*Position Summary:*

The Ecosystems Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory is seeking

applicants for a summer field assistant positions on a lake warming

project. The positions will largely be located at the Toolik Field

Station in northern Alaska. For additional information about the

Ecosystems Center and its programs, visit our web site at

http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/.

**

*Additional Information:*

This position will involve sampling lakes for a variety of routine and

non-routine limnological parameters, including benthic production and

benthic and pelagic nitrogen fixation. In addition the successful

candidate should be familiar with basic data analysis, and some

laboratory chemistry. The successful applicant will work under the

supervision of one or more senior project collaborators.

**

*Basic Qualifications:*

Applicants must be college graduates (BS or MS), with significant course

work and/or field experience in ecology.

**

*Preferred Qualifications:*

Some background aquatic ecology, hydrology, chemistry, or ecosystems

ecology preferred. Attention to detail and a desire to learn new

laboratory and field techniques are essential. A candidate with previous

experience using a gas chromatograph is preferred. Previous experience

with boats and other limnological gear is useful but not required.

**

*Physical Requirements:*

Applicants should be in good health, capable of rigorous outdoor

activity, and prepared to live in a field camp where cooperation with

others is essential, personal privacy is limited, and living

accommodations are spare and simple. Candidates for these jobs should be

available to live at Toolik Field Station for 3-4 months during June,

July August and September. Travel to Toolik Field Station is paid for by

the grant as well as the cost of room and board at the station and a salary.

**

*Special Instructions to Applicants:*

Required application documents include:

1) Cover Letter

2) Resume/CV

3) Name and contact information of 3 references

4) Copy of unofficial transcripts

APPLY ONLINE: https://mbl.simplehire.com

The Marine Biological Laboratory is an

Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Disabled / Veterans Employer.

Summer course on Fish Swimming at Friday Harbor Laboratories

Title of the course: “FISH SWIMMING: Kinematics, Ecomorphology,

Behavior & Environmental Physiology”. A Summer course for graduate

students (Masters and PhD) and post-docs  to be held at Friday Harbor

Laboratories (FHL, USA) (July 17th to August 18th 2017). (FHL 528, 9

credits)

Instructors: Dr. Paolo Domenici (CNR, Italian National Research

Council, Italy) and Dr. John F. Steffensen (University of Copenhagen,

Denmark).

Scope: Fish swimming is a multidisciplinary area of research that

encompasses biomechanics, physiology, energetics, ecology and

behavior. Knowledge of fish swimming is relevant both for students

interested in mechanisms of locomotion, and those interested in

locomotor adaptations to the environment.

Subjects and techniques: The main subjects will be 1)the kinematics

and performance of swimming in fish using various locomotory modes, 2)

the ecomorphology of fish locomotion, 3)locomotor strategies, 4)

metabolic aspects of fish swimming, and 5)the effect of various

environmental factors on fish swimming. These topics will be treated

in lectures and laboratory sessions. Students will learn techniques of

video analysis, kinematics, energetics and respirometry.

Lectures and lab work: The first half of the course will have an

emphasis on lectures and explanations of techniques for studying fish

swimming in the laboratory. In the second half of the course, emphasis

will be placed on laboratory work. Students will pursue independent

research projects. Enrollment will be limited to 15 graduate students

or postdocs. Here is a list of published papers carried out by

students during the course in previous years:

http://www.mbl.ku.dk/JFSteffensen/fhl/publications-fhl.htm

Tuition fees and financial aid: FHL offers financial aid to applicants

from any country. FHL has recently lowered the tuition fees for summer

courses. General information for applicants (including tuition and

financial aid, room and board) can be found at:

Homepage

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until February 20th 2017 or

later, if space is available.

Contact: For additional information contact: paolo.domenici@cnr.it or

jfsteffensen@bio.ku.dk

The University of Tennessee at Martin=92s Reelfoot Lake Environmental Field Station is happy to announce its 2017 Maymester/Summer field courses.  Anyone interested in enrolling in courses should contact Dr. Tom Blanchard at tblanch@utm.edu.  Visit www.utm.edu/departments/reelfoot/ for application form and more information about the field station.

