Shark Bay Dolphin Research Project NSF REU Internship Opportunity

Eligibility:

U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents of the United States who are enrolled as undergraduate students at a U.S. institution at the time of application.

Background:

The Shark Bay Dolphin Research Project (SBDRP) is seeking several dedicated research assistants for the upcoming summer field season (late May/early June through mid-August, 2023) in Monkey Mia, Shark Bay, Western Australia. The SBDRP is a long-term research project run in collaboration between Georgetown University and the University of Queensland, and is one of the longest running marine mammal research projects in the world. The SBDRP has been collecting behavioral, life-history, ecological, and genetic data on Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins since the mid 1980s. This field season will focus on ongoing research surrounding the long-term impacts of extreme climate events on the behavioral ecology, fitness and population viability in this dolphin population. We will also be recruiting for the fall field season (early August-December 2023) which will continue our research on maternal investment and social learning. Recent post-baccalaureates should clearly indicate their interest and availability to join us for the summer and/or fall season in their written statement. We will also be conducting a second call for applicants for the fall season later in the spring.

Field work is demanding and requires long hours both on and off the water, but the dolphin research is both fun and rewarding. Field assistants will gain valuable research experience and may have the opportunity to contribute to co-authored publications. We particularly encourage applications from those interested in pursuing graduate school in behavioral ecology or marine mammalogy.

Timeframe:

~3 months

Field site:

Monkey Mia, Shark Bay, Western Australia.

Monkey Mia is approximately 850 km north of Perth and is part of the largest World Heritage site in Western Australia. Our field site is beautiful, and includes incredible wildlife such as sharks, rays, turtles, dugongs, whales, and of course, resident bottlenose dolphins. Monkey Mia is remote, but we do have amenities including electricity and running water, reliable cell phone service, and limited internet. Housing will be provided, and the research team will share cooking responsibilities in a communal kitchen and other domestic chores.

Job responsibilities:

Research assistants will help collect extensive behavioral data from the boat, including surveys and focal follows on individual dolphins. Boat work is dependent on weather, but even on windy days we need to be ready to pack up and quickly get out on the water if the wind drops. Days on the water can be consecutive, long, and tiring in variable environmental conditions. This season, we will also be conducting opportunistic genetic biopsy sampling, and we may use drones to collect video footage of the dolphins. Days on land require extensive, and tedious, data entry and processing. If you are interested in an independent research project, we will work with you to develop one.

Most of your time will be spent:

-Searching for and spotting dolphins

-Photographing dolphins

-Driving the boat

-Scribing data during surveys and focal follows

-Entering dolphin sightings and environmental data into the computer

-Doing basic maintenance and equipment prep and cleaning

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be a student with a science background and a genuine interest in marine mammal science and behavior. This position is well suited for students of marine biology, animal behavior, zoology, ecology, genetics, or similar fields looking to gain additional analytical and in-field experience. Applicants must be able to work closely with a small team (3-6 people). We not only work together, but also live, cook, and eat together, so maturity, humor, a positive attitude and a collaborative nature are critical.

The candidate must:

-Possess basic computer skills

-Be detail oriented, flexible, level headed, and patient

-Possess excellent verbal and communication skills

-Work well both independently and in a team

-Be fluent in English

-Be comfortable on a boat and working in a remote location

-Be prepared to work long, consecutive days, including weekends

The most essential qualifications are that you are flexible, conscientious, and hard-working, and are excited about the research.

Salary:

This is a paid position. All travel and living expenses (flights, visas, housing and food) will also be covered by the project. We particularly want to encourage candidates from groups that are underrepresented in STEM fields to apply.

https://www.nsfetap.org/award/135/opportunity/768

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5Wq9X3KWRTedCkMIrtzPUAA4PUzIcwwxWsQycJcaCa65aIA/viewform

Applications are due February 15th, 2023. Any questions can be directed to infommdolphin@gmail.com

CTSG Undergraduate Research Fellowship opportunity for summer 2023

The Connecticut Sea Grant Undergraduate Research Fellowship seeks to broaden participation of underrepresented/underserved students in marine and coastal professions by providing early career experience, training and mentorship to the next generation of scientists, decision makers and marine industry professionals.

The program will do so by funding a research fellowship for up to two undergraduate students who represent the social diversity of the communities of Connecticut. Underrepresented minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged students as well as students of color, indigenous students, U.S. military veterans, members of the LGBTQ community and students with disabilities are encouraged to seek a project mentor with whom to apply for this opportunity.

