The Waring lab is recruiting graduate students to work on projects related

to plant-soil interactions and soil biogeochemistry. Applicants should have

a strong research interest in plant-soil feedbacks, mycorrhizal ecology,

and/or soil carbon cycling. Research in the Waring lab takes place in a

diverse array of ecosystems, from semiarid grasslands to tropical forests,

and is highly interdisciplinary, spanning plant, microbial, and ecosystem

ecology. Candidates with lab or field experience in any of these areas are

strongly encouraged to apply. The Waring lab is located at Utah State

University in Logan, Utah, a beautiful town with easy access to many amazing

parks and Salt Lake City. For inquiries about the position, please contact

(bonnie.waring@usu.edu) with a cover letter and CV.

PLANT BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION

The Graduate Program in Plant Biology and Conservation is a partnership
between Northwestern University (NU) and the Chicago Botanic Garden
(CBG). PhD, MS thesis-based, and MS internship-based degrees are
offered. All degree programs offer a unique opportunity to study ecology,
evolution, and environmental issues at the interface of basic and
applied plant science. Students apply to the program through Northwestern
University and take their courses at both NU and CBG with faculty from
both institutions. The Plant Conservation and Science Center at CBG is a
valuable resource for students, and the Chicago region provides a vibrant
community at the forefront of research in conservation and sustainability.

To learn more, contact program director, Nyree Zerega
(nzerega@chicagobotanic.org) or visit our website:
http://www.plantbiology.northwestern.edu/

Application deadlines:
PhD: December 1, 2017
MS (thesis-based): February 15, 2018
MS (internship-based): Applications will be reviewed beginning February
15 and review will continue through April 30, 2018. Admissions are on
a rolling basis.

Nyree Zerega <nzerega@chicagobotanic.org>

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP (Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior) – at

Boise State University. A position is available for a Ph.D. student in

human behavioral ecology interested in one of the following research

topics: sexual conflict, parent-offspring conflict, parental investment,

reproductive-decision making, or kin cooperation and conflict.  The student

will propose a PhD project in their application materials.

*Qualifications*

We are seeking someone who 1) possesses quantitative and statistical

skills, 2) wants to conduct international fieldwork, and 3) has a passion

for using behavioral ecological models to understand human behavior.

Competitive

students will have a Master=E2=80=99s degree and a background in evolutionary

anthropology or behavioral ecology. Please address your qualification for

each of these points in your cover letter and note any foreign language

skills. The position starts Fall (Aug) 2018.

*Stipend and tuition and fees*

This position includes support in the form of a graduate assistantship

(renewable, 12-month at $25,000), tuition and fee waiver, and health

insurance.

*About the program and Boise*

The Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior PhD is a new and modern graduate

program at Boise State University. This program brings together faculty

from across multiple academic departments including biological sciences,

geosciences, anthropology, and the human-environment systems group to offer

relevant courses and provide unique mentorship and training opportunities.

Further, we have created a network of valuable connections in academia,

local relationships with federal and state agencies, nonprofits and NGOs,

as well as partnerships with international organizations all dedicated to

providing students with transformative research and educational experiences

for diverse career opportunities. To learn more, please visit:

http://eeb.boisestate.edu/.

Students in this program enjoy living in the beautiful city of Boise, which

strikes a perfect balance with close-by outdoor recreational activities as

well as a vibrant downtown life. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky

Mountains and the capital of the State of Idaho, Boise is frequently

featured as a top-ranked metropolis. The city has ample opportunities for

world-class outdoor activities year round and a thriving arts and

entertainment culture. In 2017, US News and World report ranked Boise the

12th best city to live in the United States.

*To Apply*

Please send via email in a single file attachment (include your last name

in the file name): a cover letter that states qualifications, proposed PhD

project,  and career goals, a CV with the names and contacts for 3

references, copies of transcripts (unofficial are O.K.) and GRE scores and

percentiles (not combined) to *kristinsnopkowski@boisestate.edu

<kristinsnopkowski@boisestate.edu>*. Please put =E2=80=9CPhD application=E2=80=9D in the

subject line. Applications will be reviewed as they are received until

December 15, 2017. If you do not have GRE scores by the deadline your

application cannot be considered.  Top candidates will be asked to formally

apply to Boise State=E2=80=99s EEB program by January 20.  All admission decisions

must be approved by the Graduate Dean.

