I am seeking applicants for a Ph.D. position at UMBC in the Department

of Geography & Environmental Systems. Starting date is Fall 2018.

In general, we focus on community ecology and the factors that promote

species coexistence in space and time, both in aquatic and urban

ecosystems. I am interesting is a student to join our efforts to

understand the role of native plant biodiversity in enhancing ecosystem

services on urban vacant land.  Experiments on campus and in Baltimore

City are underway whereby plant functional diversity has been

manipulated in light of different regional species dispersal pressures

to understand urban community assembly. The successful applicant will

work closely with members of the lab on these projects, and develop

research questions independently, yet aligned with the overall goals of

the work.  The focus can include or combine any number of the project’s

elements: fieldwork, experimentation, and/or meta-analysis/synthesis.

Ideally, the student will have earned a Master’s degree before starting

here at UMBC.

The student will have the opportunity to interact with researchers

associated with the Baltimore Ecosystem Study Urban Long Term Ecological

Research Site.  Quarterly and Annual meetings will serve as main venues

to dissemnitate their findings as well as network within and outside the

academic community. The student may also have the chance to be involved

in group synthesis efforts I am involved with here in the US and abroad.

Ultimately applicants will need to apply to the graduate program at UMBC.

http://gradschool.umbc.edu/admissions/apply/

However, I will only consider applications who contact me directly via

email (chris.swan@umbc.edu <mailto:chris.swan@umbc.edu>), indicating

your intention to apply. In your inquiry  please include: 1) a brief

introduction; 2) an academic CV;  3) GRE scores if available; and 4) a

description of your career goals and how you feel working on this

project will further those ambitions.

UMBC is a culturally diverse campus situated near Baltimore, and within

close proximity to Washington DC. Access to transportation is quite

convenent, making visiting the mid-Atlantic and Northeast region easy.

In terms of natural surroundings, Maryland is often considered “America

in miniature” given the large range in ecosystem types ranging from

wetlands, swamps and bogs, tidal flats and beaches, to upland forests.

My lab takes seriously this excerpt from the UMBC vision statement: “Our

UMBC community redefines excellence in higher education through an

inclusive culture that connects innovative teaching and learning,

research across disciplines, and civic engagement. We will advance

knowledge, economic prosperity, and social justice by welcoming and

inspiring inquisitive minds from all backgrounds.”

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