi-Scale Decision-Making Towards Human and
Ecosystem Health" (RWC NRT) at WSU. This program
trains graduate students to do research that tackles water
challenges in the Columbia River Basin hand-in-hand with the
communities impacted. For more information on how to
apply, please follow this link: https://nrt-rwc.wsu.edu/how-to-apply/.
**Please
note the RWC deadline of November 7, 2024, which is separate
from the priority due date for applications to the MS
Environmental and Natural Resources Science graduate
program. Please contact us prior to submitting an
application.
Contact: Please contact Dr. Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens
(rollboll@wsu.edu)
and/or Dr. Stephen Bollens (sbollens@wsu.edu) for
further information and before applying to one or both
programs.
Campus and Facilities: Washington State University
Vancouver is one of six campuses in the WSU system, and is
located within the greater Portland, OR-Vancouver, WA
metropolitan area, near the Columbia River, Cascade
Mountains and coastal ocean. The 351-acre campus
offers new, state-of-the-art classroom and research
facilities, where teaching and research are conducted in an
interdisciplinary and collaborative atmosphere. WSU
Vancouver is a welcoming campus to faculty, students and
staff of all backgrounds, is actively dedicated to equity
and diversity, and is a recipient of the Higher Education
Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight Into Diversity
Magazine in 2019 and 2023.
Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School of the Environment
Washington State University
Office: 360-546-9115
Email: rollboll@wsu.edu
Lab website: https://labs.wsu.edu/aquatic-ecology/
Posted 10/12/24
Funded PhD Animal Ecology U
Toronto
The Rollinson group at the University of Toronto (https://rollinson.eeb.utoronto.ca/)
is recruiting a highly-motivated PhD student who will use
the latest in acoustic array technology as well as mark
recapture techniques to understand sex-specific habitat
partitioning and how thermal regimes differentially impact
the sexes. The project involves studying the movement and
behaviour of both Snapping Turtles and Spotted Salamanders.
The Acoustic Lakes Array in Algonquin Park (https://www.harkness.ca/research/aquatic-research/algonquin-lakes-acoustic-array/)
is an elaborate network of acoustic receivers deployed
across three temperate lakes. Although the primary
motivation for the array was to study fish movement, fifteen
snapping turtles were also outfitted with acoustic
transmitters in fall 2023. Since then, the position, depth,
and temperature of the turtles has been recorded several
times daily for all turtles in range of the receivers, and
data will continue to be collected passively through at
least 2026. These data, as well as the data that will be
collected in the coming years, represents an incredible
opportunity to study the movement and behaviour of large,
temperate reptiles, as the volume of location data eclipses
most previous work on spatial ecology of reptiles. The PhD
student will leverage data on the location and physical
environment of snapping turtles collected between 2023 and
2026 to explore how different lake regimes influence
temperature selection of turtles, how large snapping turtles
move through the landscape, and sex-specific differences in
habitat, home range, and behaviour. This project thus
represents an incredible opportunity to match fieldwork
experience with quantitative biology.
In collaboration with Dr. Patrick Moldowan, the Rollinson
group also leads a long-term study mark-recapture study of
spotted salamanders in Algonquin Park, with up to 3500
salamanders breeding each spring. The PhD student will lead
a team of field researchers in early spring (April – May) to
collect long-term data on spotted salamanders. The student
will leverage these data (2008-present) to investigate
spatial and temporal patterns of movement, investigating
site philopatry and sex-specific differences in movement,
culminating in telemetry studies that will help us
understand how salamander movement differs between sexes and
where salamanders spend their summer.
The PhD position will be in the lab of Dr. Njal Rollinson at
the University of Toronto, in close collaboration with Dr.
Jackie Litzgus at Laurentian University (https://laurentian.ca/faculty/jlitzgus),
a
renowned conservation biologist and chelonian expert who
co-manages our long-term turtle research in the Park (https://rollinson.eeb.utoronto.ca/more/turtle-life-history-study/).
The
student will also have the opportunity to develop their
quantitative skills and apply state-space models to the data
with Vianey Leos Barajas (https://www.vleosbarajas.com),
an expert on statistics and shark movement ecology at the
University of Toronto. There are also exciting opportunities
to collaborate with government researchers at the Ministry
of Natural Resources (MNR) and Harkness fish laboratories (https://www.harkness.ca/),
and members of the acoustic array team at University of
Toronto Mississauga.
The position will involve fieldwork in Algonquin Park over
two to three years, where the student will be housed at the
Algonquin Wildlife Research Station (https://www.algonquinwrs.ca/).
The student must have a propensity for the outdoors, biting
insects, and long days of fieldwork. An aptitude for
statistics is also required, as the project will involve
large datasets and statistical modeling.
Please send your CV, a writing sample, (unofficial)
transcripts, and a brief description of your fit to the
position to njal.rollinson@utoronto.ca with
the
subject line “Acoustic Array PhD position”. Closing date
is December 1st 2024, but apply early as
applications will be reviewed as they are received.
Njal Rollinson
Associate Professor
Dept of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
School of the Environment
Office ES3051
25 Willcocks St.
University of Toronto
https://rollinson.eeb.utoronto.ca/
Posted 10/12/24
The Montana State Ecohydrology Lab is recruiting an
enthusiastic Master’s or Ph.D. (preferred) student for Fall
2025 based in beautiful Bozeman, Montana. The successful
candidate will conduct collaborative research at Tenderfoot
Creek Experimental Forest, Montana and/or Niwot Ridge,
Colorado that includes the application of eddy covariance
carbon and water flux data to problems in ecohydrology with
implications for climate change or water resources in the
western USA. Beyond that, the candidate will have
significant freedom to tailor the project to their
particular area(s) of interest including plant-water
relations, watershed hydrology or biogeochemistry,
micrometeorology, snow science, remote sensing, modeling, or
similar. Preference will be given to self-motivated
applicants with all-weather outdoor experience and strong
communication, critical thinking, quantitative, scientific
coding, and/or interdisciplinary research skills.
The Montana State Ecohydrology lab works together to
cultivate an inclusive culture of scholarship, leadership,
and accountability, and candidates of diverse backgrounds
are particularly encouraged to apply. If you are interested,
please email john.knowles@montana.edu with a brief
description of your background and interests, your CV, and a
writing sample if possible. Compensation for this position
includes a stipend (~$30k/year), 24-credit tuition waiver,
and insurance for a minimum of two years with the potential
for additional support through research or teaching
assistantships thereafter. For more information and
application details, please visit the MSU department of Land
Resources and Environmental Sciences (LRES) webpage: https://landresources.montana.edu.
Although the Fall 2025 LRES application deadline is July 1,
2025, priority will be given to applications received
by December 1, 2024.
Posted 10/12/24
Join a diverse and vibrant lab in the ecology and
evolutionary biology department at the University of
Connecticut and the multi-institution EvoME -Evolving
Meta-Ecosystem Biology Integration Institute https://www.woodwellclimate.org/project/evolving-meta-ecosystems-institute/.
EvoME seeks to integrate disciplines from genes to ecosystem
to understand if Arctic Alaskan stream-riparian systems will
be resilient to the fastest rates of climate change in the
world. A research assistantship and research funding is
available for students working on relevant projects, with
flexibility in taxa, system, subdiscipline, and questions.
Students will join a cohort of students working across
universities.
More generally, our lab addresses questions at the interface
of ecology and evolution with a focus on understanding the
creation and maintenance of biodiversity and resilience of
natural systems to disturbances such as climate change.
Current projects include whole-pond manipulations of
amphibian communities, understanding the effects of climate
change on Arctic fish, eco-evolutionary dynamics in aquatic
microcosms, the genomics of adaptation, and improving
predicted extinction risks from climate change. We are
looking for independent thinkers who will complement our
research team. See our website for more information: https://ecoevolutionlab.eeb.uconn.edu/
Come join a highly collaborative lab group situated in a top
EEB program. The UConn EEB Department offers a highly
integrative environment at a leading public research
university that is committed to fostering a diverse and
inclusive academic community. More information about the
Department can be found at www.eeb.uconn.edu.
Candidates should have an excellent GPA (>3.5) and
demonstrated research experience (e.g., publication,
research experience, either academic or paid). Preference is
given to students with proven research records, published
scientific articles, external funding, Master's degree, or
substantial research experience (e.g., as a research
technician). Applications from groups historically
underrepresented in STEM fields are encouraged to apply. A
number of University scholarships in addition to grant
research assistantships are available for top candidates. A
strong potential exists for funding on external grants for
students with relevant experience.
To apply, first send Mark Urban (mark.urban@uconn.edu)
a cover letter detailing your research interests and
experience as well as a resume or curriculum vita, including
current GPA scores. Contact me at any time, but application
review will begin November 15th. After reviewing
applicants, I will select a shortlist of candidates to apply
more formally to our graduate program.
Posted 10/11/24
Excited to be recruiting for a new MS project focused on
restoration ecology in dry forest ecosystems, working with
Dr. Harold Zald and Dr. Meg Krawchuk (me).
Full position and application details here.
Application deadline: Friday, November 15th 2024
Graduate program start: Fall 2025
Preferred start date to lead field season and familiarize
with project context: mid-June 2025
The project: We are recruiting a new MS student for funded
research project focused on “Vegetation and surface fuel
responses to operational-scale thinning and prescribed
burning in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests in the
eastern Oregon Cascades”, with field site located at the
USFS Pringle Falls Experimental Forest. The MS student will
be co-supervised by Drs. Meg Krawchuk (Oregon State
University) and Harold Zald (USFS). The successful candidate
will enroll in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and
Society (FES) in the College of Forestry at Oregon State
University in Corvallis, Oregon. The MS would begin Fall
2025. Preferred start date for the successful candidate is
mid-June 2025 so they can serve as crew lead for field data
collection during the summer of 2025 and gain familiarity
with the project, site, and data. The successful candidate
will also lead a second field season in summer 2026. The MS
student will collaborate with Drs. Krawchuk and Zald to
improve our understanding of long-term changes in forest
composition, structure, and fuels after large
operational-scale fuel reduction and restoration treatments.
The broad structure of the research program is established,
but the MS student will have leeway in identifying their own
nested research questions and ideas within this overall
program.
To learn more about the FES Graduate program, please
see: https://fes.forestry.oregonstate.edu/graduate-programs/forest-ecosystems-society.
The context: After long periods of fire exclusion in
historically frequent fire conifer forests, initial fuel
reduction treatments are critical first steps for reducing
high severity fire and promoting fire resilient stands of
large trees. However, treatment longevity in these forest
types is about 10-20 years, after which subsequent
maintenance treatments are required. Understanding long-term
responses of overstory trees, tree regeneration, understory
vegetation, and surface fuels to first entry fuel reduction
treatments is critical to inform subsequent maintenance
treatments to meet multiple resource objectives, reduce
long-term treatment costs, and increase the pace, scale, and
overall benefits of fuel reduction treatments. The Lookout
Mountain Study (LMS) at Pringle Falls Experimental Forest (https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/forestsandranges/locations/pringlefalls#research)
is uniquely positioned to examine these issues at an
operational scale. Located on the Deschutes National Forest,
the LMS is a replicated experiment coupling four levels of
overstory thinning with understory fuels reduction (mowing
and prescribed burning) to restore open forest structure and
sustain fire adapted conditions with planned repeated
burning. In this project, the MS student will build a
data-driven understanding of the long-term effects of
initial treatments in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer
forests, helping to inform how subsequent maintenance
treatments can best achieve fuel reduction and ecological
objectives. The broad structure of the research program is
established, but the MS student will have leeway in
identifying their own nested research questions and ideas
within this overall program.
Application: Please submit your CV, contact information for
two professional references, and a one-page statement
describing your interests and experiences in the topic area,
including research, outreach, and collaboration experiences.
Please outline how you meet the required and desired
qualifications described below.
We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply,
particularly students who are underrepresented in the field
of natural resources management.
We will be contacting applicants and scheduling interviews,
and successful applicants will be invited to apply to the
FES graduate program in the College of Forestry at Oregon
State University. Please do not apply to the FES program
without this invitation.
Applications should be emailed to: Dr. Meg Krawchuk
(meg.krawchuk [at] oregonstate.edu), with Dr. Harold Zald
(harold.zald [at] usda.gov) cc’d.
For more information or any questions, please contact Meg
and Harold by email.
For full consideration, please submit your application
materials by Friday, November 15th, 2024.
Required qualifications:
•
Undergraduate coursework in some combination of forestry,
forest ecology, fire ecology, plant ecology, restoration
ecology, or botany.
• Prior
field work experience with forest inventory measurements,
fuels, or vegetation sampling
•
Orienteering skills (navigation with map, compass, gps, and
aerial photographs)
• Ability to
navigate off trail and hike up to five miles per day in
rolling/mountain terrain.
• Competent
using Microsoft Word and Excel
• Possess a
valid US driver’s license
• Ability to
work effectively in teams in the office and field
Desired qualifications:
• BS degree
in forestry, ecology, natural resources, environmental
sciences, or related fields.
• Prior
field experience collecting fuels or vegetation data in
conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest, California, or
Rocky Mountains
• Experience
working collaboratively on projects
• Experience
utilizing quantitative forestry, or ecological research
methods
• Experience
using GIS, statistical and/or qualitative analysis software
(e.g. R, python, google earth engine, ArcGIS)
• Strong
field leadership skills and comfort leading a small field
crew
• A
demonstrated interest in fire and restoration concepts
Funding for the position covers tuition, stipend, and
benefits for two years of the MS program, including 1
quarter of teaching responsibilities (1 TAship/year).
Funding includes support for travel, field work, and
participation in scholarly activities such as conferences
and workshops. Funding also covers housing at Pringle Falls
Experimental Forest during the field season (June – August).
This project is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,
U.S. Forest Service Wildfire Crisis Strategy
Meg Krawchuk (she/her)
Associate Professor, Landscape Fire and Conservation Science
Research Group
Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society
College of Forestry, Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon U.S.A. 97331
office: 336 Richardson Hall
phone: 541.737.1483
web: http://people.forestry.oregonstate.edu/meg-krawchuk/
https://treeringlab.forestry.oregonstate.edu/home
https://firerefugia.forestry.oregonstate.edu/home
Posted 10/11/24
PhD Student Positions -
University of Wisconsin / Remote Sensing of Vegetation
2 PhD Student Positions - University of Wisconsin
Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Vegetation
PI: Phil Townsend, Department of Forest & Wildlife
Ecology
We are seeking two Ph.D. students with interests in imaging
spectroscopy (aka hyperspectral remote sensing) of
vegetation. For both positions, background in biology,
ecology, geography, statistics/data science, environmental
science or remote sensing is desired, with interest in
developing strong quantitative and/or geospatial data
analysis skills. Some background in programming is helpful.
