Subject: MS Announcement – Silviculture and Invasive Species
One MS student is sought to continue a long-term research project evaluating forest community response to multiple silvicultural treatments for the control of Chinese tallow, a highly invasive tree species of the southeastern coastal plain. The objectives of this project include: 1) determining changes to the plant community, including evaluating affects to forest structure, composition, and regeneration from mastication and repeated prescribed fire; 2) establishing a relationship between morphological characteristics and survival of Chinese tallow to prescribed fire; and 3) develop management guidelines to underplant longleaf pine in slash pine stands while seeking to control Chinese tallow. This project will build on previous work conducted in the Silviculture and Ecology Lab at Clemson University. The project will be conducted at Parris Island Marine Corps Base in Beaufort, South Carolina and will work directly with the Natural Resource Staff. Ideal candidates will be able to lead the project, work collaboratively, and tolerate harsh field conditions. We are seeking an outstanding candidate with a degree in Forestry, Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Sciences. Candidates must be able to pass federal background checks. The student will be offered a full graduate research assistantship ($15,000/year) plus a tuition waiver. The assistantship is for 2 years, which is renewable annually based on satisfactory performance. Competitive university and/or college scholarships are also available for outstanding candidates, and students working in our lab have had a great track record to obtain these scholarships. The assistantship will start in May 2018.
In your initial contact, please send the following information: resume, statement of your research interest, GPAs, GRE score, and TOFEL score (for foreign students).
If you are interested, contact:
Dr. Geoff Wang
Phone: 864-656-4864
Email: gwang@clemson.edu
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
261 Lehotsky Hall
Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0317 www.clemson.edu/~gwang/
and
Dr. Lauren S. Pile
Phone: 845-304-8348
Email: lpile@fs.fed.us
USDA Forest Service
Northern Research Station
Columbia, MO 65205