2017 Maymester and Summer Course Schedule:

Field Herpetology (ZOOL 327/527) =96 3 semester hours) Course schedule:  May 15-June 2 (Monday=96Thursday for week 1 and 2, Tuesday =96 Friday for week 3) Daily meeting time: 9 am =96 12 noon and 1:30 pm =96 4:30 pm

Instructor:=09Dr. Tom Blanchard  (University of Tennessee at Martin) e-mail:=09=09tblanch@utm.edu

phone:=09=09(731) 881-7594

The Reelfoot Lake area provides a great variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats that supports a diverse assemblage of amphibians and reptiles.  The lake itself is a relatively shallow, natural lake with abundant emergent and submerged vegetation and extensive areas of periodically flooded cypress forests. The loess bluffs that are to the east and south of Reelfoot Lake offer upland habitat unlike that which is found throughout most of northwest Tennessee.  This course offers a great opportunity to observe a number of amphibian and reptile species in their natural habitats. The course will focus on the basic ecology of amphibians and reptiles, common techniques used to capture, handle, and mark various species, and the analysis of ecological data.  Each day will include a 1 =96 2 hr. lecture, followed by field trips to different habitats around the Reelfoot Lake area.  Night-time sampling will be a common activity during this course.  Prerequisites: introductory biology (BIO 130 and 140) or instructor=92s approval.

Aquatic and Wetland Plants (ZOOL 306/506=96 3 semester hours)

Course schedule: June 5-June 28 (Tues., Thurs., alternate Frid., Full day)

Daily meeting time: 9 am =96 12 noon, 1:30 pm =96 4:30 pm) Instructor:=09  Dr. Ron Jones (Eastern Kentucky University)

e-mail:=09=09  Ron.Jones@EKU.EDU Aquatic and Wetland plants is a field-oriented course designed to introduce students to the biology, ecology, and taxonomy of aquatic and wetland plants, with an emphasis on sight recognition and identification of species using diagnostic keys. The course includes field trips to various aquatic and wetland habitats around the Reelfoot Lake area where students will collect plant material that will then be identified through the use of keys. Students will also learn how to dry and preserve plant specimens for the herbarium. Some brief coverage of aquatic and wetland plant adaptations and the biological classification of hydrophytes will be developed in lectures. As many private, state, and federal agencies are interested in hiring people with plant identification skills, this course may be of particular interest to students planning to pursue careers in wetland consulting or rare species biology, as well as in other areas of environmental biology or ecology. This course requires field work involving physical activities such as hiking, wading and canoeing. Prerequisites: introductory biology (BIO 130 and 140) or instructor=92s approval.=20

Survey Techniques for Mammal Conservation  (BIOL462/BIOL720  Special Topics =96 3 semester hours) Meeting time:=09June 8 =96 July 7 (Thursdays 5 pm -11pm; Fridays 8am =96 =

2pm )

Instructor:=09Dr. Nancy Buschhaus (University of Tennessee at Martin)

e-mail:=09=09nbuschha@utm.edu

phone:=09=09(731) 881-7177

Looking for experience with a variety of live capture techniques for non-game mammals?  Want to know more about the practical application of conservation biology in the field?  This course will examine several different techniques for observing mammals, the advantages and disadvantages of each, some of the mathematical and statistical mechanisms for interpreting data collected from these techniques, as well discuss the framework of the biological aspects of conservation biology associated with non-game mammal species.  As a part of the course, we will learn to: eliminate some of the biases associated with field surveys of mammals, set up and monitor small mammal trapping grids, deploy and interpret wildlife camera =93traps=94, recognize the us=

es of radiotelemetry and PIT tags, record and identify bat calls, mist net bats and apply WNS decontamination protocols, establish behavioral sampling techniques, recognize the importance of habitat and life history characteristics on our ability to survey mammals, identify the mammals we capture and learn their basic taxonomy, and apply population level analyses and inferential statistical techniques to some of the data that we accumulate (e.g. maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), occupancy models, the effects of false positives and false negatives, etc.).  All meeting times for the course are required.  We will be out in the field most of the class time on Thursday evenings and some of the class time on Friday mornings.  We will spend the rest of the time on Fridays learning in-class application of the data we collect, as well as lecture information regarding the basics of conservation biology as it applies to mammals.  On Thursday evenings (and some Friday mornings), we will be in and next to a large wetland, mostly in the dark, in the summer, requiring the willingness to participate in extensive field work involving hiking in and around the high-humidity habitats near the shore of Reelfoot Lake and other semi-aquatic regions in the area. Prerequisites: introductory biology (BIOL 130-140) or instructor=92s approval.

Please see below and attached a doctoral assistantship opportunity

co-funded by UNL/UNO with an emphasis on undergraduate teaching and

learning, faculty development, and science literacy.  Please share as

appropriate.  Thanks in advance!

