The Bio-Funk Lab at the University of Rhode Island is accepting applications for a highly motivated M.S. student to begin Fall 2026. Our research interests broadly include conservation, community and ecosystem ecology, biodiversity, and environmental gradients. Students with an interest in biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships, anthropogenic effects, species interactions, and/or soil and microbial ecology are particularly encouraged to apply.
The student will specifically work on a collaborative effort between URI’s Bio-Funk Lab (https://www.shelbyrinehartecology.com/) and URI’s Quest Lab ( https://connectivityandconservation.com/quest-lab) that seeks to understand how New England’s stone walls, as enduring anthropogenic structures, influence relationships between wildlife biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services (e.g., nutrient cycling) and how these relationships scale across space. Stone walls were built primarily by colonial settlers as they transformed the land for agriculture between 1607 and 1850, but they remain an important part of local identity and culture throughout New England, with local historical societies, hunting and fishing clubs, and educational organizations advocating for their preservation. This project will involve using a combination of techniques to assess wildlife populations (e.g., camera trapping) and ecosystem processes (e.g., carbon sequestration, nitrogen fixation, sedimentation, and hydrological flows) in landscapes dominated by historical stone walls. Fieldwork will occur at sites across Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut, and southeastern Massachusetts, and will provide opportunities to network with local land trusts and state and federal agencies.
Successful applicants will have experience conducting ecological research, preferably conducting experiments in the field, analyzing data, and communicating their results via reports, manuscripts, posters, or oral presentations. Additionally, preference will be given to students with a strong knowledge of New England flora and fauna.
Students accepted into this position will receive two full years of guaranteed support. Teaching assistantships are the primary means of student support during the semester, with summer research assistantships providing additional financial support during the field season.
Please send any inquiries or questions to Dr Shelby Rinehart (Shelby_rinehart@uri.edu) with the subject line “MS Student Inquiry”.
Formal applications should be directly submitted to the URI Biological and Ecological Sciences Graduate Program (Deadline December 15th). See https://web.uri.edu/cels/academics/bes/admission/ for more information on how to apply. In your application, be sure to indicate that you are applying to Dr. Rinehart’s Bio-Funk lab to ensure that your application is correctly routed. In addition, please be sure to describe 1-2 research ideas in your application that you would be interested in integrating into this project if you join the lab (include in the personal statement in your application).