Up to two fellowships, each with a $5,000 stipend, will be offered this summer to enable selected students to conduct an independent project under the guidance of a project mentor. The application process requires submission of a mentor-proposed natural or social science-based project and a student nomination for the research fellowship. The proposed project must be completed in nine weeks over the summer, and be focused on a coastal, marine or watershed issue relevant to the Connecticut Sea Grant Strategic Plan for 2014-2027, which can be accessed at: https://seagrant.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1985/2022/12/CTSG.Strategic.Plan_.2024-27.final_.pdf.

Submissions must be  received by 5 pm Monday March 13. The complete Call and Guidance on how to apply can be found here: https://seagrant.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1985/2023/01/CTSG-DEI-Undergraduate-Fellowship-2023-final.docx

Read about previous recipients of the CTSG Undergraduate Research Fellowship. 

Do you love working in the outdoors? Do you have a passion for fish and fisheries? The CT DEEP Fisheries Division’s Inland Fisheries Management program is looking for enthusiastic and motivated people like you to join our team!

We 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’s Hudson River Valley.

Job Description: Duties include live-trapping small mammals, reliably recording trapping data, sampling abundance of ticks, wildlife camera deployment, and tree seed collection within eastern deciduous forest plots. Early morning and late afternoon hours are required.

Qualifications: Meticulous attention to detail and experience in field ecology is required. Prior experience handling small mammals in the field is highly desirable.

Employment can begin May 8, 2023, with an end date of approximately November 10, 2023. Position reports to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld and is full time, 35 hours/week. This is an hourly, non-exempt, non-benefited position.

Wage is commensurate with education and experience. All candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. On-site or nearby housing is available. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for employment. Review of applications will begin on January 27, 2023.

To Apply: https://www.caryinstitute.org/about/careers-cary?bzid=b5b0328bb2c6

 Please click the “Apply Now” button. Under “Resume” on the application page, click the “Upload Resume” link to upload a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Please contact Patricia Jones (845-677-7600 x. 109) with any questions about applying.

The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA) employer. It is the policy of the Institute 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, genetic information or any other protected class.

The Farmscape Ecology Program (FEP) is dedicated to exploring the human and natural dimensions of the landscape in and around Columbia County, NY through research and outreach. The Program is part of Hawthorne Valley Association, an educational not-for-profit located on a farm in the mid-Hudson Valley of New York. It is comprised of a wildlife ecologist, a botanist, a social scientist, a biologist, an entomology lab manager, a botany technician, and a staff dog.

Our interdisciplinary research explores many dimensions of the historical, current, and potential future interactions of people with the land. An important part of our work is applied farmscape ecology, which involves documenting synergies between agricultural production and nature conservation, as well as creating, managing, and monitoring experimental on-farm habitats for beneficial wildlife.

For the 2023 field season, we are looking for an intern or learner to assist us in the botanical aspects of our applied farmscape ecology work, which involves gardening, botanical research, and public outreach. The season will run approximately three months, from late May to late August. At the end of the three months, if both the intern and FEP agree, there may be an opportunity to extend the position for up to an additional three months in order to help us wrap up our field work and allow the intern/learner to complete an independent project, but that opportunity is not guaranteed.

Activities: The botany learner/intern will be involved in collecting scientific observations through on-farm and off-farm botanical monitoring (e.g. assessing vegetation composition and flower abundance throughout the field season) and phenology (e.g. conducting weekly monitoring of a phenology trail at Hawthorne Valley Farm). They will also participate in many horticulture activities (e.g. creating and maintaining perennial beds in a native plant garden; maintaining on-farm habitats like pollinator beds, beetle banks, hedgerows, and native meadows; and maintaining a small native plant nursery), which will include such tasks as hand weeding, weed whacking, watering, planting/transplanting, seed collecting and mowing. Botany learners/interns may also accompany FEP staff on ecological consultations with private landowners, and they will be involved in a variety of program outreach (e.g. facilitating weekly gardening activities with a small group of volunteers, leading tours of our butterfly house and native plant garden, posting ecological finds through our social media, and staffing an outreach table). The learner/intern will be expected to keep accurate records and to perform data entry. Optionally, the learner/intern may (depending on FEP and farm schedules) have the opportunity to work with the Hawthorne Valley farmers and farm apprentices in the commercial vegetable fields for ½ day per week.