Both positions are focused on using hyperspectral remote
sensing to detect signs of stress in vegetation for
ecosystem management or biomonitoring.
Position 1 is focused on imaging of forest biochemistry
using combined field data, airborne hyperspectral imagery
(from airplanes and drones) linked to spaceborne data. We
want to understand how forest communities (with a particular
focus on aspens) respond to environmental drivers, including
pests and pathogens. This position is available to start
Fall Semester, 2025, with opportunities for summer 2025
fieldwork also available. Research assistant support is
available for up to four years through USDA funding.
Position 2 is focused on using hyperspectral data to detect
and map exposure of vegetation to chemicals and pathogens.
We have long known that hyperspectral data are capable of
measuring and mapping a large number of foliar traits, and
that these foliage properties can be used to infer plant
stress, often before visual symptoms are apparent. This
position is aimed towards both testing methods and better
understanding the capacities of hyperspectral remote sensing
for monitoring and mapping of vegetation stress. Position is
available to start with the Fall Semester 2025, although
opportunities for an earlier start are also available.
Research assistant support is available for a minimum of
four years through funding by DOE to build cross-cutting
technologies for environmental monitoring. This position
offers opportunities to develop collaborations with
environmental scientists at DOE National Labs that will open
opportunities for future research, employment and
internships.
Both positions will also provide opportunities for
interaction with NASA earth, ecosystem and remote sensing
scientists that will position the student to be
well-prepared for opportunities to work with large volumes
of satellite hyperspectral imagery expected to come online
later this decade.
Applicants must have excellent English writing and verbal
communication skills, as well as the ability to work as part
of a research team.
Qualifications:
-PhD Student: MS degree preferred, BS/BA acceptable with
appropriate demonstrated skills. Background in plant
biology, ecology, forestry, remote sensing, environmental
science or data science, and familiarity with methods in
areas such as GIS, remote sensing or data analysis.
Application Process: Graduate student positions are
available starting Fall semester, 2025 (or potentially
earlier, if desired). Applications will be reviewed upon
receipt and review will continue until a suitable candidate
is chosen. Preference will be given to applications received
by December 1, 2024.
Please send the following to ptownsend@wisc.edu:
- Statement outlining research/professional interests and
academic background
- Resume or CV and copies of transcripts (unofficial copies
are acceptable)
- Names and contact addresses of three references
Interested applicants are asked to email the documents above
to Dr. Phil Townsend. Please send the documents compiled
together in ONE PDF named YourSurname.pdf with
"Hyperspectral PhD Student Application 2025 - Position
[insert 1 or 2 here]" in the email subject line. If you wish
to be considered for both positions, please indicate this.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action employer. We promote
excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified
individuals to apply. Position 1 is open to both US citizens
and international candidates, while Position 2 is available
to US citizens and permanent residents.
Questions should be directed to Dr. Phil Townsend (ptownsend@wisc.edu).
This ad can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/Townsend2024
Posted 10/10/24
Graduate position available in
acoustic ecology
Graduate Position in Acoustic Amphibian Ecology
Starting Fall 2025 (application deadline January 1)
We are recruiting a highly motivated applicant to join our
labs and to work on the acoustic ecology of desert breeding
amphibians co-advised by Dr. Nancy McIntyre (Biological
Sciences) and Dr. Kerry Griffis-Kyle (Natural Resources
Management) at Texas Tech University.
Prospective students will be funded by a 9-month/year
Biology Department Teaching Assistantship (3 years for M.S.
students, 5 years for Ph.D. students) and possibly by
additional graduate school fellowships with awards ranging
from $2500 for 1 year to $30,000/yr for 3 years.
Skills that will be acquired:
Experience analyzing audio data
Indices of biotic diversity
Time series analyses
Experience with R
Scientific communication
Science publication
Preference will be given to motivated candidates with
excellent communication skills and an interest in amphibian
ecology.
Applications are due to the TTU Graduate School by 1 January
2025 but space is limited, so early applications are
encouraged! Interested applicants should email both Dr.
Griffis-Kyle (kerry.griffis-kyle@ttu.edu)
and Dr. Nancy McIntyre (nancy.mcintyre@ttu.edu)
and have “Graduate opportunity – acoustic ecology” in the
subject line. Please include in the email:
A statement about your research interests
How this position will help you fulfill your career goals
Resume or CV including a summary of research experience and
skills and contact information
Unofficial transcripts
GRE scores (not required, but encouraged)
Contact information (names, addresses, phone numbers, and
emails) for three references
Further instructions on applying can be found on Dr.
McIntyre’s website: https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/join-my-lab
For additional information:
Department of Biological Sciences https://www.depts.ttu.edu/biology/
Dr. Griffis-Kyle: http://myweb.ttu.edu/kerrgrif/default.html
Dr. Nancy McIntyre: https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/home
Posted 10/10/24
PhD Position: Biology Education
Research at Auburn University
The Ballen lab at Auburn University seeks a PhD student to
develop projects centered around Biology Education Research
(the start date would be Fall of 2025). The position would
be partially supported by an NSF-funded study on scientist
role models in biology.
We are specifically looking for students who have a Biology
Undergraduate/M.S. degree and are interested in applying
their knowledge of biology to improve undergraduate biology
education.
While students are encouraged to pursue their own specific
research interests, current work in the lab can be split
into two broad avenues of inquiry: (1) The impacts of
promoting counter-stereotypical role models on student
outcomes and (2) The impacts of contextualizing societal and
ethical considerations into biology curricula. Through
large-scale collaboration across many institutions, work in
the lab advances understanding of effective and inclusive
teaching through integrating research and education in STEM.
Check us out here! Ballenlab.com
The Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) hosts a
Recruitment Weekend Event in mid-January and I would be
happy to bring folks out who are interested in joining the
lab Fall 2025. The deadline to apply for the graduate
program is February 1. Email me for more
details!
More info on DBS: https://www.auburn.edu/cosam/departments/biology/index.htm
More info on our graduate program: https://www.auburn.edu/cosam/departments/biology/graduate_programs/index.htm
Potential applicants should email the following to: mjb0100@auburn.edu
• Cover letter highlighting your relevant research
experience, why you are interested joining the lab, as well
as any additional information you'd like us to know about
you
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
Posted 10/10/24
Ecology at Colorado State
University - free application day Dec. 1
The Ecology program at Colorado State University (CSU)
welcomes applicants for MS and PhD students to start Fall
2025. We provide a positive graduate school experience and
outstanding education in ecology across a range of
ecosystems, taxa, and subdisciplines. Our goal is to offer
students strong training for professional success across a
variety of career paths. In addition to the ecological core,
we offer a specialization in human-environment interactions.
Currently, we support a vibrant community of over 100
students. We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming and
supportive environment.
The preferred application deadline is December 1,
which is also a free application day!
Details on applying are available here: https://ecology.colostate.edu/apply/.
Many faculty members are open to taking students, and
specific opportunities include:
Dr.
Anping
Chen working on dryland ecology, vegetation
dynamics, remote sensing, soil-vegetation-climate feedbacks
Dr.
Dhruba Naug working on behavioral and
evolutionary ecology
Dr.
Jonna Yarrington working on human-environment
interactions
Dr.
Paul
Ode working on plant-insect interactions and
ecoimmunology
Dr. Phuong Dao working
on remote sensing, plant stress, precision agriculture, and
applications of machine learning
Dr.
Cynthia
Brown working on restoration and plant invasion
ecology
Dr.
DeeDee
Wright working on ecology education
Other faculty members are potentially open to taking
students. Some of the general subjects they study include:
grassland ecology and climate change, and climate scenario
science, futures theory, and climate policy.
Graduate student salaries are generally provided through
faculty advisors (https://ecology.colostate.edu/faculty-directory/)
in the form of research or teaching assistantships. Tuition
is typically covered for students supported by
assistantships and health insurance is available. A
confirmed advisor is necessary for admission to the program,
but not for application submission. Most students accepted
to the program find advisors through their shared interests.
Financial support is often in flux given pending grants, so
there is no need to wait to see a particular position
advertised. Advisors interested in accepting a student
typically work with the students to procure funding from
various sources. Thus, we encourage prospective students to
reach out directly to faculty members with expertise in your
area of interest.
CSU is located in beautiful Fort Collins, on the foothills
of the Rocky Mountains, and has been voted as one of the
best places in the United States to live with easy access to
outdoors activities, such as rafting, skiing, and rock
climbing. This small, bike-friendly community has a vibrant
art, music, and restaurant culture and is about hour from
Denver, CO.
Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal
access institution, and affirmative action employer fully
committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with
all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and
executive orders regarding non-discrimination and
affirmative action.
Ruth Hufbauer, she/her/hers
Director: Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (https://ecology.colostate.edu/)
Professor: Department of Agricultural Biology (https://agsci.colostate.edu/agbio/)
PI: Faculty Success (https://facultysuccess.colostate.edu/)
Advance Grant
Lab webpage: Applied Evolutionary Ecology (http://www.hufbauerlab.org/index.html)
Posted 10/9/24
PhD position on
symbiont-mediated detoxification in the caterpillar
microbiome
An NSF-funded PhD position is available in Dr. Alison
Ravenscraft's laboratory (www.ravenscraftlab.com)
at the University of Texas at Arlington. Ravenscraft Lab
focuses on ecological interactions between insects and their
microbial symbionts. The successful applicant will investigate
the role of the caterpillar gut microbiota in the plant-insect
chemical arms race. Start date is August 2025 (the Fall 2025
semester).
The idea that gut flora may assist insects in breaking down
plant defenses has been often proposed, but rarely tested. The
graduate student will join a team of collaborative researchers
who are working together to ask whether, and how much, the
insect gut flora help to detoxify an herbivorous diet. The
research will involve a combination of field work, insect
rearing experiments in the lab, microbial cultivation, and
high-throughput metagenomics. The student will acquire highly
desirable skills including microbial culture techniques, use
of analytical chemistry equipment (HPLC, LCMS), and the
generation and analysis of high-throughput sequencing
datasets. The position is funded by a prestigious NSF grant,
and the student will also benefit from four years of
preliminary data and sample collection, including a library of
hundreds of insect gut bacterial isolates.
Interested students should fill out this survey by November
20: https://forms.gle/gywP3QXrcpWXLJ2h8
Applicants must have completed their bachelors degree or
higher in a relevant field (e.g., biology, microbiology,
entomology) by summer 2025. Prior experience with insects
(especially caterpillars), plants, or microbes is strongly
preferred.
Qualifications
• A bachelor's degree or higher in Biology, Ecology,
Microbiology, Chemistry, Bioinformatics, or a related field
• Strong work ethic and independence
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Although not required, the preferred candidate will have
prior research experience with insects, plants, and/or
microbes; programming experience (R or Python); and/or
demonstrated scientific writing skills.
About UTA:
UT Arlington is an R1-ranked research university, the second
largest institution in the University of Texas system and one
of the 10 fastest growing universities in the nation. We are a
Hispanic-serving institution and rank #5 in the nation for
ethnic diversity. Our doctoral program in Quantitative Biology
focuses on training students to apply sophisticated
quantitative techniques to solve research problems. This gives
our graduates a competitive advantage for careers in industry,
government, or academia. The Department (http://www.uta.edu/biology)
offers access to numerous resources including state-of-the-art
labs, an Animal Care Facility, a Genomics Core Facility, the
North Texas Genomics Center, and the Shimadzu Institute for
Research Technologies - a major partnership between UT
Arlington and Shimadzu Scientific Instruments that offers
extensive resources for imaging, proteomics and analytical
chemistry.
About Arlington:
Arlington is situated in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex,
affording access to numerous restaurant, and entertainment
opportunities (museums, theatre, music, sports,
microbreweries). The city of Arlington alone has 82 public
parks, including River Legacy Parks, a 1,300-acre oasis on the
Trinity River in the heart of north Arlington. Arlington is
the home of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the Texas Rangers
Ballpark, and Six Flags Over Texas. More information on the
city of Arlington can be found at (www.experiencearlington.org).
Posted
10/9/24
UNR NRES Graduate Program
The Department of Natural Resources & Environmental
Science at the University of Nevada Reno (https://www.unr.edu/nres)
is accepting applications from prospective graduate students
for our M.S. and Ph.D programs. NRES is a dynamic,
collaborative and highly productive department that has
research strengths in 10 core areas: biogeochemistry &
soil processes; climate-change impacts; conservation biology;
ecohydrology; environmental science; fire ecology; forest
ecology & management; landscape ecology; restoration
ecology; and wildlife ecology & management. We are
conducting cutting-edge research and educating the next
generation of scientists to address the critical environmental
challenges of our time.
We offer competitive funding packages to accepted graduate
students, which include fellowships, research and teaching
assistantships, stipends, tuition waivers and health
insurance.
Located at 4,500 feet elevation and straddling the Sierra
Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin Desert, Reno is an
amazing place to live and work. Both Outside Magazine and the
U.S. News & World Report have ranked Reno one of the top
metro areas to live in the United States. The surrounding area
offers superb kayaking, paddle boarding, mountain biking,
resort and backcountry skiing, hiking and rock climbing. Lake
Tahoe, various ski resorts and spectacular wilderness are only
minutes away.
Prospective graduate students are encouraged to review the
areas of expertise of the NRES faculty and contact those
individuals whose research interests them. They are also
encouraged to contact the Graduate Program Coordinator (NRESGraduateProgram@unr.edu)
and to review the different graduate programs available to
students based in NRES (https://www.unr.edu/nres/graduate-programs).
Our
earliest deadlines are December 1.
Posted
10/9/24
MS position: per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in lake fishes (Penn
State)
The Wagner Lab at Penn State seeks applicants for a MS in
ecology to begin fall 2025. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) are a global concern due to their impacts on
human and environmental health. The successful applicant will
lead efforts understand landscape scale patterns and drivers
of PFAS in lake fishes, and to predict PFAS concentrations
across thousands of lakes to help inform monitoring and
management of PFAS in aquatic environments. The successful
candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary team of
federal, state, and university biologists. The position is in
the USGS Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research
Unit at The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA.
Qualifications:
Competitive candidates should be highly motivated and possess
a BS in chemistry, ecology, fisheries, statistics, or a
related discipline with a strong quantitative background. Good
communication skills and the ability to work both
independently and collaboratively in a team environment are
essential.
Applicants may apply to the Intercollege Graduate Degree
Program in Ecology by December 1st 2024(https://www.huck.psu.edu/graduate-programs/ecology/applications/apply-now).
Contact
Dr. Tyler Wagner via email (txw19@psu.edu)
for questions about the position.