Boise State University embraces and welcomes diversity in its faculty,

student body, and staff. Accordingly, applicants who would add to the

diversity and excellence of our academic community are encouraged to apply.

*About Ecology Project International: *

EPI is an international non-profit organization dedicated to addressing

critical conservation issues through field-based partnerships between local

experts and high school students. We engage adolescent youth from local

communities and visiting youth from other regions in applied hands-on

science and conservation as they learn about and help protect threatened

species and habitats. Through EPI=E2=80=99s programs in five countries throughout

the U.S. and Latin America, teens are inspired and empowered to engage in

conservation efforts at home and worldwide to become the next generation of

conservation leaders. More information can be found at

www.ecologyproject.org

*About Pacuare Reserve: *

Established in 1989 by a United Kingdom charity, and transferred to Ecology

Project International (EPI) in 2016, its 800 hectares of tropical

rainforest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica have a high density of

wildlife and its 6km (4 miles) of beach provides the most important nesting

site in the country for the giant leatherback turtles and is home to the

only truly accessible breeding colony of Agami herons in the Caribbean and

northern South America. More information can be found at

www.pacuarereserve.org <https://ank891.wixsite.com/pacuare>

*Job Summary: *

Research Assistants (RA) will be trained in sea turtle monitoring

techniques and will work under the supervision of the Research

Coordinators. RAs will work mainly with adult Leatherback turtles, adult

Green turtles, and Leatherback hatchling.  Some Hawksbills may arrive to

the beach but it=E2=80=99s not very common.  The primary responsibilities of the

RAs will include leading night beach censuses, conducting morning beach

surveys, tagging and collecting data and relocating and excavating nests.

Monitoring activities are carried out along 6 km of nesting beach. RAs will

be in charge of leading volunteers and/or groups of students while on the

beach, explaining the beach protocol and supervising them on the process of

data collection. RAs are expected to participate in other activities

carried out by the Reserve like personal research projects, environmental

education activities, talks and workshops with students and volunteers,

beach cleaning, recycling projects, or other needs of the station. RAs are

expected to work long hours throughout day and/or night, often with little

sleep. Beach censuses require walking on soft sand and occasionally under

the rain, therefore, a good physical condition is a requirement for the RA

position.

*Qualifications: *

*Required:*

=C2=B7       Graduates of or close to graduating in Biology, Environmental

science or a related field

=C2=B7       Able to communicate both in Spanish and in English

=C2=B7       In good physical condition and able to walk long hours on soft

sand, sometimes under difficult conditions

=C2=B7       Be motivated to work in a remote environment under difficult

conditions (rain, mosquitoes=E2=80=A6) with irregular sleeping hours and restricted

electricity availability.

=C2=B7       Be open-minded, flexible and keep a positive attitude to unexpected

situations and be willing to live and work with a small group of people

*Preferred: *

=C2=B7       Previous experiences working with sea turtles

=C2=B7       Previous experience working and living in Costa Rica, specially in

the Caribbean coast

=C2=B7       Previous experience working in a multicultural team, since RAs come

from different nationalities and they will be working with the local staff

*Schedule and Location:*

February 20 to July 31, 2018. Pacuare Reserve, North Caribbean coast, Costa

Rica

*Compensation:*

RA Positions are voluntary and selected candidates are expected to plan and

finance their own travel to and from the Reserve. RAs will receive 3 meals

a day and basic shared accommodations for the duration of their time

working for Pacuare Reserve.