Jenny

Seeking: Ph.D. Student in Undergraduate STEM Teaching and

Learning/Discipline-Based Education Research

University of Nebraska-Lincoln/University of Nebraska at Omaha

Objective: To engage in discipline-based education research to investigate

STEM teaching and learning as part of grant-supported projects.

Description:

The School of Natural Resources (UNL) and Department of Biology (UNO) seek

a Ph.D. candidate to participate in grant-funded projects to investigate

i.) undergraduate student learning outcomes in STEM, and ii.) design and

assess professional development opportunities for undergraduate STEM

instructors (e.g., faculty and learning assistants at the undergraduate and

master=E2=80=99s level). Position includes a stipend, health insurance, and=

tuition

remission.  The planned start date for the position is August 20, 2017.

The position is initially established for a period of one year.

Continuation of this position beyond one year is contingent upon

satisfactory performance of assigned duties and available funding.  Review

of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position

is filled.

Essential Duties:

The successful candidate will have a strong desire to investigate

undergraduate STEM teaching and learning through STEM education

research/DBER. The participant will work with PIs at two institutions in

Nebraska to assess faculty development opportunities, professional

development for M.S.-level students, and establish infrastructure for

instructor training interventions on a large scale. At UNL, the Excellence

in Education for Food, Energy, and Water (E2FEW) project, recently funded

by USDA-NIFA, will support the development, implementation, and evaluation

of a 24-month sustained professional development program for STEM faculty.

At UNO, funding from three major agencies will support the candidate=E2=80=

=99s work

in program assessment of professional development programs for

undergraduates in life sciences and pre-service teachers. Across these

projects, the applicant will conduct data collection, analysis, and

dissemination of his/her work on a national or international scale.

Preferred Experience and Training:

Prior experience in research as an undergraduate and/or masters candidate

is preferred. Established productivity in education research design and

methods (quantitative, qualitative, mixed). B.S. required, M.S. strongly

preferred. Prior experience working with K-16 students is desirable.

Moreover, competitive applicants will have a demonstrated history of

collaborative work and effective communication skills (both written and

orally).

Please submit inquiries about the position to Dr. Cory Forbes (

cory.forbes@unl.edu) and Dr. Christine Cutucache (ccutucache@unomaha.edu).

To apply, applicants should email a letter of interest describing their

background, interest, qualifications, and future goals, a resume/curriculum

vitae, 2 writing samples, and names of 3 references to Drs. Cutucache and

Forbes via email.

Position Justification:

Two Universities in the state of Nebraska have active STEM learning

investigations taking place with several projects being externally funded.

These projects center around student learning outcomes in the life

sciences. Consequently, there is a vacancy for a graduate research

assistant to address research questions in this area and have the ability

to work on several projects and contribute to high quality products.

The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, is accepting applications for the following, Seasonal Project Assistant positions reporting to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld:

Seasonal Project Assistants =93Mouse-mast Project=94 (up to 3): Job Number:

17002-I

Research the dynamics of mammalian communities and the relationships between mammals, ticks, oak trees, and Lyme disease.  Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York=92s Hudson River Valley.  Duties include live-trapping small mammals, taking blood, urine, and fecal samples, reliably recording trapping data, sampling abundance of ticks, tree seed collection,and seedling surveys within eastern deciduous forest

plots. Early morning and late afternoon hours are required.  Prior experience handling small mammals is highly desirable.  Employment can begin as early as April 1 or as late as mid May, with an end date of approximately November 14, 2017.  Jobs are full time, 35 hours/week.  Wage is commensurate with education and experience.

The final candidate will be required to complete a post-offer, pre- employment screening and background check successfully.  On-site housing is available.  Posting is open until February 15, 2017 or until filled.

Please submit job application via http://www.caryinstitute.org/who-we-

are/jobs and include a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Be sure to cite Job Number 17002-I =93Mouse-

mast Project=94.

Seasonal Project Assistants =93Tick-Climate Project=94 (up to 6): Job Number:=20

17003-I

Research the effects of weather and climate on the survival and behavior of blacklegged ticks and risk of tick-borne disease.  Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York=92s Hudson River Valley, with travel to sites between northern New York and North Carolina.  Duties include maintaining lab colonies of mice and ticks, establishing and maintaining field plots with ticks, assessing and recording tick survival, and downloading data from dataloggers. Meticulous attention to detail and

experience in field ecology is mandatory.  Prior experience handling small mammals is highly desirable.  Employment to begin between March 15 and May=20

1, with an end date of approximately September 30, 2017.  Jobs are full time, 35 hours/week.  Wage is commensurate with education and experience.