Posted
10/8/24
Graduate position available in
acoustic ecology
Graduate Position in Acoustic Amphibian Ecology
Starting Fall 2025 (application deadline January 1)
We are recruiting a highly motivated applicant to join our
labs and to work on the acoustic ecology of desert breeding
amphibians co-advised by Dr. Nancy McIntyre (Biology) and
Dr. Kerry Griffis-Kyle (Natural Resources Management) at
Texas Tech University.
Prospective students will be funded by a 9-month/year
Biology Department Teaching Assistantship (3 years for M.S.
students, 5 years for Ph.D. students) and possibly by
additional graduate school fellowships with awards ranging
from $2500 for 1 year to $30,000/yr for 3 years.
Skills that will be acquired:
Experience analyzing audio data
Indices of biotic diversity
Time series analyses
Experience with R
Scientific communication
Science publication
Preference will be given to motivated candidates with
excellent communication skills and an interest in amphibian
ecology.
Applications are due to the TTU Graduate School by 1
January 2025 but space is limited, so early
applications are encouraged!
Interested applicants should email both Dr. Griffis-Kyle (kerry.griffis-kyle@ttu.edu)
and Dr. Nancy McIntyre (nancy.mcintyre@ttu.edu)
and have “Graduate opportunity – acoustic ecology” in the
subject line. Please include in the email:
A statement about your research interests
How this position will help you fulfill your career goals
Resume or CV including a summary of research experience and
skills and contact information
Unofficial transcripts
GRE scores (not required, but encouraged)
Contact information (names, addresses, phone numbers, and
emails) for three references
Further instructions on applying can be found on Dr.
McIntyre’s website: https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/join-my-lab
For additional information:
Department of Biological Sciences https://www.depts.ttu.edu/biology/
Dr. Griffis-Kyle: http://myweb.ttu.edu/kerrgrif/default.html
Dr. Nancy McIntyre: https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/home
Dr. Kerry Griffis-Kyle
Professor
Department of Natural Resources Management
Texas Tech University
806-834-2619
kerry.griffis-kyle@ttu.edu
http://myweb.ttu.edu/kerrgrif/default.html
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Posted 10/8/24
PhD Assistantship – Forest
management for climate adaptation and wildlife
Applications are sought for a funded PhD assistantship to
investigate outcomes of ecologically based silvicultural
treatments in young forests. The Adaptive Complexity
Thinning (ACT) study tests alternative treatments designed
to achieve forest restoration and climate change adaptation
goals while maintaining habitat for snowshoe hare
populations. The PhD student will lead investigations of
treatment effects on forest structure and development, as
well as remote camera assessment of snowshoe hare habitat
use, including snow cover duration and hare coat color
(mis)match. Up to eight semesters and three summers of
support are available. Compensation includes competitive
salary and consideration of tuition, fees, and insurance.
Background. The ACT study aims to advance a science-based
forest management approach that balances the potentially
competing objectives of forest restoration, climate change
adaptation, and conservation of snowshoe hare and Canada
lynx. The project is a partnership between the University of
Montana, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the US Forest
Service (USFS), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). ACT study
replicates are located on BLM, USFS, and TNC lands. The
position is supervised by Professor Andrew J. Larson.
Required Qualifications
• Ability to obtain admission to the Forest and Conservation
Sciences PhD program
• Demonstrated ability to manage and analyze large datasets
using R
• Foundational knowledge of forest dynamics and wildlife
habitat development
• Ability to safely conduct field work in all seasons,
including leading field crews
• Evidence of excellent interpersonal and communication
skills
Preferred Qualifications
• Familiarity with remote camera methods for monitoring
wildlife populations
• A record of publication in the peer-reviewed literature
• MS degree in Forestry, Wildlife Biology, Ecology, or
related discipline (candidates without a MS will be
considered)
Application Procedure and Start Date. The position start
date is May or June of 2025. To apply, send a cover letter
that explains, with evidence, how you meet the required and
preferred qualifications, current CV, unofficial
transcripts, and names and contacts of three professional
references to Andrew Larson at a.larson@umontana.edu.
Include the phrase "ACT Assistantship" in the subject line.
Apply by Dec. 9, 2024.
About UM and Missoula. The University of Montana is a place
where top-tier students, educators, and researchers thrive.
UM is located in Missoula, Montana's second-largest city
with a population of 80,000 residents. Missoula offers a
high quality of life, with multiple rivers, trails, and
wilderness areas within minutes of campus, and a vibrant
arts community including frequent performances by national
musical acts. The city is known for its welcoming and
inclusive community and is home to a growing population that
reflects a broad spectrum of perspectives and experiences,
making it one of the more diverse areas in the state.
Missoula and the surrounding area host an impactful land
management and conservation science community including
major federal research labs, land management agencies, and
significant conservation and environmental NGOs.
Posted 10/8/24
Graduate opportunities at
Northern Illinois University
The Ecology, Evolution, Behavior, and Conservation faculty
in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern
Illinois University are seeking applicants to the M.S. and
Ph.D. graduate programs starting Fall 2025.
Research interests among the faculty are diverse and include
community ecology, restoration ecology, conservation
genetics, vertebrate and invertebrate evolution, behavioral
ecology, and microbial ecology.
EEBC faculty that are taking graduate students for Fall 2025
are:
Michael W. Henson, Combining lab-based experiments and omic
approaches to explore Earth's First Responders. Research
topics: Aquatic Microbiology; Microbial genomics; Microbial
Physiology; Molecular Biology; Microbial Ecology;
Computational Biology https://www.theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com/
Holly P. Jones, restoration ecology and conservation
biology https://hjones82.wixsite.com/website
Jennifer A.H. Koop, ecology and evolution of host-parasite
interactions; invasion biology https://jenniferkoop.weebly.com/
Karen E. Samonds, paleontology, skeletal biology and
paleobiogeography http://www.sadabe.org/Samonds/Index.html
Details of the graduate program and application process are
available at https://www.niu.edu/clas/biology/academics/graduate-studies/index.shtml The
department
offers teaching assistantships including stipend and tuition
waiver, on a competitive basis. The deadline for application
materials is January 1, 2025. However,
prospective students should contact potential faculty
advisors well in advance of applying to discuss research
interests and relevant qualifications. Visit faculty lab
websites for the materials to include when contacting them.
Northern Illinois University is a ~15,000-student research
university situated an hour from downtown Chicago in DeKalb,
Illinois, a diverse community of 50,000 with a low cost of
living. Regional research resources include The Field
Museum, Burpee Museum of Natural History, Nachusa
Grasslands, Morton Arboretum, Fermilab, Argonne National
Laboratory, the NIU Lorado Taft campus, and numerous local
county forest preserves and state parks.
Posted 10/4/24
Ph.D. Opportunity in
Environmental Biogeochemistry: University of Colorado,
Boulder
Faculty Leads: Dr. Eve-Lyn Hinckley & Dr. Daniela Cusack
We seek a motivated Ph.D. student to join the Environmental
Biogeochemistry Group at the University of Colorado Boulder
for Fall 2025. The incoming graduate student will be part of a
team of researchers with the Niwot Ridge Long-term Ecological
Research (LTER) Program in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. This
group is conducting a large-scale field experiment to explore
the effects of a warming climate on high elevation alpine
plant communities and soil biogeochemical processes. The
student, co-advised by Drs. Hinckley and Cusack (Colorado
State University), will develop a PhD project focused on key
biogeochemical processes, including carbon and nitrogen
cycling, in soils and plant tissues under warming scenarios.
Approaches can incorporate a combination of fieldwork,
laboratory analysis, and modeling to advance our understanding
of ecosystem responses to climate change. Summer field
research prior to starting the program in fall 2025 is
encouraged for training and exposure to the project.
What We Offer
• Funding: A combination of teaching and research
assistantships for four years.
• Collaborative Environment: Train and conduct research as
part of the Niwot Ridge LTER research community, as well as
within the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and
the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental
Sciences at CU Boulder.
Qualifications
• Education: A B.A. or B.S. in ecology, biology, environmental
science, or a related field is required; M.A. or M.S. degree
preferred.
• Experience: Prior research experience is encouraged but not
mandatory.
• Fieldwork Requirements: Must be prepared for hiking at high
elevations, often in inclement weather, while carrying a
backpack.
How to Apply
1. Contact Us: Reach out to Dr. Eve-Lyn Hinckley (eve.hinckley@colorado.edu)
and Dr. Daniela Cusack (daniela.cusack@colostate.edu).
Please
include a short statement of your research interests, your CV,
and a writing sample.
2. Apply to the Ph.D. Program: Complete the application for
admission to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary
Biology at CU. https://www.colorado.edu/ebio/graduate/admissions
Commitment to Diversity
We strongly encourage applications from students belonging to
groups historically excluded from STEM fields and graduate
programs.
Application Deadline: 1 December 2024
Start Date: August 2025 (fall semester), or June 2025 (summer)
Posted
10/4/24
Miami University Grad School
Opportunity
I am seeking a motivated student to complete a master's
degree with a thesis that examines the impact of land use,
stream geomorphology, and/or hydrology on stream water
quality in southwest Ohio starting in August 2025. The
project will be supported with an NSF-funded grant and a
teaching/research assistantship through the Department of
Geology and Environmental Earth Science at Miami University
(Ohio). Student applicants with backgrounds in water
quality, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, land use
analyses, fieldwork, and statistics will be most
competitive.
Project, graduate program, and advisor details can be found
at the links below:
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1930655&HistoricalAwards=false
https://miamioh.edu/cas/graduate-programs/geology/index.html
https://miamioh.edu/profiles/cas/bartosz-grudzinski.html
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ea6rAccAAAAJ&hl=en
-This interdisciplinary project will be completed in close
collaboration with the Departments of Geology and
Environmental Earth Science, Geography, Biology, and
Statistics at Miami University.
- The student will work within the newly renovated Water
Resources Lab and the Center for Aquatic and Watershed
Science at Miami University.
-Student travel funding will also provided to present
research at local, regional, and/or national conferences.
Degree: Master of Science in Geology
Application Deadline: January 10th, 2025. GRE
scores are not required.
For additional information or to schedule a visit to the
department please contact Dr. Bartosz Grudzinski at grudzibp@maimioh.edu
.
Posted 10/3/24
Graduate position: EEB Iowa
State University
The Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
(EEB) in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and
Organismal Biology (EEOB) at Iowa State University is
recruiting doctoral and master's level graduate students for
Fall 2025.
The EEB major at Iowa State is designed for students
interested in the composition, structure, and functional
processes of ecological systems, and the mechanisms that
regulate the pattern and rate of evolutionary change within
and among species. Our program provides students with an
interdisciplinary education and opportunities to train and
conduct research in their area of interest. The EEOB
department has a productive and diverse faculty who conduct
both theoretical and empirical research in ecology and
evolutionary biology. Empirical work is on a broad array of
questions and organismal systems, including microbes,
plants, vertebrate and invertebrate animals and whole
ecosystems.
Iowa State University is a large and vibrant campus, with a
strong emphasis on innovation and sustainability. It is
located in Ames, IA, which was ranked #1 best college town
by 24/7 Wall St in 2019.
All admitted applicants will be financially supported by a
9- or 12-month graduate assistantship throughout their
tenure in the program. To receive priority consideration for
competitively awarded fellowships, and to ensure there are
no Visa issues for international students, applicants should
submit a complete application package by December 15.
Applications can be submitted after these dates for
consideration; however, funding opportunities are limited.
Application fees may be forgiven for applicants that meet
specific guidelines.
Applicants should contact faculty and identify potential
advisors before applying. Faculty are more than willing to
answer questions about the general program and about their
own specific labs and research. A listing of graduate
program faculty can be found here: https://www.eeob.iastate.edu/all-faculty
We provide specific guidance about your application,
describe the evaluation process and outline specifics of
funding on the application webpages for the programs.
EEB Program: https://www.eeb.iastate.edu/
Admissions: https://www.eeb.iastate.edu/admissions
For questions or assistance with the application process,
please e-mail our Graduate Program Coordinator, Lynette
Edsall at camelot@iastate.edu.
Posted 10/2/24
Apps now open! M.S. in
Environmental Biology at Regis University, Denver CO
Over the last nine years, the M.S. in Environmental Biology
Program at Regis University, located in Denver, Colorado,
has prepared students for careers in the environmental and
ecological workforce.
Our program differs from more traditional thesis-based
master's programs in that we:
1. Emphasize learning and applying skills demanded by
employers to ecosystem management. These skills include GIS,
statistical computing in R, professional writing,
environmental policy, wetland delineation, and advanced
ecology.
2. Emphasize field-based research during both a 100-hour
internship at an external agency and a cohort-based field
research project with ecosystem managers at partner agencies
including Denver Mountain Parks.
3. Offer a flexible timeline. You can earn your master's
degree in an intensive, one-year program or up to three
years as it fits with your needs and goals.
4. Offer small class sizes and a cohort experience that
enables students to build close relationships with other
students and faculty members who are focused on helping each
student navigate their own career pathway.
Our alumni have indicated that the program's applied
skills-based emphasis has prepared them well for securing
and maintaining employment. Not only do program experiences
enrich their resumes, but the content focus and gained
experience make our students highly competitive applicants.
Within several months of graduation, most of our graduates
obtain employment in a wide array of jobs in the
governmental, private, and non-profit sectors.
We have Teaching Fellowships available for the 2025-2026
academic year, which provide valuable teaching experience
and offset tuition expenses for competitive applicants. If
interested, you can apply for a fellowship when you apply to
the program. Teaching fellowship applications will be
reviewed beginning on March 15th, 2025.
We also offer generous scholarships up to $6,000 to all
eligible applicants to the M.S. Environmental Biology
Program for the 2025-2026 academic year.
If you want to learn more, visit: REGIS.EDU/ENVIRONMENT for
more
information on admission, application details, and the
teaching fellowship. Our program does not require the GRE
for admission.
Posted 10/2/24
Ph.D. ASSISTANTSHIP, AQUATIC
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
The Rober Lab in the School of Environment and Natural
Resources at The Ohio State University has an opening for a
PhD Graduate Research Assistantship focused on aquatic
molecular/microbial ecology. The successful candidate will
work on an NSF-funded project using molecular techniques to
bridge the gap between microbial community composition and
functioning within natural environments. Many ecosystem
processes are mediated by microorganisms and understanding
how microbial functions scale up to the ecosystem level is
an important goal in ecology. The successful applicant
should have a background in molecular sampling, sample
preparation, and bioinformatic techniques. A graduate
stipend at OSU includes academic year and summer support,
tuition, and health benefits. Please see the lab website for
more details: www.roberlab.org.
If you are interested in this position, please send your CV
and a short statement summarizing your qualifications and
research interests to Dr. Allison Rober at rober.6@osu.edu.