Qualifications: We are looking for candidates with a strong interest in plants and in gardening or agriculture who also enjoy the outdoors and interacting with the public. The ideal candidate has some experience with plant identification and gardening and is eager to hone their skills in these areas, but will also be excited to learn about insects and their interactions with native plants and agriculture. Candidates should be comfortable living and working in a rural setting, be energetic, and thrive outdoors even when the going gets rough (think long hot days in a field without shade!). Given the work environment, it is important that candidates are sociable, able to interact with a diverse range of people of all ages and backgrounds, self-motivated, and can work independently with attention to detail. Most importantly, we are looking for people who are eager to learn. We are seeking experienced students (incoming college juniors and seniors) and recent graduates, but individuals with other backgrounds who feel that they would be a good fit are still encouraged to apply. We expect the candidates to have basic computer skills (Word, Excel) and some academic and/or work experience in field biology, field ecology, natural history, environmental science, sustainable farming/gardening, environmental education, or related fields. A plus would be a candidate with experience in identifying fungi/mushrooms, as our technician has begun to incorporate them into our survey work. A valid driver’s license would also be helpful, but is not required.

Accessibility: We aim to make this position accessible to applicants from diverse backgrounds who are excited by the opportunity, and we encourage people who are under-resourced, BIPOC, or have non-traditional backgrounds to apply. If you have any concerns or questions about the accessibility of this learnership/student internship for your situation, please don’t hesitate to be in touch.

General Conditions: The position is based at Hawthorne Valley Farm, a 500-acre organic and biodynamic diversified farm located in the heart of Columbia County, NY. Successful applicants will be expected to work 40-45 hours per week, which will occasionally include hours that are earlier or later than normal work hours and time on weekends.

Compensation: The botany learner/intern will be provided with housing (a small, private room with a shared kitchen and bathroom) in the Farmscape Ecology Program building and a stipend of $1200/month. We don’t want finances to be a barrier to taking this position, so upon acceptance, the successful candidate will be given the opportunity to apply for a need-based scholarship providing up to an additional $500/month. Please refer to our scholarship description at:

https://hvfarmscape.org/scholarship

Application Process: To apply, please send a reference; a cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this position, what you hope to learn during your time with us, and any relevant experience you might bring; and contact information for three references to our botany technician, Josie Laing, at jlaing@hawthornevalley.org. We would prefer (but do not require) you to send us your application materials as a single PDF document with the filename FEPBotany2023_YourLastName

https://hvfarmscape.org/internships

Our company continues to grow and we are looking for a few new people to join our team. The position based out of my office in North Franklin CT is for an aquatic specialist/assistant aquatic specialist depending on experience. Our Brookfield location is looking for a similar candidate as well as a few other positions. All resumes can be sent to either nick@thepondandlake.com or Lisa@thepondandlake.com.

The University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center (UNDERC) is recruiting 8-10 undergraduates seeking field research experience during the summer of 2023. The UNDERC facility is owned by Notre Dame and contains 8000 acres of pristine lakes, streams, wetlands, and forests with abundant wildlife. The natural setting and modern facilities provide an unparalleled opportunity for gaining experience in field biology. UNDERC is also the core site in the Great Lakes Region for the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).

(May 31– August 5)! Our Track 2 opportunity is designed for undergraduates with at least one semester or summer of prior research experience, including those that have completed our Track 1 program, that would like to conduct an independent research project under the mentorship of UNDERC scientists. The program includes housing, travel between the Notre Dame campus and UNDERC, and a stipend ($5000)

An UNDERC-affiliated scientist will mentor each student on the development of a research proposal, implementation of the project, analyses of the data collected and the writing up and presentation of the project at the end of the summer.

https://underc.nd.edu/assets/497996/flyer_2023_track_2.pdf

Potential areas of research for 2023 include:

• Fish Foraging Behavior
• Fish Life-History Trade-offs, Demographic & Habitat Preferences
• Hyperspectral Signatures of Tree Traits and Disease
• Mosquito Diversity & Vector-Borne Disease Ecology
• Behavioral Ecology of Deer Mice
• Tree Population and Community Ecology
• Tree Ecophysiology

Applications due Tuesday, January 31^st

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSpxPCM1KPaisqCWJt5x3V9aiKjpdY4APPOO4kzjRzI1gfLw/viewform

The PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies is pleased to announce that undergraduate student applications are now open to join our summer 2023 GREEN TEAMS Internship Program running from May 30 – August 3, 2023.

This 10 week program pays a $5,000 stipend plus housing. Travel grants are also available. This is the eighth year that this program brings together students from diverse backgrounds and majors to address sustainability challenges for a wide array of organizations including but not limited to corporations, local businesses, municipalities, community groups, government agencies, and nonprofits.