The final candidate will be required to complete a post-offer, pre- employment screening and background check successfully. On-site or nearby

housing is available.  Posting is open until February 15, 2017 or until filled.

Please submit job application via http http://www.caryinstitute.org/who-we-

are/jobs and include a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Be sure to cite Job Number 17003-I =93Climate-

Tick Project=94.

Seasonal Project Assistants =93The Tick Project=94 (up to 12): Job Reference #17004-I

Research the effects of tick management interventions on the survival and

behavior of blacklegged ticks and risk of tick-borne disease in people.

Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York=92s Hudson River Valley, with travel to sites throughout Dutchess County, New York.

Duties include sampling and collecting ticks in suburban neighborhoods, live-trapping small mammals, gathering and entering data on tick encounters with local residents and cases of tick-borne disease, deploying and maintaining wildlife cameras. Meticulous attention to detail and experience in field ecology is mandatory.  Prior experience handling small mammals is highly desirable.  Employment to begin between April 1 and May 15, with an end date of approximately September 30, 2017.  Jobs are full time, 35 hours/week.  Wage is commensurate with education and experience.

The final candidate will be required to complete a post-offer, pre- employment screening and background check successfully.  On-site or nearby housing is available. Posting is open until February 15, 2017 or until filled.

Please submit job application via http://www.caryinstitute.org/who-we-

are/jobs and include a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Be sure to cite Job Number 17004-I =93The Tick Project=94.

All Project Assistants will report to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld.

The Cary Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative  Action (AA) employer. It is the policy of the Company to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, familial status, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

The Azuero Earth Project is a rural nonprofit dedicated to reforestation,

tropical dry forest restoration, sustainable land management and environmental education on the Azuero peninsula of Panama. We currently seek interns and research collaborators in grassroots reforestation/conservation, wildlife research, environmental education, nonprofit management, environmental (bilingual) communications, graphic design, and environmental library science.  For more information on the organization, please email info@azueroearthproject.org.  To see more about our work in the field, see our social media networks (@proecoazuero on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook).=20

Seeking a PhD student to work on a new NSF-funded project with field work  on a Southern California river (Santa Clara) plus dendro-isotope lab analyses.  Three years of funding minimum available, with additional years possible.

*PROJECT TITLE*

Linking basin-scale, stand-level, and individual tree water stress indica tors for groundwater-dependent riparian forests in multiple-use river basins

*THE POSITION AND HOW TO APPLY*

The PhD position is supported at SUNY-ESF, the State University of New Yo rk College of Environmental Science and Forestry, working with Dr. John Stella and interdisciplinary collaborators at UC Santa Barbara and The Nature Conser vancy. The position will start in fall 2017. Research questions will focus on ripari an ecosystem response to drought, climate change and groundwater extraction. Methods w ill include field sampling to inventory riparian forest structure and health, collect ing and analyzing tree rings for growth trends and annual water use efficiency using carbon  isotopes, and assessing critical thresholds for riparian forest decline. Field studies  will occur in the Santa Clara River basin in Southern California with lab work at SUNY-ESF  and partner institutions. Ideal candidates will have an MS in ecology, environmental  science, or a related field; a strong quantitative and statistical background; the abil ity to work in remote field settings; and interest in riparian forest ecology and tree e cophysiology in dryland regions. The position is funded for a minimum of three years and  provides a competitive stipend, tuition and benefits. Interested candidates should s end a CV/resume (with GPA and GRE scores), a description of research interests and experience, and names and contact information for 3 references to stella@ esf.edu. For more information on how to apply, see http://www.esf.edu/fnrm/stella/opportunities.html

*FULL PROJECT ABSTRACT*

Linking basin-scale, stand-level, and individual tree water stress indica tors for groundwater-dependent riparian forests in multiple-use river basins John Stella, SUNY-ESF (PI); Michael Singer, UCSB (PI); Dar Roberts, UCSB (Co-PI)

This project will develop a suite of water stress indicators at several s cales to assess the health of riparian ecosystems in response to sustained groundwater decline. Riparian forests and woodlands are hotspots of biodiversity and support k ey functions and habitats within river corridors, but they are particularly sensitive  to large changes in water supply. The study will take place in the Santa Clara River (Califor nia, USA), where sustained groundwater pumping for irrigation during a severe drought has  had negative impacts and allows for study of riparian woodland response to short- and long-term climate change. The project team will assess the signals and thresholds o f water stress over the last decade using high-resolution aerial imagery and tree-rings  to develop predictors of long-term impairment and collapse. This work addresses a to pic of urgent scientific and societal importance, namely how to assess and prevent nega tive impacts of drought and human-induced water shortages on vulnerable, high-value riparian ecosystems. In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the project tea m will integrate results within statewide guidelines for protecting groundwater-dependent riparian ecosystems mandated under California=92s recent Groundwater Sustainability Management Act. The project will engage the public in several ways, including: 1) consulting with groundwater managers, farmers and other stakeholders through workshops to develop effective methods for communicating results widely; (2) mentoring early career scientists including women in STEM subjects; and 3) engaging with K-12 student programs in diverse local communities to increase environmental awareness in the Santa Clara basin.