Application requirements can be found at https://senr.osu.edu/.
Applications are due November 30, 2024.
Start date is flexible January (Spring), May (summer), or
August (Fall) 2025.
Allison R. Rober Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Assistant Director for Stone Lab
The Ohio State University
School of Environment & Natural Resources
210 Kottman Hall
2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-7835 Office
rober.6@osu.edu / www.roberlab.org
Posted 10/1/24
PhD position in coral
restoration technology (Grottoli lab)
PhD position in Coral Restoration Technology in Grottoli Lab
in the School of Earth Sciences at the Ohio State
University. Research focuses on two areas: 1) evaluating
UZELA (Underwater Zooplankton Light Array) technology for
enhancing coral feeding, growth and survivorship and 2)
calibrating coral 3D mapping technnology . Projects are
described at https://u.osu.edu/grottoli.1/field-videos/.
Details
about the graduate program and the application portal are
at https://earthsciences.osu.edu/academics/graduate-programs.
Applications are due 30 November 2024. For
additional information, contact Dr. Grottoli at grottoli.1@osu.edu
Andréa G Grottoli, PhD
College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of
Earth Sciences
Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee in SES
Marquis Who's Who 2024 Honored Listee
The Ohio State University
College of Arts and Sciences School of Earth Sciences
315 Mendenhall Laboratory, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, OH
43210
614-292-5782 Office / 614-292-7688 Fax
grottoli.1@osu.edu
Webpage: u.osu.edu/grottoli.1
Posted 9/30/24
UA-VT Graduate Assistantships
Available
Two graduate student assistantships are available: one at
Virginia Tech in Entomology and one at the University of
Arkansas in Biology. The project is to understand how
widespread salinization of soils and freshwater threatens
biota, ecosystem processes and riparian-stream linkages.
Disconnected studies of intimately connected ecosystems can
lead to a fundamental misunderstanding of salinization in
the environment. This project will quantify how NaCl inputs
to riparian zones and streams interact to alter
decomposition and production in both terrestrial riparia and
aquatic stream ecosystems using experimentally paired
riparian-stream mesocosms, a field decomposition study
across a sodium gradient, and crowd-sourced k-12 teacher
data through the collaboration of terrestrial and aquatic
researchers.
Project objectives:
Measure and quantify field terrestrial-stream relationships
using a decomposition study that concurrently measures soil
and stream chemistry across a large salinization gradient.
Experimentally determine how soil salinization impacts
terrestrial-aquatic C exchange across a gradient of
salinization in novel paired terrestrial riparian-stream
mesocosms.
Quantify the field-mesocosm relationship to determine the
congruence of experimental mesocosm- and field measured
decomposition rates across a salinity gradient. PIs Include:
Natalie Clay (UA), Michelle Evans-White (UA), Sally Entrekin
(VT), and Tara Muenz (Citizen Science Co-Ordinator, Stroud
Water Center).
Graduate Assistantship Details:
Salary: $32,000 USD per yr for 3 yrs
Additional years of funding, if needed, will be supported by
student fellowships, teaching assistantships, and/or other
lab-funded projects
Primarily advised by either Dr. Entrekin (VT) or Dr.
Evans-White (UA), but collaborate and mentored by all PIs.
Please contact us Sally (sallye@vt.edu)
and Michelle with a statement of interest and CV. We will
review applications in mid-November with
the goal of filling the position in January 2025.
Posted 9/30/24
PhD in Microbial Ecology &
Evolution; Computational Biology; Metagenomics
The Microbial Genomes And Metagenomes to Unravel Traits Lab
(mGAMUT Lab; PI: JL Weissman) at Stony Brook University has
funding for PhD students to begin Fall 2025 (application
deadline December 1, 2024). Interested
applicants can apply through the doctoral program in Ecology
& Evolution (https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/ecoevo/_program/phd-programs.php).
Please note that it is expected that successful applicants
in E&E will have reached out to a prospective adviser to
discuss fit before applying. For more information about what
that email should look like, visit: https://microbialgamut.com/join.html
Our lab develops new computational tools to infer what
microbes are doing and can do directly from genomic and
metagenomic data (e.g., https://github.com/jlw-ecoevo/gRodon2),
aiming
to improve the representation of microbes in global
biogeochemical models. Ongoing projects involve developing
computational methods for microbial trait prediction from
genomic and metagenomic data and applying these tools to
large-scale datasets to derive new insights about microbial
ecology and evolution. Our group also has ongoing projects
that use a combination of comparative genomics, population
genetics,and mathematical models to understand the ancient
and ongoing battle between microbes and their viruses. To
learn more about our research visit: https://microbialgamut.com/
Posted 9/27/24
PhD-track graduate student
position; NC State University; Marine Microbiology
The Paerl Lab at NC State University is recruiting
candidates for a PhD-track graduate student position
starting Jan. 1, 2025 as part of a collaborative research
project focused on bacterioplankton as sources of vitamin B1
and vitamers (related compounds) to the surface ocean. The
Paerl lab is located on the NC State main campus in Raleigh,
NC (USA), which is within the growing Research Triangle of
North Carolina.
At the time of enrollment, highly qualified applicants will
have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology,
ecology, oceanography, microbiology, (bio)chemistry, or a
related field. Ideal candidates will have interests in
microbial ecology as well as microbial interactions and
nutrient cycling. Best candidates will also possess
quantitative skills, such as data analysis or scientific
programming (or motivation to acquire such skills).
Specific expectations of the position include leading
laboratory experiments with marine picocyanobacteria and
heterotrophic bacteria, collaboration with the lab of Co-PI
Sheri Floge (Wake Forest University; https://floges.sites.wfu.edu/),
conducting
vitamin measurements via the METRIC (https://research.ncsu.edu/metric/)
mass spectrometry facility at NC State University, mentoring
an undergraduate researcher on the project, and contributing
to the development of lesson plans about the "life and
death" of marine plankton for use in rural NC middle and
high schools.
The perspective PhD student can pursue a Marine Science
degree through the Department of Marine, Earth, and
Atmospheric Sciences (MEAS; https://meas.sciences.ncsu.edu/),
which
offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in
ecology, hydrology, oceanography, geology, and atmospheric
science. Numerous opportunities will be available to
collaborate and develop one's skillset regarding in silico,
in situ, and in vivo tools via the PhD program.
Broadly, the Paerl lab encourages a healthy work/life
balance for all its members and maintains a welcoming
environment for people of all backgrounds.
TO APPLY:
Those interested should send the following items, as a
single PDF, to Dr. Ryan Paerl (rpaerl@ncsu.edu): (1) a
brief description of their background, career goals,
motivations for pursuing a PhD, research ideas, and why they
are specifically interested in joining the Paerl Lab; (2) a
CV with academic and professional experience (including
GPA); (3) contact information for 3 references; and (4) a
writing sample, if available. Best candidates will be
encouraged to apply for Spring admission (although Fall 2025
is possible) to MEAS, with an application deadline of November
25, 2024 (https://meas.sciences.ncsu.edu/graduate/apply-to-meas/).
Posted 9/24/24
Multiple PhD and Postdoc
positions available at the EEB department at the
University of Arizona
2 PhD students and 1-2 postdoc positions are available in Dr.
Daijiang Li's lab (https://www.dlilab.com/)
at the EEB department of the University of Arizona.
PhD students will have guaranteed funding for at least 5 years
(Teaching Assistantship or Research Assistantship). The
deadline for applications for fall 2025 enrollment is December
1st, 2024. Application instructions can be found
at https://eeb.arizona.edu/graduate/prospective-students/apply-program.
Potential research projects would center on investigating how
environmental changes such as climate change and urbanization
have affected the biodiversity and/or phenology of multiple
taxonomic groups using both field research and data science
approaches (e.g., statistics, machine learning). New students
will be encouraged to develop their own research projects
along with the research directions described (see examples
below) or start new research directions.
Potential projects for postdocs include (but not limited to):
1) investigating the eco-evo drivers of symbiosis between
nitrogen-fixing plants and soil microbes; 2) integrating
different types of phenological data to study patterns and
drivers of plant phenology across large spatial, temporal, and
taxonomic scales; 3) studying biodiversity patterns within
major urban areas across the world; 4) develop and/or apply
advanced methods (statistical models or machine learning
methods) to study biodiversity change. Candidates with an
interest in developing research proposals together are
strongly encouraged. Apply here: https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/20630?c=arizona
Applicants from various backgrounds will be considered,
including biology, ecology, statistics, computer science, or
related disciplines. Applicants from under-served groups in
STEM are especially encouraged to apply. Prospective students
and postdocs should contact Dr. Li via email (djli AT
arizona.edu) using "PhD position fall 2025" or "Postdoc
position" as the subject header to discuss possibilities
before applying to the program. In the email, please include a
CV, a 1-2 page cover letter with research interests and
experiences, and a scientific writing example if possible.
Tucson, AZ, offers a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for
everyone, blending rich cultural heritage with modern
amenities. Nestled in the Sonoran Desert, Tucson boasts
stunning natural landscapes perfect for outdoor enthusiasts,
including hiking, biking, and stargazing. Home to the
University of Arizona, the city provides a dynamic academic
environment with top-notch research facilities and a lively
campus life. Tucson's diverse culinary scene, lively arts
community, and numerous festivals ensure there is always
something exciting to explore. With its sunny weather and
friendly community, Tucson is an ideal place to work, live,
and create unforgettable memories.
Posted
9/24/24
Seeking PhD student: virus
transmission in salmon
We are seeking a PhD student to begin in Fall 2025.
The student will be supervised by Dr. Paige Ferguson,
Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences
at the University of Alabama.
Research will focus on estimating rates of exposure and
infection of Pacific salmonids with infectious hematopoietic
necrosis virus (IHNV) and will build upon work such as
Ferguson et al. (2018), Paez et al. (2020), and Mattheiss et
al. (2023). The PhD student will work with Dr. Ferguson and
collaborators to define the dissertation research questions,
but potential directions include estimating the influence of
juvenile abundance at salmon hatcheries on transmission,
estimating the influence of dams on transmission, estimating
the susceptibility of different host types to different IHNV
lineages, and estimating exposure events in a complex
spatial network.
This is a great opportunity for a student to learn about
disease ecology, Bayesian modeling, and fisheries management
while working with a supportive group of collaborators.
Applicants should have a background in many of the
following: fish and wildlife science, fisheries management,
ecological modeling, statistics, computer programming, GIS,
and clear written and oral communication. Applicants should
be highly motivated, prepared to conduct independent
research, and enthusiastic about writing scientific papers
for publication.
To apply, please email Dr. Ferguson (pfferguson@ua.edu) the
following:
1. a cover letter describing your interest in the project
and prior experiences that have prepared you for graduate
work in Dr. Ferguson’s lab
2. your transcript(s) (an unofficial copy is fine),
3. a sample of your scientific writing (for example a
manuscript or lab report), and
4. contact information for 3 references.
Application are due November 15. Review of
applications will begin immediately and will continue until
the position is filled.
The position comes with a full tuition waiver, a competitive
stipend, and health insurance. Funding is available as a
Graduate Teaching Assistant through the Department of
Biological Sciences. Highly qualified applicants may be
considered for Graduate School Fellowships, which offer a
Research Assistantship during the student’s first year and a
Teaching Assistantship in subsequent years.
Additional information:
Mattheiss, J., R. Breyta, G. Kurath, S. LaDeau, D. Páez, and
P.F.B. Ferguson. 2023. Coproduction prevents bias about
infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus transmission for
Snake River Basin salmonids. Journal of Environmental
Management 334: 117415.
Páez, D., S. LaDeau, R. Breyta, G. Kurath, K. Naish, and
P.F.B. Ferguson. 2020. Infectious hematopoietic necrosis
virus specialization in a multihost salmonid system.
Evolutionary Applications, 00: 1-13.
Ferguson, P.F.B., R. Breyta, I. Brito, G. Kurath, and S.
LaDeau. 2018. An epidemiological model of virus transmission
in salmonid fishes of the Columbia River Basin. Ecological
Modeling, 377:1-15.
Department of Biological Sciences: http://bsc.ua.edu/
Graduate School: http://graduate.ua.edu
University of Alabama: http://www.ua.edu
Tuscaloosa: http://www.tuscaloosa.com/visitor-services
Outdoor opportunities in Alabama: http://www.outdooralabama.com
Dr. Paige Ferguson
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
The University of Alabama
Shelby 2019A
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Phone 205-348-1807
pfferguson@ua.edu | https://bsc.ua.edu/paige-ferguson/
Posted 9/21/24
GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES IN
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION AT STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY
The Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook
University is recruiting doctoral and master's level
graduate students for Fall 2024.
The department has a productive and diverse faculty working
on a broad array of questions involving humans and primates,
microbes, plants, vertebrate and invertebrate animals and
whole ecosystems. Field locales span the globe from the Old
and New World tropics to the Arctic and Antarctic polar
regions, as well as the uplands, wetlands, and coastal areas
of Long Island and New York. Within a train ride of New York
City, Stony Brook is a diverse campus, and we are
implementing programs to build an even more diverse program
in the future.
Upon admission, PhD students are guaranteed teaching
assistantships, with additional support available through
fellowships and research assistantships, as they become
available. The deadline for applications for the PhD program
is December 1, 2024. The priority deadline for the MA
program is January 15, 2024; MA applications are
considered on a rolling basis until April 15, 2025.
Application fees may be forgiven for applicants that meet
specific guidelines.
It is highly recommended that applicants contact faculty and
identify potential advisors before applying. Faculty are
more than willing to entertain questions about the general
program and about their own specific labs and research. A
listing of graduate program faculty can be found here: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/ecoevo/_people/
We provide specific guidance about your application,
describe the evaluation process and outline specifics of
funding on the application webpages for the programs.
Ph.D.: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/ecoevo/_program/apply_to_phd_program.php
M.A.: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/ecoevo/_program/apply_to_masters_program.php
For questions or assistance with the application process,
please e-mail our Graduate Program Coordinator, Melissa
Cohen: melissa.j.cohen@stonybrook.edu.
Posted 9/21/24
Ph.D. ASSISTANTSHIP, WETLAND
ECOLOGY, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
The Wyatt Lab in the School of Environment and Natural
Resources at The Ohio State University has an opening for a
PhD Graduate Research Assistantship focused on
wetland/microbial ecology. Ideally, the successful applicant
will have a background in aquatic ecology and a willingness
to work in both field and laboratory settings. The
multidisciplinary nature of this project provides research
opportunities for students with a broad range of interests
(microbial ecology, algal ecology, plant-microbial
interactions, food webs, and biogeochemistry). The field
portion of the research will be conducted at the Wilma H.
Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park located on
the Ohio State campus (https://u.osu.edu/orwrpramsar/).
A
graduate stipend at OSU includes academic year and summer
support, tuition, and health benefits. Please see the lab
website for more details: http://www.wyattlab.org
If you are interested in this position please send your CV
and a short statement summarizing your qualifications and
research interests to Dr. Kevin Wyatt at wyatt.268@osu.edu.
Application requirements can be found at https://senr.osu.edu/.
Applications are due November 30, 2024.
Start date is flexible May (summer) or August (Fall) 2025.
Posted 9/18/24
Graduate position: Tufts
University: Speciation
KEY WORDS: Later-stage speciation, molecular/population
genetics, insect behavior
POSITION: I am seeking to recruit two PhD students
interested in studying speciation, and specifically, in the
processes that explain why reproductive barrier effects
accumulate between populations and lead to stronger overall
reproductive isolation. Please see the references listed
below for studies our lab has published on this topic. My
lab group is in the Department of Biology (https://as.tufts.edu/biology/)
at Tufts University, located in Medford, MA. We use a
combination of field studies, laboratory experimentation,
and bioinformatics analyses to study the genetic,
environmental, and demographic factors shaping diversity.
SUPPORT: Our department is committed to supporting students
throughout their dissertation research. Students admitted to
the PhD program receive full tuition scholarships, a
competitive stipend that includes summer pay, and health
coverage, all guaranteed for six years. The stipend is
supported by working as a teaching assistant, or in many
cases, by paid research assistantships. More information
about applications, including due dates and aid, can be
found here: https://as.tufts.edu/biology/prospective-students/graduate-admissions-and-aid
ELIGIBILITY: Most critically, you will have a curious mind
and a willingness to seek answers to questions that lack
adequate explanations. Students must also have an ability to
work with others and a strong sense of humor, both of which
are needed to make science fun and worthwhile. A background
or experience in molecular biology, evolution, or ecology is
preferred, as is prior research experience. Highly relevant
experience includes the application of molecular techniques
or the collection/analysis of genome data. Enthusiasm for
insects and field work is a big plus. Positions are open to
domestic and international students. Students from diverse
backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply, including
students with disabilities, from geographically underserved
jurisdictions, and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT: PhD training with me can facilitate
multiple career directions. Students will be mentored to
understand jobs in private industry, academia
(research/teaching intensive), non-profit organizations, and
governmental sectors. I have ties to each of these different
groups, allowing for exploration through informal interviews
and networking. Tufts has numerous existing activities and
resources to support a vibrant environment for training and
development, including programming on grant writing,
academic and industrial career development, mentoring, and
responsible research.
REQUIRED PRE-APPLICATION: Before November 15,
send an email to erik.dopman (at) tufts.edu and include, as
attachments, the following two documents:
1. Using no more than 1 page, describe your current research
interests and how your prior experiences and training have
prepared you for a PhD (ideally, on the topic of
speciation).
2. Your resume or CV.
REFERENCES:
1) Dopman, E. B., Shaw, K. L., Servedio, M., Butlin, R. K.
and Smadja, C., 2024. Coupling of barriers to gene exchange:
Causes and consequences. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in
Biology, pp.1-28. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a041432
2) Kunerth, H.D., Bogdanowicz, S.M., Searle, J.B., Harrison,
R.G., Coates, B.S., Kozak, G.M. and Dopman, E.B., 2022.
Consequences of coupled barriers to gene flow for the
build-up of genomic differentiation. Evolution, 76(5),
pp.985-1002. https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.14466
3) Unbehend, M., Kozak, G.M., Koutroumpa, F., Coates, B.S.,
Dekker, T., Groot, A.T., Heckel, D.G. and Dopman, E.B.,
2021. bric à brac controls sex pheromone choice by
male European corn borer moths. Nature Communications,
12(1), p.2818. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23026-x
4) Kozak, G.M., Wadsworth, C.B., Kahne, S.C., Bogdanowicz,
S.M., Harrison, R.G., Coates, B.S. and Dopman, E.B., 2019.
Genomic basis of circannual rhythm in the European corn
borer moth. Current Biology, 29(20), pp.3501-3509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.08.053
5) Dopman, E.B., Robbins, P.S. and Seaman, A., 2010.
Components of reproductive isolation between North American
pheromone strains of the European corn borer. Evolution,
64(4), pp.881-902. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00883.x
CONTACT: Erik Dopman with questions at erik.dopman (at)
tufts.edu
Erik Dopman, PhD
Department of Biology
Tufts University
200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4700
Medford, MA 02155
Posted 9/17/24
Seeking a MS ecology student for
a funded prescribed fire ecology research position
California and the west are in the midst of a wildfire crisis
due to an increase in catastrophic fires and decrease in good
fire. One solution to these dueling crises is prescribed fire,
and there is broad political support to increase its use. As
the number of prescribed fires and their acreage increase in
California, understanding their goals and effects are
important. This research may help California Central Coast
managers conduct better prescribed fires with their limited
burn windows and capacity.
The student will be part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary
team who evaluates prescribed fire effects on existing
research and monitoring projects, which could be a MS thesis
and peer-reviewed publication. Potential prescribed fire
partners include Cal Fire units, UC Cooperative Extension,
Prescribed Burn Associations, non-profits, private landowners,
state and federal parks, Tribes, and more. Students may have
an opportunity to pursue a prescribed fire project outside of
the current research scope. Projects will generally be focused
in the South Bay and Central Coast.
MS students would work with Dr. Kate Wilkin in the Biological
Sciences Department's Ecology and Evolution program. Students
would participate in the new Wildfire Interdisciplinary
Research Center, which was recently awarded a NSF
Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC). WIRC
provides potential internal research funding and
interdisciplinary collaborations between ecology and social
scientists, climatologists, fire weather, fire behavior
modeling, combustion engineer, fire behavior monitoring, and
remote sensing.
Prescribed fire research includes:
Evaluate efficacy of novel field-based and remote
sensing-based monitoring methods
Coastal prairie restoration
Chaparral fire management
Other research and projects in the lab includes:
Home Ignition Zone (HIZ)
Fuel breaks and evacuation route clearance
Pyrodiversity
Youth fire education
Funding:
1st year funds available through existing grants. We will
apply for 2nd year funds together. Summer 2025 funding and
internship may be available through a SJSU-NASA FireSage
internship program (https://www.nasa.gov/firesage-program/).
Students
are expected to seek additional funding and tuition stipends
may be available through competitive Biology Department
teaching positions. Competitive internal research funding
available through the new Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research
Center, which is a NSF Industry-University Cooperative
Research Center. Students are expected to apply to CalFire,
Joint Fire Science Program, California Native Grasslands
Association, Association for Fire Ecology, CSUBIOTECH, SJSU
Biology Department Scholarships, and other student grant
programs. Total funding is dependent on the project, and
students will be trained in internal and external grant
writing.
Start date: Start as student in January 2025 OR Start as
technician April 2025, and as student in August 2025.
Application Process:
Applicants should also email Kate Wilkin (kate.wilkin@sjsu.edu)
well in advance, and include some of the items needed for a
formal application to SJSU.
Your research interests and long-term career goals in a cover
letter
CV with software, lab and field methods and equipment
(especially botanical identification and vegetation
monitoring), language (especially Spanish), and other skills,
and publications and presentations listed
Scores: GPA, transcript, GRE if taken
One writing sample (report, published paper, technical report,
or class research project)
Funding needs: Do you have a grant in-hand? What are your
needs?
Contact information for 3+ references
Interested applicants must apply to the graduate school at San
Jose State University using their application.
Spring 2025 applicants must apply by October 1, 2024.
Fall 2025 applicants must apply by March 1, 2025.
Posted
9/12/24
PhD Position in Ecosystem
Ecology at UTEP
The McLaren Lab at the University of Texas at El Paso is
looking for graduate students interested in working at the
intersection of ecosystem and community ecology. A PhD
position is available on an USDA-funded project examining
interactions between shrub encroachment and permafrost
dynamics and their effects on carbon cycling in coastal
sub-arctic Alaska. The project will involve summer or fall
field work in Unalakleet, Alaska. The PhD student will
assist with data collection for the larger project while
developing his/her own dissertation project in conjunction
with our research questions. The student will be support
through a combination of RAships and TAships.
Qualified candidates should have a B.S. or M.S. (preferred)
in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Science or related field,
and show a strong interest in plant ecology, ecosystem
ecology or biogeochemistry. Ideal candidates will have some
previous research experience in field ecology, a strong work
ethic, be able to work independently and with a field crew,
and availability to begin in June 2025 or earlier.
More information about my lab at UT El Paso is available
at www.jenniemclaren.com More
information
about the Department of Biological Sciences and its graduate
programs can be found at https://www.utep.edu/science/biology/and https://www.utep.edu/science/eeb/
Applications for graduate school are due Nov 1, 2025 for
Spring 2025 admission, and Feb 1, 2025 for
Fall 2025 admission, but students are encouraged to
contact me well in advance of that date. Interested students
should send a c.v. and short statement of research interests
to Jennie McLaren at jrmclaren@utep.edu prior
to
applying.
Jennie R. McLaren
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
The University of Texas at El Paso
Office: 915-747-8903
www.jenniemclaren.com
Posted 9/11/24
Graduate position available in
landscape ecology
Graduate student project in landscape ecology (to start Fall
2025):
I am seeking a graduate student to join my lab to conduct
research on geospatial dynamics of ephemeral wetlands as a
function of land-cover change, with subsequent
characterization of dynamic landscape connectivity.
Prospective students will be funded by a 9-month/year
departmental Teaching Assistantship (3 years for M.S.
students, 5 years for Ph.D. students) and possibly by
additional graduate school fellowships with awards ranging
from $2500 for 1 year to $30,000/yr for 3 years.
Preference will be given to students with
experience/coursework in landscape ecology, remote sensing,
and GIS.
Skills that will be acquired:
Experience with ArcGIS
Experience with Google Earth Engine
Experience with R
Connectivity analyses
Curation of spatial datasets
Scientific communication
To apply to my lab: https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/join-my-lab
Applications are due by 1 January 2025 but
space is limited, so early applications are encouraged!
Nancy McIntyre, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
Tel. 1-806-834-7977
nancy.mcintyre@ttu.edu
https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/home
Posted 9/11/24
Graduate Assistantship at UVA in
Forest Response to Climate
We have two PhD openings in the Blumstein Lab in
Environmental Sciences at UVA.
Please check out UVA Environmental Science Department’s
graduate website (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/graduate)
for more information on applying and requirements. If you
are interested in joining the lab, please reach out to me by
email prior to the application due date (January 2025)
with a short statement of interest and a copy of the
resume/cv. I also welcome students interested in
collaborating on an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
application (reach out if you want to learn more!).
About the Lab
We use tools from both ecological and evolutionary fields to
examine how forests trees will respond to the next century
of stress and beyond. Below are two great references that
give a broad overview to the types of tools and questions
utilized by the lab.
1. Cocciardi, J., A. Hoffman, D. Alvardo-Seranno, J.
Anderson,. , M. Blumstein, …, M. Avolio. 2024. Nature
Ecology & Evolution. The value of long-term ecological
research for evolutionary insights.
2. Blumstein, M. 2024. American Journal of Botany. The
drivers of intraspecific trait variation and their
implications for future plant productivity and survival.
Please be in touch if you are interested in joining!
Meghan Blumstein
She/her
Assistant Professor
Environmental Sciences & Landscape Architecture
E ycv4vb@virginia.edu
P 610.331.6584
University of Virginia
Environmental Sciences
291 McCormick Rd
Clark Hall 216
Charlottesville , VA 22904
blumsteinm.github.io
Posted 9/11/24
PhD position in multifunctional
urban landscapes with birds
A PhD graduate student position is available for Fall 2025
with Dr. Jocelyn Behm at Temple University's Integrative
Ecology Lab (http://www.iecolab.org)
within the Center for Biodiversity. The PhD student will
work on the Multifunctional Urban Landscapes project which
explores how local and landscape-scale drivers affect bird
diversity and the ecosystem services and multifunctionality
birds provide along an urban to rural gradient in
southeastern Pennsylvania. The student will be supported in
developing their own research project based on their
interests within the context of the larger Multifunctional
Urban Landscapes research theme.
Activities performed may include:
- field biodiversity surveys
- field and lab ecosystem service strength experiments
- analyses of large datasets
- quantitative method development
- GIS
- mentoring undergraduate research assistants
Applicants must have prior research experience and a
bachelor's and/or master's degree in biology, environmental
science, or other quantitative field. Ideal applicants are
those with prior ecological fieldwork experience plus
familiarity GIS, statistics, and R. Most importantly, the
successful applicant will be well-organized, able to work
both independently and in a team setting, and motivated to
learn.
Full applications are due to Temple's Graduate School
on December 15 (November 15 for
international applicants). However, interested applicants
should initially contact Dr. Behm (jebehm@temple.edu) by
September 30, for priority consideration. Include in this
initial contact your CV, unofficial transcript, and a brief
statement of interest that describes your relevant
background experiences, why you are interested in the
position, and questions you have about the research, etc.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to first peruse the lab
website and publications prior to contact (http://www.iecolab.org).
The Integrative Ecology Lab is located within Temple's
Center for Biodiversity and housed in a new LEED-Gold
certified building on Temple's main campus in historic
Philadelphia. Temple University, founded in 1884, is a
public R1 university with a diverse student body of ca.
30,000 students.
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States, filled
with numerous attractions (e.g., Philadelphia Museum of Art,
Philadelphia Zoo, Academy of Natural Sciences), amazing
food, and a quick train ride to New York City and Washington
DC. Philadelphia is nestled within an extensive
national/state trail and park system, and is very close to
Valley Forge National Park, the Pocono Mountains, the unique
New Jersey Pine Barren ecosystem, and the beaches of the
Delaware and New Jersey shores.
Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access,
affirmative action employer committed to achieving a diverse
community.
Posted 9/11/24
PhD positions in Quantitative
Ecology at the University of Kentucky
The Quantitative Population Ecology group in the Department
of Biology at the University of Kentucky is recruiting a PhD
student for Fall 2025. Current research projects in the
group include, but are not limited to:
- Detection of inverse stochastic resonance in cyclic
population dynamics using neural ode's
- Scaling of group size in cooperative predators
- Developing methods to validate ecological forecasts.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology (or related field),
Statistics, or Applied Math (or related - field).
- Ability to demonstrate strong quantitative skills.
The Biology Program at UK
The Department of Biology guarantees each PhD student
support upon their acceptance to the program. Support
includes stipend ($28,520 for a 9-month appointment),
tuition/mandatory fees waiver, and health insurance.