More information on the program:

https://www.montclair.edu/pseg-sustainability-institute/

The application deadline is THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAOzgEe3jnogC8DhkU0mUPCxtuIcZMM9Sdl2Mu94ZPogYYQw/viewform

If you have any questions about the program or how to apply, please contact us at psegiss@montclair.edu

Are you looking for a career in the CONSERVATION FIELD?
Check out the new Maryland Conservation Careers Guide, which contains information about job training and opportunities in the conservation fields. The full guide is available online and includes the following sections:

• Why a Career in Conservation?
• Conservation Careers: Find your Fit
• Learning Skills for Conservation Jobs

Applying for Jobs​

Please advertise this educational opportunity for undergraduate and
graduate students within your departments. It’s a great experience
with the primary literature for motivated students. Interested faculty
and researchers are welcome as well!  Starts next week!

Do you have an interest in working with genetic biodiversity but don’t
know how to start? Consider joining The Genomic Observatories Diversity
Explorer (GEODE) team as a metadata curator! The Genomic Observatories
Diversity Explorer (GEODE) project at Pennsylvania State University
aims to visualize the world’s most foundational, yet underappreciated,
layer of biodiversity: genetic diversity.

Join us for one or many virtual GEODE Curate-A-Thons
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbdezray.github.io%2FGeode-Curate-A-Thon%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cpamela.diggle%40uconn.edu%7C88fe485b834c4b80850d08daf2d08177%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C638089274681758191%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vpkGTTf8uuChZcsPFImfcWEAN8R0TuHxKAIAzP9y38c%3D&reserved=0> in January 2023! The
Curate-A-Thon is an opportunity to enhance the metadata associated with
genetic sequence data to improve discoverability, interoperability,
and reusability while simultaneously developing your own data
curation skills. Interested participants do not need to attend the
full Curate-A-Thon. Instead, consider joining us for as long as you
can and leave when you need to; we just ask that you join on the hour
or half-hour time marks. Previous experience with genetic data and
metadata curation is not required. Participants will gain experience
with extracting information from the primary scientific literature,
with the help of our team of researchers and data librarians.

Members of the GEODE research team will be available, during the entire
Curate-A-Thon, to answer questions and assist participants with any
issues that arise. Participants will follow a detailed instruction guide
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbdezray.github.io%2FGeode-Curate-A-Thon%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cpamela.diggle%40uconn.edu%7C88fe485b834c4b80850d08daf2d08177%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C638089274681758191%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vpkGTTf8uuChZcsPFImfcWEAN8R0TuHxKAIAzP9y38c%3D&reserved=0>, that includes brief
video tutorials, on how to curate genetic and genomic sequence metadata,
and will receive a $10.00 USD Amazon e-gift card, while supplies last.

Tuesday, January 17, 2023
2:00 – 5:00 PM EST
Register at this link
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpsu.zoom.us%2Fmeeting%2Fregister%2FtJUkfuyhpj8pHdaCf1DGrLV18AXGCFE5saFR&data=05%7C01%7Cpamela.diggle%40uconn.edu%7C88fe485b834c4b80850d08daf2d08177%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C638089274681758191%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=yy3HePSqsLzmIYcXN2VMqi3IURXaL%2BLiTVHpf8VMQAE%3D&reserved=0>

Wednesday, January 18, 2023
2:00 pm – 5:00 PM EST
Register at this link
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpsu.zoom.us%2Fmeeting%2Fregister%2FtJIlfumhrDoqG90qkvQx0RH_YIWhFzGxNFPL&data=05%7C01%7Cpamela.diggle%40uconn.edu%7C88fe485b834c4b80850d08daf2d08177%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C638089274681758191%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2FzaEclUryGogJ9yNhHZC2CgH2tB%2B%2BMSTt28EFd3gXS4%3D&reserved=0>

Thursday, January 19, 2023
9:00 am – 12:00 PM EST
Register at this link
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpsu.zoom.us%2Fmeeting%2Fregister%2FtJYlc-CorzkoGNGc9TWvfQ0sSDvRzhx-mH7t&data=05%7C01%7Cpamela.diggle%40uconn.edu%7C88fe485b834c4b80850d08daf2d08177%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C638089274681758191%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=b4kvzp8IVEhuB5PqMwOuMp8QOJS%2FyvASN%2FqOWhFwD%2BY%3D&reserved=0>

If you are interested in participating but these dates and times do
not work for you, please contact GEODE team members Andrea Pritt at
alp5088@psu.edu and Briana Wham at bde125@psu.edu. We will be
happy to coordinate another time that works for you!


Eric Crandall <eric.d.crandall@gmail.com>

Eric Crandall <eric.d.crandall@gmail.com>