As water management in multiple-use river basins around the world becomes increasingly intertwined with large-scale ecosystem restoration, the prop osed research sits at the forefront of broader human-climate-ecosystem challenges facin g societies, businesses, and governments. The project will capitalize on extensive gro undwater well records to link water table dynamics with changes in plant water status d etected at two different scales: (1) basin-wide, high-resolution aerial imagery taken se asonally during the drought; and (2) annual growth and carbon isotope data from tree ring s covering the same period. The study is novel, in that it integrates advanced metho ds in two rapidly-emerging fields, hyperspectral remote sensing and isotope dendroe cology, in developing a holistic understanding of water stress at multiple scales of  resolution. The research is also potentially transformative in that it compares water str ess indicators that vary in their timing, strength, and rates of change, and that it ena bles the assessment of warning signs and time lags between reduced growth and func tioning in individual trees, and synoptic forest decline evident throughout a river  corridor. These findings will have broad application beyond the study system, because the  ecology and functional roles of riparian trees are similar in many water-limited regi ons, with similar foundational importance in groundwater-dependent ecosystems globally.

——————————

Project description:

The invasive plant ecology lab at the University of Wyoming is seeking a PhD level student to head a plant community restoration project. Restoration of the native plant community in areas once under energy development and other major disturbances is a difficult task that is often unsuccessful.  Therefore, this project aims to use novel reclamation strategies to transition disturbed areas into a suitable environment for native plant establishment.

You will have the opportunity to:

-=09Design and develop research related to invasive plant establishment during restoration/reclamation -=09Work directly with county, state, and federal agencies involved in invasive plant management

-=09Present results from this work to stakeholders throughout the region and other professionals nationally -=09Publish peer-reviewed scientific literature

Start date is negotiable; however, work is anticipated to start summer 2017.

Qualifications sought:

=09I am seeking a driven and curious student whom has interest in working closely with state and county agencies to develop better reclamation practices.  This student should also have interest in general ecology, invasion ecology, reclamation and/or invasive plant management and have previous research experience.  Projects will be field-based; therefore, this student should have previous field experience and a desire to work in potentially remote areas.  Significant travel across the state will be required to complete this project so prospective students must be willing to travel (i.e., valid driver’s license).

Application instructions:

=09Please submit in PDF form to Dr. Daniel Tekiela (dtekiela@uwyo.edu) 1) a CV, 2) three professional references, 3) a two- page cover letter describing how your past experience relates to this project and how you would benefit this project, and 4) college transcripts and GRE scores.  Please contact me with any further questions.

Additional information:

The University of Wyoming is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law and University policy. To review the EEO is the Law Poster and its Supplement, please see The Diversity & Fairness page.

We conduct background investigations for all final candidates being considered for employment.  Offers of employment are contingent upon the completion of the background check.

Applicants with disabilities may request accommodation to complete the application and selection process. Please notify Human Resources at least three (3) working days prior to the date of need.

Laramie is a quaint college town with immense culture.  Laramie has multiple local historic sites, museums, social venues, and burgeoning downtown.  Most importantly, Laramie is also located within an hour of numerous outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, biking, running, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing, hunting, climbing, etc…

The Morrissey lab at West Virginia University is seeking a motivated Ph.D . student interested in researching microbial ecology and soil carbon cycling. Stud ents with experience in molecular biology, stable isotope probing, bioinformatics, biogeochemistry, and/or soil ecology are particularly encouraged to apply. If you are inte rested in this opportunity please contact Dr. Ember Morrissey and provide a brief descri ption of your research interests and career goals as well as a resume/CV highlighting a ny relevant coursework and experience. Potential students will apply to one of the gr aduate programs within the Davis School of Agriculture at WVU (http://grad.davis.wvu.edu/davis- doctoral-

programs). Lab website: http://morrisseyem.wixsite.com/morrisseywvu