Applications are due Dec. 15, interested
individuals should reach out to Jake (jake.ferguson@uky.edu)
to discuss potential projects well in advance of this
deadline. More information on the graduate program and
application process is available at https://biograd.as.uky.edu/.
Posted 9/10/24
Grad Assistantship - Forest
Growth Modeling - Univ Montana
The University of Montana's Department of Forest Management
and the Inland Northwest Growth & Yield Cooperative
invite applications for a graduate assistantship on a
project focused on quantitative forest modeling. Regulation
of tree density early in stand development has important
ecological and economic consequences for forest management.
Despite this, there is a lack of reliable, quantitative
tools to characterize the short- and long-term response of
trees and stands to forest spacing or thinning treatments in
the mixed-conifer forests of the inland northwest. This
project will draw on and extend a broad network of long-term
experimental installations distributed across western
Montana and north Idaho to characterize the impacts of
density manipulation on tree and stand attributes as well as
to develop decision-support tools for forest managers.
The graduate student will conduct research to develop models
of tree and/or stand response to early thinning, to identify
key drivers, and to compare outcomes against projections
from regional growth models. They will also participate in
field research to extend the measurement schedule of
existing experimental trials. Responsibilities include
collaborative work with UM faculty and staff, as well as
with cooperating researchers and land managers;
communicating results through presentations and other
formats; and publication of results in peer-reviewed
journals.
Four semesters and two summers of support are available,
including salary, tuition, mandatory fees, and health
insurance. Travel funds are available for field work and
scientific conference presentation.
Required Qualifications
- Ability to meet the requirements for admission to the
relevant graduate degree program
- Ability to implement applied statistical analyses in R or
Python
- Excellent communication and time management skills
- Ability to work independently and to manage multiple
responsibilities and deadlines
Preferred Qualifications
- Academic background in forestry or familiarity with
silvicultural practices and forest stand dynamics
- Experience with forest measurements and field sampling,
including logistics and off-trail navigation
- Advanced training and coursework in statistics and
mathematics
- A record of publication in the peer-reviewed literature
Application Procedure
Please send a single pdf file containing a cover letter
describing your interest and how you meet the position
qualifications, current CV, unofficial transcripts, and
names and contacts of three professional references to Dr.
David Affleck at david.affleck@umontana.edu.
Submit your materials by 10 January 2025 for
full consideration.
About UM and Missoula
The University of Montana is a place where top-tier
students, educators, and researchers thrive. UM is located
in Missoula, Montana's second-largest city with a
population of 80,000 residents. Missoula offers a high
quality of life, with multiple rivers, trails, and
wilderness areas within minutes of campus, and a vibrant
arts community including frequent performances by national
musical acts. Missoula and the surrounding area host an
impactful land management and conservation science community
including major federal research labs, land management
agencies, and significant conservation and environmental
NGOs.
Posted 9/10/24
PhD student opportunity:
Phytoplankton ecology & HABs @ UL Lafayette
PhD Graduate Student Opportunity
The Stauffer Lab (http://www.staufferlab.com/)
in the Department of Biology at University of Louisiana at
Lafayette is recruiting for one Ph.D.-level graduate student
to begin in Summer or Fall 2025. Interested applicants
should have research interests in the areas of phytoplankton
community dynamics, harmful algae, and plankton and marine
food webs. Current funded projects in the lab focus on
bottom-up and top-down controls on phytoplankton communities
in nearshore, coastal, and oceanic environments. Our lab
uses a variety of techniques including the classical
(microscopy, etc.) and the modern (flow cytometry,
continuous nutrient sensors, etc.) both in the lab and in
the field and works heavily in the Gulf of Mexico. Students
should have relevant previous research experience and/or a
Masters degree in a relevant field.
Please email Dr. Stauffer (beth.stauffer@louisiana.edu)
directly if you're interested in this opportunity, including
a brief description of your research interests, relevant
experience, and current CV or resume. Graduate student
support is available through several projects funded by
state- and federal agencies, and qualified students are
eligible for competitive Fellowships (https://louisiana.edu/graduateschool/admissions/tuition-funding/assistantships-fellowships/graduate-fellowships)
through the Graduate School. All student funding comes with
tuition and fee waivers, in addition to a monthly stipend.
Students from minoritized groups in science and
first-generation students are encouraged to apply (see our
Lab Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Statement here).
The Department of Biology has approximately 75 graduate
students and 30 graduate faculty members conducting research
on a wide variety of topics. We have an active group of
researchers doing important work on coastal and marine
ecology both in our backyard and worldwide. Find out more
about the department (https://biology.louisiana.edu/),
Graduate
School (https://louisiana.edu/graduateschool),
and
Stauffer Lab (www.staufferlab.com).
The
deadline to apply to the graduate program for Fall 2025
is 1 Feb 2024.
Beth A. Stauffer, Ph.D.(she/her)
Associate Professor, Department of Biology
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
SLEMCO/BORSF Endowed Professor in General Studies
Lead PI, LO-SPAT Project
(337) 482-5232
beth.stauffer@louisiana.edu
www.staufferlab.com
Posted 9/10/24
Gradaute Fellowship in Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology
Graduate fellowship in ecology and evolutionary biology are
available for Ph.D. students in the Siepielski Lab in the
Department of Biological Sciences and the Ecology,
Evolution, and Organismal Biology group at the University of
Arkansas. https://asiepielski.wordpress.com
Our lab focuses on questions at the intersection of ecology
and evolutionary biology. Current projects include: the
contribution of evolution in shaping species coexistence,
how species evolve in response to multi-species interactions
such as competition, predation, and parasitism, and how
extreme ecological events drive eco-evolutionary change. To
explore these topics, we use a combination of observational,
experimental, meta-analytical, and theoretical approaches.
Most of our empirical work is with damselflies, a voracious
and awesome predatory insect.
Graduate research fellowships ($30,000 - 40,000, plus health
insurance and tuition waiver) are available for highly
competitive candidates. Please see https://graduate-and-international.uark.edu/graduate/costs-and-funding/doctoral-fellowships.php for
additional
information on fellowship funding opportunities.
Prospective students should check out our lab website https://asiepielski.wordpress.com for
additional
information. If interested in considering joining our lab
group, please contact me via email (amsiepie@uark.edu). In
your email, please include the following: 1) a brief
description of your overall research interests, career
goals, and why you think our lab would be a good fit for
you, and 2) your CV. Ideal candidates will be hard-working,
highly motivated, and excited about studying questions at
the interface of ecology and evolutionary biology. Please
note that the deadline for Fall 2025 admission into our
program is January 15, 2025. All materials
should be submitted well before then.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, is a Tier I
research university located in the beautiful Ozark
Mountains. The faculty and graduate students at UARK are
highly interactive and include an internationally known
group of evolutionary biologists and ecologists. We are
located in an ideal setting for field-based projects in
aquatic systems (AR has more than 2,300 lakes and thousands
of smaller ponds, and equally impressive numbers of rivers,
streams and creeks). Fayetteville, located in northwest
Arkansas, offers a high quality of living at a low cost, an
excellent climate, and is a large enough city to offer
diverse activities and amenities. Rock climbing, hiking,
kayaking, canoeing, and especially mountain biking (tons of
amazing mountain bike trails, and more every year!)
opportunities are in close proximity.
Posted 9/10/24
PhD Assistantships Examining
Biodiversity, Ecosystem Service, Cultural, and Economic
Benefits and Tradeoffs Across Forest Adaptation Approaches
at the University of Vermont
PhD Assistantships Examining Biodiversity, Ecosystem
Service, Cultural, and Economic Benefits and Tradeoffs
Across Forest Adaptation Approaches at the University of
Vermont
Project: Relatively little is known about best adaptation
strategies for addressing climate change impacts on forests
in ways that balance key ecosystem services like carbon
storage with other desired outcomes, including sustaining
biodiversity and cultural and economic values. To address
this knowledge gap, The University of Vermont (Rubenstein
School of Environment and Natural Resources) seeks two
PhD-level graduate students to participate in a research
project focused on evaluating the biodiversity, ecosystem
service, cultural, and economic benefits and tradeoffs
across forest adaptation approaches in northern New England.
The PhD students will work closely together and will join a
team of collaborators from the University of Vermont and
Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and an
extensive group of partners from Tribal, State, and Federal
agencies and non-profit organizations. One student will
focus on understanding the biodiversity, carbon, and
resilience outcomes of forest adaptation strategies. The
other will focus on understanding how cultural, economic,
and public values are affected by different adaptation
approaches. A primary goal is to synthesize the actionable
science needed to develop best adaptation practices and
sound policies that sustain services, values, and species
for diverse partners across the region.
These positions are available for Summer 2025 and include
four guaranteed years of funding (stipend, tuition waiver,
and health insurance).
Application: Interested applicants should supply all
application materials to the UVM Rubenstein School of
Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR) Program (PhD in
Natural Resources) by February 1, 2025 –
when applying, please state your interest in this position
in the "Statement of Purpose.“
Contact:
Dr. Anthony D’Amato (awdamato@uvm.edu,
802-656-8030)
Dr. Rachelle Gould (rgould@uvm.edu)
Dr. Carol Adair (carol.adair@uvm.edu)
Dr. Brendan Fisher (bfisher@uvm.edu)
Posted 9/6/24
PhD Positions, Invasion Ecology,
Environmental Data Science, Temple University,
Philadelphia
The Integrative Ecology Lab at Temple University has multiple
PhD student positions available for Fall 2025. These positions
offer students an exciting chance to work at the epicenter of
a recent high-impact invasion, utilizing a combination of
field research, data science, and ecological modeling.
Positions: PhD Graduate Students
Department: Biology Department, Temple University
Start Date: Fall 2025
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Funding: Fully funded, Competitive Salary and Benefits
Interviews: Interviews are conducted on a rolling basis
Application Deadline: December 15, 2024
System:
Spotted lanternfly have invaded ecosystems across the eastern
United States. Originally from China, this insect pest has
spread to at least 17 states and is threatening to disrupt the
global wine industry. The spotted lanternfly invasion is a
fascinating study system for invasion ecology: lanternflies
feed on a wide range of host plant species and thrive in urban
landscapes, but they are major agricultural pests particularly
to grapes. They disperse through a mix of natural and
human-assisted means. Within their invaded range, they have
few natural enemies because they feed on toxic hosts. They are
large and have swarmed cities by the millions, causing massive
spikes in social media posts, which is unprecedented for any
previous invasive species. Our lab is at the forefront of
researching the factors driving this invasion, with a
particular focus on wine grapes, one of the most vulnerable
crops.
What You'’ll Do:
Develop and pursue independent research questions under the
larger themes of invasion ecology and environmental data
science.
Conduct fieldwork in diverse settings, from vineyards across
the U.S. to Neotropical rainforests, investigating both
invasive and native lanternfly species.
Utilize AI models and big data to deliver actionable insights
for stakeholders, directly informing management strategies.
Engage with a collaborative team, develop interactive web
applications, publish in top journals, and present your
findings at international conferences.
Qualifications and Expectations:
We are looking for students who:
Hold a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in biology,
environmental science, or a related field.
Have prior ecological research experience and familiarity with
GIS, statistics, and R.
Are passionate about quantitative methods and data-driven
research.
Are well-organized, motivated, and capable of working
independently and as part of a team.
Are excited to contribute to interdisciplinary research on an
invasive species of high concern.
Why Temple University?
Be part of a vibrant, diverse research community at a top-tier
R1 university.
Work in a LEED-Gold certified building at the Center for
Biodiversity on Temple’s main campus in historic Philadelphia.
Enjoy living in one of the most historically rich cities in
the United States, with easy access to New York City,
Washington D.C., and numerous natural attractions.
Application Process:
Interviews are being conducted on a rolling basis until the
positions are filled. Interested candidates should contact Dr.
Matt Helmus (mrhelmus@temple.edu)
well in advance of the application deadlines (December 15).
Your initial contact should include your CV, an unofficial
transcript, and a brief statement of interest outlining your
relevant experience and research interests.
Learn More and Apply:
Visit the iEcoLab website to find detailed information about
our research, the spotted lanternfly project, and Temple
Biology’s graduate program. Explore our spotted lanternfly
research dashboard to see our work in action. Join us and
contribute to research that matters!
Matthew R. Helmus, Ph.D.
Integrative Ecology Lab
Center for Biodiversity
Department of Biology
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Phone: 215 204-5989
Email: mrhelmus@temple.edu
Posted
9/6/24
Graduate Research Assistantships
in Temperate and Tropical Hardwood Forest Restoration,
Purdue University
MS or PhD Graduate Research Assistantships in Temperate
(Midwest) and Tropical (Hawaii) Hardwood Forest Restoration,
Purdue University
We are recruiting for graduate student candidates at the MS
or PhD level to begin in spring or fall semester of 2025.
Candidates would work within one of two research centers at
Purdue University that address productivity and health of
hardwood forest trees. Students would be based in the Forest
Regeneration and Restoration Laboratory:
https://ag.purdue.edu/department/fnr/faculty-sites/jacobs/
The Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
(http://htirc.org/) studies tree species native to the
Midwest US, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service
Northern Research Station. We seek graduate students to work
on projects in 1) use of tree compatible ground cover mixes
for establishing hardwood forest regeneration on mine
reclamation sites and 2) integration of genetics and digital
tools for conservation and disease resistance breeding of
butternut.
The Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration
Center (http://trophtirc.org/)
studies tropical forest tree species native to the Hawaiian
Islands in partnership with the University of Hawaii and the
USDA Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.
We seek graduate students to work on projects in disease
resistance of ohia by understanding mechanisms for
resistance or propagation / planting of resistant seedlings.
We are committed to recruiting and training graduate student
candidates with strong ties to Hawaii and career goals to
contribute to the health of Hawaii forests.
Applications from women and underrepresented minorities are
highly encouraged. Graduate Assistantships cover tuition,
most of a medical insurance premium, and a stipend ($28,000
MS and $30,000 PhD per year) for two years for MS students
and four years for PhD students. Native Americans (including
Native Hawaiians and Native Pacific Islanders) are eligible
for Sloan Scholarships through the Sloan Foundation
Indigenous Graduate Partnership, which provides additional
funding support directly to the student ($20,000 MS or
$40,000 PhD over the duration of the student degree
program). Candidates should submit their applications by
September 15 for spring 2025 entry or December 1 for
fall 2025 entry for full scholarship consideration.
For more information and prior to applying, please contact:
Douglass F. Jacobs, Ph.D.