*Questions can be directed to:*

Roc=C3=ADo Valent=C3=ADn-Gamazo, *rocio.valentin-gamazo@ecologyproject.org

<rocio.valentin-gamazo@ecologyproject.org>*

*To apply*:

Application period closes November 5th; they will be reviewed when

received. Applications can only be submitted electronically. Please, submit

the following information in the next page:

<https://ecologyproject.submittable.com/submit/9e954a04-91f5-4c16-9f91-b59bd04cecb9/research-assistant-pacuare-reserve>

https://ecologyproject.submittable.com/submit/9e954a04-91f5-4c16-9f91-b59bd04cecb9/research-assistant-pacuare-reserve

-A CV or resume with pertinent information

-A cover letter explaining why you are interested in the Research Assistant

position, details of any relevant experiences and a statement of your level

of proficiency in English and Spanish

-Name and email contact of one to three professional references

Drs. Amanda Klemmer and Brian Olsen (UMaine) are looking for a M.S. student to investigate the community and food-web ecology of intertidal, rockweed-dominated (Ascophyllum & Fucus spp.) habitats in light of commercial rockweed harvesting.  The candidate is expected to begin their assistantship in Orono, Maine in January 2018.  In conjunction with partners at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and Maine Maritime Academy the project=92s objective is to assess linkages between rockweed, the invertebrate community, and coastal bird populations in a changing, multi-use landscape.  The position will involve coastal invertebrate/rockweed surveys, bird exclosure experiments on rocky marine islands during the winter, and discussions with a consortium of stakeholders to identify and address questions regarding rockweed as a resource for humans and wildlife.

The successful candidate will possess a strong academic record, field experience, and the ability to identify/work with invertebrates of the rocky intertidal.  Preference will be given to candidates with experience supervising field crews; building partnerships with industry, governmental agencies, non-

profits, and public stakeholders; managing databases; identifying coastal birds; and constructing statistical models (or interest in gaining such an experience).  An enthusiasm for cold temperatures, wet feet, curious landowners, the bold beauty of the Maine coast, and other blessings of field work is required.

Interested candidates should send an email with the subject line =93Intertidal Food-Web Student Search=94 to amanda.klemmer@maine.edu with the following materials attached: cover letter, curriculum vitae, unofficial transcript, GRE scores, and contact information for three references.  Consideration of candidates will begin on October 15th until the position is filled.

Drs. Brian Olsen and Amanda Klemmer (UMaine) are looking for a M.S. student to investigate the community and food-web ecology of intertidal, rockweed-dominated (Ascophyllum & Fucus spp.) habitats in light of commercial rockweed harvesting.  The candidate is expected to begin their assistantship in Orono, Maine in January 2018.  In conjunction with partners at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and Maine Maritime Academy, the project=92s objective is to assess linkages between rockweed, the invertebrate community, and coastal bird populations in a changing, multi-use landscape.  The position will involve coastal bird surveys, assistance in Purple Sandpiper capture on rocky marine islands during the winter, and discussions with a consortium of stakeholders to identify and address questions regarding rockweed as a resource for humans and wildlife.

The successful candidate will possess a strong academic record, field experience, and the ability to identify coastal birds of the Atlantic shore of North America.  Preference will be given to candidates with experience supervising field crews; building partnerships with industry, governmental agencies, non-

profits, and public stakeholders; managing databases; identifying intertidal invertebrates; and constructing statistical models (or interest in gaining such an experience).  An enthusiasm for cold temperatures, wet feet, curious landowners, the bold beauty of the Maine coast, and other blessings of field work is required.

Interested candidates should send an email with the subject line =93Intertidal Food-Web Student Search=94 to brian.olsen@maine.edu with the following materials attached: cover letter, curriculum vitae, unofficial transcript, GRE scores, and contact information for three references.  Consideration of candidates will begin on October 15th until the position is filled.

Dr. Kai Zhu is recruiting 1-2 Ph.D. students starting in Fall 2018 in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The Zhu Lab works on a broad range of questions in global ecology and quantitative environmental sciences, at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity, and ecosystem processes. Current research projects include large-scale responses to climate change in forests, long-term global change impacts on grasslands, land surface phenology from remote sensing, and soil fungi and trees in changing environments. More information is available at https://zhulab.ucsc.edu/.