Professor and Fred M. van Eck Chair of Forest Biology
Director, Tropical Harwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration
Center
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue
University
Email: djacobs [at] purdue.edu
** Purdue University is an EEO/AA employer
Posted 9/5/24
MSc or PhD position in Ecosystem
Ecology (carbon cycling in riparian forests) at University
of New Mexico
The Webster Lab is seeking a prospective PhD and MSc student
interested in studying the resilience of carbon storage and
transformation processes in the Rio Grande's floodplain
forests to increasing water scarcity and changing hydrologic
regimes. Positions will start in Fall 2025 in the Biology
Department at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque,
NM.
Successful candidates will use a combination of field work,
lab work, and data analytics to investigate how river
regulation and environmental variability are modifying
riparian ecosystem's elemental cycles and hydrology. We use
this information to anticipate changes to riverine carbon
storage and transformation with implications for
global-scale climate forecasts. Research takes place in the
Rio Grande and its floodplain forest as part of the
Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Program's mission to
advance our understanding of the biological consequences of
environmental variability (https://sevlter.unm.edu/).
Opportunities to participate in the lab's research in
subalpine headwater watersheds and/or work on topics in
equity-focused biology education as part of your graduate
training are also available.
Preferred Qualifications: The successful candidates will
have a bachelor's degree in ecology or a related field
(e.g., biology, geology, statistics), a valid driver's
license, and experience or a strong willingness to learn the
following skills: programming and statistics in R,
scientific writing, field work including hiking short
distances and carrying heavy equipment in variable weather
conditions, maintaining advanced environmental sensors,
running analytical lab equipment, and other lab work. In
addition, they will have strong communication and
organization skills, scientific curiosity and enthusiasm, a
commitment to contributing to an inclusive and
equity-focused culture in the lab and department, and the
ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Guaranteed funding is available for 2 years (MSc) or 5 years
(PhD) through a mix of research and teaching assistantships
(summers and one semester per year on research
assistantships and one semester per year on a teaching
assistantship). Albuquerque is an affordable, diverse,
culturally vibrant mid-sized city with excellent outdoor
recreation access.
To apply: Enquiries from interested students are encouraged.
To enquire, email Dr. Alex Webster (awebster2@unm.edu)
with a short description of yourself and your interests
(including whether you are seeking MSc or PhD). Please
provide a CV or resume (first draft is fine) and transcripts
(unofficial is fine). Once compatibility with the Webster
Lab is established through correspondence with Dr. Webster,
applications to the UNM Biology program are due December
1, 2024.
For more information, please see:
UNM Biology's website: https://biology.unm.edu/graduate/index.html
Admissions requirements: https://biology.unm.edu/graduate/admissions-requirements.html
The application process: https://biology.unm.edu/graduate/application-process.html
Webster lab website: http://alexjwebster.weebly.com/
Posted 9/4/24
PhD opportunity in
human-wildlife interactions and disease ecology at
University of Michigan
The Conservation and Coexistence research group in the School
for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) at the University of
Michigan is currently seeking a PhD student to begin in Fall
2025.
The distribution of several novel emerging pathogens,
including SARS-CoV-2, highly pathogenic avian influenza
(H5N1), and human-pathogenic fungi (e.g., Coccidioides spp., Blastomyces spp.)
are
influenced by wildlife hosts. The PhD student will examine the
impacts of human-wildlife interactions on human health, a
salient topic of worldwide concern. Potential research topics
include investigating the effects of predator-prey dynamics on
disease transmission, uncovering the zoonotic influences in
the maintenance and geographic dispersal of environmentally
persistent fungi, or examining the role of human-wildlife
interface in emergence of multi-host pathogens. The PhD
student will work closely with collaborators in the U-M School
of Public Health with potential to work with collaborators in
other departments, such as Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology, Conservation, Ecology,
Geography, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Health
Sciences, or related field.
Strong quantitative skills, including proficiency using R and
ArcGIS, or other statistical and GIS software.
Desired Qualifications:
Master of Science (M.S.) in Biology, Conservation, Ecology,
Geography, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Health
Sciences, or related field.
Experience monitoring wildlife in the field, for example,
using GPS telemetry or camera traps.
Experience with Geographic Information Systems, remote
sensing, and geospatial analysis.
Experience with molecular analysis of environmental samples.
Experience modeling wildlife behaviors, movements, and
habitats.
Demonstrated research success through peer reviewed
publications.
Experience working in collaborative teams.
Research in the Conservation and Coexistence Group:
Our research group investigates how social and environmental
factors, and their interactions, influence the capacity for
people and wildlife to coexist in an ever-changing world.
Current research areas focus on interdisciplinary approaches
to endangered species conservation, spatial ecology for
conservation decision making, and understanding co-benefits in
human-wildlife systems. We use a wide range of methods and
tools to examine these research areas, including field
monitoring, social surveys, remote sensing, GIS, and spatial
and simulation modeling. Through interdisciplinary research
and course work, students in our group build a formidable
toolkit to tackle wildlife conservation challenges through
either an academic or non-academic career path. Please feel
free to visit our group’s website (https://www.coexistencegroup.com/).
The SEAS PhD Program:
The School for Environment and Sustainability at the
University of Michigan guarantees each PhD student is
supported for five academic years, including stipend,
tuition/mandatory fees waiver, and a generous benefits
package. SEAS provides one year of fellowship support and one
year of Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) appointment. The
PhD's mentor is responsible for providing support for three
years of support (through teaching or research assistantships,
and/or assisting the student in obtaining external
fellowships). In addition, there are opportunities for funded
graduate field trips, research funds, and yearly conference
travel support. Graduates go on to successful careers in
academia, governmental research, or private industries.
How to Apply:
Information about the application process to SEAS can be found
here: https://seas.umich.edu/admissions/how-apply.
The deadline for applications is December 2, 2024 to
start the graduate program in Fall 2025. Prior to submitting
an application to SEAS, please fill out an inquiry form
here: https://forms.gle/U4dPdPY6iTpXQvGU7.
Neil Carter
Associate Professor
Dana Building #2502 | 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
+1 734-764-3763 | nhcarter@umich.edu
Research group
website | Faculty
page
Posted
9/4/24
Graduate Research Assistantships
in Temperate and Tropical Hardwood Forest Restoration,
Purdue University
MS or PhD Graduate Research Assistantships in Temperate
(Midwest) and Tropical (Hawai`i) Hardwood Forest
Restoration, Purdue University
We are recruiting for graduate student candidates at the MS
or PhD level to begin in spring or fall semester of 2025.
Candidates would work within one of two research centers at
Purdue University that address productivity and health of
hardwood forest trees. Students would be based in the Forest
Regeneration and Restoration Laboratory: https://ag.purdue.edu/department/fnr/faculty-sites/jacobs/
The Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (www.htirc.org) studies
hardwood trees native to the Midwest US, in partnership with
the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station. We seek
graduate students to work on projects in 1) use of tree
compatible ground cover mixes for establishing hardwood
forest regeneration on mine reclamation sites and 2)
integration of genetics and digital tools for conservation
and disease resistance breeding of butternut (Juglans
cinerea).
The Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration
Center (www.trophtirc.org)
studies tropical forest tree species native to the Hawaiian
Islands, including koa, `iliahi (sandalwood), and ʻŌhiʻa, in
partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the
USDA Forest Service's Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.
We seek graduate students to work on projects in disease
resistance of ʻŌhiʻa to Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) by
understanding mechanisms for resistance or propagation /
planting of resistant seedlings. We are committed to
recruiting and training graduate student candidates with
strong ties to Hawaiʻi and career goals to contribute to the
health of Hawaiʻi forests.
Applications from women and underrepresented minorities are
highly encouraged. Graduate Assistantships cover tuition,
most of a medical insurance premium, and a stipend ($28,000
MS and $30,000 PhD per year) for two years for MS students
and four years for PhD students. Native Americans (including
Native Hawaiians and Native Pacific Islanders) are eligible
for Sloan Scholarships through the Sloan Foundation
Indigenous Graduate Partnership, which provides additional
funding support directly to the student ($20,000 MS or
$40,000 PhD over the duration of the student's degree
program). Candidates should submit their applications by
September 15 for spring 2025 entry or December 1 for
fall 2025 entry for full scholarship consideration.
For more information and prior to applying, please contact:
Douglass F. Jacobs, Ph.D.
Professor and Fred M. van Eck Chair of Forest Biology
Director, Tropical Harwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration
Center
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue
University
Email: djacobs [at] purdue.edu
** Purdue University is an EEO/AA employer
Posted 9/4/24
Ph.D. Positions in Quantitative
Ecology
The Youngflesh Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences
at Clemson University is recruiting Ph.D. students for Fall
2025. Research in the lab is focused on using quantitative
tools to address questions in global change ecology,
biodiversity, and population biology.
Potential project topics include the impact of global change
on phenology and population dynamics and drivers of
cross-scale patterns of phenotypic diversity. This work will
leverage a variety of large-scale data resources (e.g.,
community science projects, satellite sensors, long-term
field projects) using leading-edge data science tools (e.g.,
hierarchical Bayesian modeling, AI). Competitive applicants
will have strong quantitative skills, or a keen interest in
developing these skills over the course of a Ph.D.
Financial support on both TAships and RAships is guaranteed
($27k - $30k per year). More information can be found
at https://www.youngfleshlab.com/opportunities/.
Interested applicants should send a short cover letter (<
1 page), a writing sample, and CV to Dr. Casey Youngflesh (cyoungf@clemson.edu).
Applications to Clemson University's Biological Sciences
Program are due Dec 1, 2024.
Clemson is a public land-grant R1 Research University
located in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge
Mountains in northwest South Carolina, a biodiversity
hotspot. Applicants from historically underrepresented
groups are particularly encouraged to apply. The Youngflesh
Lab is committed to building a team of people with a diverse
set of life experiences and perspectives.
Requirements:
-Bachelor's degree in ecology, statistics, computer science,
or related fields
-Strong quantitative skills OR a keen desire to develop
these skills
-Excellent communication skills
-An interest in global change ecology, biodiversity, and/or
population biology
-Can-do attitude and desire to contribute to a respectful,
vibrant, collaborative lab atmosphere
Desirable:
-Experience using R
-Experience with hierarchical Bayesian modeling
-Experience working with large-scale data
-Prior experience working with birds or marine mammals
Posted 9/4/24
M.Sc. Thesis Opportunities in
Behavioral Ecology
M.Sc. Thesis opportunities in Behavioral Ecology. Graduate
student applications are being accepted in the Lab of Avian
Ecology in the School of Integrative Biological &
Chemical Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(UTRGV), Brownsville, Texas. More about our work can be
found here https://www.utrgv.edu/avianecology/index.htmSuccessful
candidates
will develop thesis projects within the realm of avian
behavioral ecology. Preference will be given to applicants
that can demonstrate a genuine interest in behavioral
ecology of birds, especially visual and acoustic
communication in parrots. Research and course work will take
place on the historic, scenic and subtropical UTRGV
Brownsville campus, a few kilometers from the Delta of Rio
Grande and Gulf of Mexico. Applicants with a background or
interest in the Tropics, ecology, animal cognition,
endocrinology, audio-video, sound spectrographic,
bioinformatics and statistical analysis are encouraged to
apply. Expected outcomes include co-authorship in
peer-reviewed scientific papers, presentations and
preparation of grant proposals.
Applicants should have a Bachelor's degree in Biology or
related field with a minimum GPA of 3.0; minimum GRE scores
of 153 (verbal) and 144 (quantitative); experience or
demonstrated interest in studying animal behavior in nature
and excellent written and oral communication skills.
Qualified individuals who are interested should send an
updated CV, unofficial GREs and undergraduate transcripts, a
writing sample and letter of interest to Dr. Karl
Berg, karl.berg@utrgv.edu.
Applicants will be reviewed as they are received and
preference for Teaching/Research Assistantships will be
given to those applicants that can meet University admission
requirements for Spring 2025 (Oct 15th, 2024) or for Fall
2025 (March 1st 2025). More information can be found
at https://www.utrgv.edu/programs/ms-biology.htm and https://www.utrgv.edu/graduate/for-future-students/traditional-application-deadlines/index.htm
Posted 9/4/24
MS and PhD opportunities in
forest ecology at Louisiana State University
Research assistantships in Renewable Natural Resources are
available starting Fall semester 2025. Students will work
with Dr. Brett Wolfe in the School of Renewable Natural
Resources at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, and collaborators. Research will focus on
environmental drivers of tree-community dynamics within
floodplain forests in the Southeastern United States. In
this region, floodplain forests provide globally important
ecosystem services, yet they are impacted by local
hydrologic modifications and extreme weather associated with
climate change. The situation puts forests in novel
conditions that challenge our ability to predict
species-level performance and to manage for desired site
characteristics. Students will develop projects that
addresses these challenges through forest monitoring and
experimentation. Funding, including a competitive annual
stipend and tuition waiver, is available for MS and PhD
students through the LSU School of Renewable Natural
Resources' Gilbert Foundation Research Assistantship.
Qualifications: Applicants should be self-motivated and
eager to learn about forest ecology, hydrology, and tree
eco-physiology. An undergraduate degree and GRE test report
are required. Research experience is preferred. For
prospective PhD students, completion of an MS degree with a
cumulative graduate GPA of 3.6 on a 4-point scale (or
equivalent) is required. For prospective MS students, an
undergraduate GPA of 3.0 overall and 3.25 (or equivalent)
for last two years. GRE test score requirements are 310
overall and 153, 144, 4.0 on the verbal, quantitative and
writing sections, respectively. For international students
with English as a second language, minimum scores are TOEFL,
550 (paper-based exam), 213 (computer-based exam), 79
(internet-based exam); IELTS, 6.5; or Pearson (PTE), 59.
Inquiries should be sent to Brett Wolfe (bwolfe@agcenter.lsu.edu).
Email a letter of interest, CV including GRE scores
(required), and unofficial transcripts. Applications for the
funding are due February 1, 2025.
Posted 8/29/24
4 Ph.D. fellowships in plant
ecology / botany at NYBG for fall 2025
The New York Botanical Garden currently has 4 competitive
Ph.D. fellowship opportunities for Fall 2025, through
programs co-sponsored with Cornell, Yale, CUNY, NYU, etc.
More info below.
If you are interested in urban ecology and conservation, the
historical ecology of cities (New York or elsewhere),
ecological democracy, or active urban restoration for
climate resilience AND are ready for a Ph.D. fellowship,
please send a brief letter of inquiry to me at
esanderson@nybg.org describing your interests
and background. I'd be happy to chat with you.
Eric W. Sanderson
Vice President for Urban Conservation
Director, Center for Conservation and Restoration Ecology
New York Botanical Garden
2900 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, NY 10458 USA
Email: esanderson@nybg.org
Website: https://www.nybg.org/plant-research-and-conservation/science-programs/center-for-conservation-strategy/urban-conservation/
The New York Botanical Garden offers fellowships to start
fall 2025 to support Graduate Students working through our
partner programs. Applications must be submitted to NYBG and
at least one affiliated program. Read more here: https://www.nybg.org/plant-research-and-conservation/science-programs/commodore-matthew-perry-graduate-studies-program/fellowship-funding/
Graduate Fellowships in Botany and Ecology
The New York Botanical Garden seeks prospective Ph.D.
students to join the Graduate Studies Program. Qualified
candidates should apply through NYBG and one or more of
NYBG's partner university programs: The City University of
New York, Yale School of the Environment, New York
University, Fordham University, Columbia University, and
Cornell University.
Fields of study include systematics, genomics, biodiversity
informatics, ecology, ethnobotany, food security,
conservation biology, environmental science, and plant
morphology, anatomy, and development. NYBG graduate students
combine field- and laboratory-based research and actively
use the collections and laboratory facilities at NYBG.
Preference is given to candidates who will integrate diverse
methodologies and leverage NYBG's collections and
professional networks to develop interdisciplinary research
projects.
Interested candidates must submit applications to NYBG and
an affiliated program. Deadlines for affiliated programs
vary; NYBG applications must be received by January 15 each
year.
Annette Kade Charitable Trust
Fellowship in Tropical Plant Systematics
(French or German students)
A graduate fellowship is available in tropical plant
systematics at The New York Botanical Garden. In the 2024-25
academic year, one graduate fellowship will be granted by
the Garden in association with the Annette Kade Charitable
Trust. Funding is designated to support a German or French
student who is doing doctoral research in tropical plant
systematics in the broadest sense. Preference is given to
candidates who will integrate diverse methodologies such as
molecular systematics, genomics, bioinformatics,
biogeography, or plant morphology and development.
Funding is available for students who are enrolled in French
or German Ph.D. programs who would like to conduct
dissertation research at NYBG. Preference will be given to
students whose interests combine field- and laboratory-based
research and who will actively use the collections and
laboratory facilities at NYBG. Limited funds are also
available to cover fieldwork and laboratory expenses related
to the dissertation project. Applications are reviewed on a
rolling basis beginning January 2024.
Florida International University
International Center for Tropical Botany
Graduate fellowships in tropical botany (2)
We have two available fellowships for Ph.D. graduate
research assistant positions in tropical plant biology with
the ICTB and NYBG.
We are seeking graduate students in tropical plant diversity
in the International Center for Tropical Botany in
partnership with The Kampong and Florida International
University. The ICTB is a new, collaborative effort between
FIU and the National Tropical Botanical Gardens to develop
programs in research, education and outreach in tropical
plant biology. The ICTB has recently opened a world-class
headquarters with offices, laboratories, and an herbarium,
adjacent to The Kampong botanical gardens on Biscayne Bay in
historic Coconut Grove (http://ntbg.org/gardens/kampong.php).
Successful candidates would be guaranteed at least four
years of graduate research assistantship funding and five
years of total funding support. Students will divide their
time between Miami and New York City.
Interested applicants should send a CV and a cover letter
detailing the candidate's research experience and interest
relative to the key research themes to cbaralot@fiu.edu and lkelly@nybg.org.
Candidates will need to apply to the FIU Graduate School
by December 2024. The position start dates will
be in August 2025.
Posted 8/23/24
Graduate student position in
population ecology
We are looking for Master's or PhD students to join our lab
starting in Fall or Spring 2025. Our lab, based at Kansas
State University, does a mix of population and community
ecology, looking at drivers of population dynamics across
species' geographic ranges. We do a mix of field and
modeling work (with some greenhouse work), mostly focused on
plants. See here for more information: https://www.louthanlab.com
We have a fully funded position available for a Master's or
PhD student working on population ecology of a
conservation-relevant plant species; field work is based in
North Carolina longleaf pine savannas. We have long-term
data already collected in the system and will also conduct
field work. Students will be expected to develop their own
research questions associated with this system.
Before submitting a formal application, students should get
in touch with Dr. Louthan at amlouthan@ksu.edu with
a
CV, succinct description of previous research experience and
current research interests, and an explanation of why you
want to join the lab. A formal application is due in December
2024.
Posted 8/16/24
3 PhD positions in marine
ecology at the University of Virginia
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting 3 PhD students to study coastal marine ecology
starting in August 2025. Please pass along this
advertisement to people in your network that would be
interested.
(1) PhD position in kelp forest community ecology at
University of Virginia / Santa Barbara Coastal LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sj7l1R5bCjlXyc9ifj67ggN4cV9k6Z77/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting a PhD student to study the drivers of kelp forest
ecosystem structure and function at the Santa Barbara
Coastal Long Term Ecological Research project (SBC LTER;
http://sbc.lternet.edu/). The interdisciplinary SBC LTER
research program has been supported by the National Science
Foundation for 25 years to study the long-term dynamics of
kelp forest ecosystems. The student will use data from SBC
LTER and other ecological research programs to study the
processes maintaining biodiversity and stability in kelp
communities from local to regional scales (this position
does not include support for field work).
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes:
community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and
restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The
student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/)
and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/).
The student will have the opportunity to interact with a
large community of SBC LTER scientists, and be a part of the
broader LTER Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in
Environmental Sciences
(https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students),
which offers interdisciplinary training and conducts
research in ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric
science. Graduate students accepted into the program are
typically supported through teaching and research
assistantships that provide a competitive stipend, tuition,
and health insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly-qualified applicants will
have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology,
ecology, oceanography, statistics, computer science,
mathematics, or a related field. Ideal candidates will have
interests in kelp forest ecology at the scale of
populations, communities, ecosystems, or landscapes, and
demonstrated quantitative skills, such as data analysis,
ecological modeling, or scientific programming (or
motivation to acquire such skills).
(2) PhD position in seagrass community ecology at University
of Virginia / Virginia Coast Reserve LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RhrMq7aXW73WfRdhoDTgd9XuzEVvYEPB/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting a PhD student to study seagrass biodiversity and
community ecology at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term
Ecological Research project (VCR LTER; https://vcrlter.virginia.edu/).
The Virginia Coast Reserve is a temperate coastal lagoon
with a 20-year legacy of seagrass restoration led by The
Nature Conservancy (TNC) and studied by researchers at UVA
and beyond (https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/vcr-marine-restoration/).
The
interdisciplinary VCR LTER research program has been
supported by the National Science Foundation for >40
years to study the long-term dynamics of this coastal
barrier-island landscape. The student will use field studies
and long-term data from VCR LTER to study the processes
structuring assemblages of fishes and invertebrates across
the world's largest restored seagrass meadow.
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes:
community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and
restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The
student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/)
and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/).
The student will have the opportunity to interact with a
large community of VCR LTER scientists, TNC restoration
practitioners and educators, and the broader LTER Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in
Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students),
which
offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in
ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science.
Graduate students accepted into the program are typically
supported through teaching and research assistantships that
provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health
insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly qualified applicants will
have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology,
ecology, oceanography, fisheries, or a related field. Ideal
candidates will have interests in seagrass biodiversity,
food webs, or species interactions; experience in field
ecology; and demonstrated quantitative skills, such as data
analysis or scientific programming (or a motivation to
acquire such skills).
(3) PhD position in oyster reef ecology at University of
Virginia / Virginia Coast Reserve LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rt_eCmT9qOmQAfHFg_GVVM2lopCSTTnh/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting a PhD student to study the population dynamics of
oysters on restored reefs at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long
Term Ecological Research project (VCR LTER; https://vcrlter.virginia.edu/).
The Virginia Coast Reserve is a temperate coastal lagoon
with a 20-year legacy of oyster restoration led by The
Nature Conservancy (TNC) and studied by researchers at UVA
and beyond (https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/vcr-marine-restoration/).
The
interdisciplinary VCR LTER research program has been
supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for
>40 years to study the long-term dynamics of this coastal
barrier-island landscape. The student will use field studies
and long-term data and models from VCR LTER to study the
dispersal and demography of oyster populations, contributing
towards the broader goal of informing TNC restoration
planning in a changing climate.
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes:
community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and
restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The
student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/)
and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/).
The student will have the opportunity to interact with a
large community of VCR LTER scientists, restoration
practitioners and educators at TNC, and the broader LTER
Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in
Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students),
which
offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in
ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science.
Graduate students accepted into the program are typically
supported through teaching and research assistantships that
provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health
insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly qualified applicants will
have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology,
ecology, oceanography, fisheries, or a related field. Ideal
candidates will have interests in oyster reef ecology and
restoration; experience in field ecology; and demonstrated
quantitative skills, such as data analysis or scientific
programming (or a motivation to acquire such skills).
TO APPLY:
Those interested should send the following items, as a
single PDF, to Dr. Max Castorani (castorani@virginia.edu):
(1)
a brief description of their background, career goals,
motivations for pursuing a PhD, research ideas, and why they
are specifically interested in joining the Castorani Lab;
(2) a CV with academic and professional experience
(including GPA); (3) contact information for 3 references;
and (4) a writing sample, if available.
The application deadline is January 15, 2025,
for enrollment in Fall 2025. However, serious applicants
should express their interest by email as soon as possible.
Posted 8/15/24
3 PhD positions in marine
ecology at the University of Virginia
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting 3 PhD students to study coastal marine ecology
starting in August 2025.
(1) PhD position in kelp forest community ecology at
University of Virginia / Santa Barbara Coastal LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sj7l1R5bCjlXyc9ifj67ggN4cV9k6Z77/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting a PhD student to study the drivers of kelp forest
ecosystem structure and function at the Santa Barbara
Coastal Long Term Ecological Research project (SBC
LTER; http://sbc.lternet.edu/).
The interdisciplinary SBC LTER research program has been
supported by the National Science Foundation for 25 years to
study the long-term dynamics of kelp forest ecosystems. The
student will use data from SBC LTER and other ecological
research programs to study the processes maintaining
biodiversity and stability in kelp communities from local to
regional scales (this position does not include support for
field work).
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes:
community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and
restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The
student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/)
and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/).
The student will have the opportunity to interact with a
large community of SBC LTER scientists, and be a part of the
broader LTER Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in
Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students),
which
offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in
ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science.
Graduate students accepted into the program are typically
supported through teaching and research assistantships that
provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health
insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly-qualified applicants will
have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology,
ecology, oceanography, statistics, computer science,
mathematics, or a related field. Ideal candidates will have
interests in kelp forest ecology at the scale of
populations, communities, ecosystems, or landscapes, and
demonstrated quantitative skills, such as data analysis,
ecological modeling, or scientific programming (or
motivation to acquire such skills).
(2) PhD position in seagrass community ecology at University
of Virginia / Virginia Coast Reserve LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RhrMq7aXW73WfRdhoDTgd9XuzEVvYEPB/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting a PhD student to study seagrass biodiversity and
community ecology at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term
Ecological Research project (VCR LTER; https://vcrlter.virginia.edu/).
The Virginia Coast Reserve is a temperate coastal lagoon
with a 20-year legacy of seagrass restoration led by The
Nature Conservancy (TNC) and studied by researchers at UVA
and beyond (https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/vcr-marine-restoration/).
The
interdisciplinary VCR LTER research program has been
supported by the National Science Foundation for >40
years to study the long-term dynamics of this coastal
barrier-island landscape. The student will use field studies
and long-term data from VCR LTER to study the processes
structuring assemblages of fishes and invertebrates across
the world's largest restored seagrass meadow.
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes:
community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and
restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The
student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/)
and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/).
The student will have the opportunity to interact with a
large community of VCR LTER scientists, TNC restoration
practitioners and educators, and the broader LTER Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in
Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students),
which
offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in
ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science.
Graduate students accepted into the program are typically
supported through teaching and research assistantships that
provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health
insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly qualified applicants will
have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology,
ecology, oceanography, fisheries, or a related field. Ideal
candidates will have interests in seagrass biodiversity,
food webs, or species interactions; experience in field
ecology; and demonstrated quantitative skills, such as data
analysis or scientific programming (or a motivation to
acquire such skills).
(3) PhD position in oyster reef ecology at University of
Virginia / Virginia Coast Reserve LTER
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rt_eCmT9qOmQAfHFg_GVVM2lopCSTTnh/view?usp=share_link
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia is
recruiting a PhD student to study the population dynamics of
oysters on restored reefs at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long
Term Ecological Research project (VCR LTER; https://vcrlter.virginia.edu/).
The Virginia Coast Reserve is a temperate coastal lagoon
with a 20-year legacy of oyster restoration led by The
Nature Conservancy (TNC) and studied by researchers at UVA
and beyond (https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/virginia/stories-in-virginia/vcr-marine-restoration/).
The
interdisciplinary VCR LTER research program has been
supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for
>40 years to study the long-term dynamics of this coastal
barrier-island landscape. The student will use field studies
and long-term data and models from VCR LTER to study the
dispersal and demography of oyster populations, contributing
towards the broader goal of informing TNC restoration
planning in a changing climate.
Research in the Castorani Lab focuses on three major themes:
community ecology and biodiversity; disturbance ecology and
restoration; and spatial connectivity and synchrony. The
student will be advised by professor Max Castorani (https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu/)
and join UVA's Department of Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/).
The student will have the opportunity to interact with a
large community of VCR LTER scientists, restoration
practitioners and educators at TNC, and the broader LTER
Network (https://lternet.edu).
The student will join the UVA Graduate Program in
Environmental Sciences (https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/prospective-graduate-students),
which
offers interdisciplinary training and conducts research in
ecology, hydrology, geology, and atmospheric science.
Graduate students accepted into the program are typically
supported through teaching and research assistantships that
provide a competitive stipend, tuition, and health
insurance.
At the time of enrollment, highly qualified applicants will
have an undergraduate or master's degree in biology,
ecology, oceanography, fisheries, or a related field. Ideal
candidates will have interests in oyster reef ecology and
restoration; experience in field ecology; and demonstrated
quantitative skills, such as data analysis or scientific
programming (or a motivation to acquire such skills).
TO APPLY:
Those interested should send the following items, as a
single PDF, to Dr. Max Castorani (castorani@virginia.edu
):
(1) a brief description of their background, career goals,
motivations for pursuing a PhD, research ideas, and why they
are specifically interested in joining the Castorani Lab;
(2) a CV with academic and professional experience
(including GPA); (3) contact information for 3 references;
and (4) a writing sample, if available.
The application deadline is January 15, 2025,
for enrollment in Fall 2025. However, serious applicants
should express their interest by email as soon as possible.
Max Castorani | Associate Professor | Dept. of Environmental
Sciences | University of Virginia | castorani@virginia.edu
| https://castorani.evsc.virginia.edu
Posted 7/17/24
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