Students are encouraged to develop their own projects, which is an important part of their development as independent and creative researchers. Dr. Zhu expects students to have previous research experience and some math/statistics and programming skills. However, in the Zhu Lab students will learn new methods and tools by working on projects, so the most important quality is the willingness to learn new skills.

The Ph.D. program in Environmental Studies is explicitly interdisciplinary, with expectations to engage in both natural and social sciences coursework and research. The department guarantees five years of stipend and fee support for graduate students. UC Santa Cruz ranks third worldwide for research influence (https://news.ucsc.edu/2017/09/times-higher-ed.html) and is located on the Monterey Bay, a national marine sanctuary, with numerous year-round opportunities for outdoor recreation (sailing, surfing, mountain bike riding, hiking, etc.). For information about program requirements, funding, and admissions, please consult the graduate program coordinator Lisa Birney (831-459-4136 or lmbirney at ucsc dot edu), the department website (https://envs.ucsc.edu/graduate/prospective-grads/index.html), and the Graduate School website (https://graddiv.ucsc.edu/prospective-students/index.html).

Interested students should contact Dr. Kai Zhu (kai dot zhu at ucsc dot edu) before the admission deadline on December 15, 2017 with the following information: (1) research experience, ideas, and questions; (2) motivations to pursue a Ph.D. and ultimate career goals; (3) interests in the Environmental Studies Department at UCSC; and (4) current CV, academic transcript, GRE score, and TOEFL score (if English is not the first language).

The Gillooly Lab in the Department of Biology at the University of Florida has openings and support for 1-2 graduate students beginning in Fall 2017. Research in the lab is diverse, but can be described as macro-scale biology (i.e., macroecology, macroevolution, macrophysiology)

We seek an integrative view of how the structure and function of individuals/species are related to the structure and function of populations, communities and ecosystems.Lab members develop independent research programs using a variety of approaches, including mathematical modeling, experimentation and field studies. Above all else, we seek students that are creative, curious, collaborative, and open to combining theory with data. More information about the lab is available at https://people.clas.ufl.edu/gillooly/

Prospective students should contact Dr. Jamie Gillooly by email (gillooly “at” ufl.edu) to inquire. The deadline for application is December 1, and more information regarding the application may be found at: https://biology.ufl.edu/graduate/application/.

PhD Student Positions in High-altitude Adaptation

Graduate student PhD positions are available beginning August 2018 to work
on the mechanistic and genetic basis of hypoxia resistance in Andean
waterbirds with Kevin McCracken, at the University of Miami in Coral
Gables, Florida, and collaborating investigators Graham Scott (McMaster
University), Neal Dawson (McMaster University), and Bill Milsom (University
of British Columbia).

We seek one or more PhD students with interests in integrated physiology
and genetics to collaborate on comparative studies of Andean ducks or other
high-altitude waterbirds. Studies are not limited to but might include
respiratory and cardiovascular physiology, enzyme function, histology, and
studies of movements and flight or diving performance. Students with an
interest in population genomics and gene expression are also encouraged to
contact us.

Travel to high-altitude field sites in South America and to the
collaborating labs in Canada may be required. Experience and/or interest in
preparing specimens for museum archival and genetic resources collections
is desirable. Spanish speaking/writing skills also would be helpful.
Students from South American countries are especially encouraged to apply.

Typical duration of funding for a PhD student at the University of Miami is
at least five years with stipends of approximately $24,000/year, including
a full tuition waiver and health benefits. Additional sources of summer
funding are available.  Both university fellowships and departmental
teaching assistantships are available.

Applications to the PhD program at UM are due 1 December 2017 for fall 2018
admission (http://www.as.miami.edu/biology/graduate/).

Individuals who want to apply should first send a statement including
background and research interests and curriculum vitae by email to:

Kevin G. McCracken

Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences

Marine Biology & Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences

Human Genetics & Genomics, Hussman Institute for Human Genomics

University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL 33146

U.S.A.

Office: 136 Marine Technology & Life Sciences Seawater Research
Building (RSMAS)

Lab: 188 Cox (Biology)

http://www.duckdna.org

email: kevin.g.mccracken@gmail.com

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Kevin McCracken <kevin.g.mccracken@gmail.com>