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Graduate Opportunities

1. PhD student in Aquatic Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Ives Lab in the Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, is


recruiting a PhD student interested in working on a long-term ecological project at Lake Mývatn,
Iceland.

The research focuses on interactions between the population dynamics of midges in Mývatn and
the aquatic ecosystem. The project encompasses population ecology, community ecology and
ecosystem ecology, and the PhD student will have freedom to design their own research program
to fit in with the overall objectives of understanding the ecology of Mývatn. The fieldwork
is conducted June-August by a team of researchers at Mývatn, including faculty, postdocs,
graduate students, and undergraduates. The graduate student will not only be responsible for their
own PhD research but will also participate with the rest of the research team and mentor
undergraduate students.

Prospective students should have substantial experience conducting research in the field.
Although not required, quantitative skills in, for example, statistical analyses are a plus. A
master's degree is not required. Please note that we receive a large number of applications, and
only those prospective students with experience directly relevant to our fieldwork are
competitive.

If you are interested, please prepare a cover letter and CV as a single PDF. Your cover letter
should briefly outline your background and why you are interested in this position. In your CV,
please include relevant information about your education and work experiences. Also, provide
names and contact information for at least two references whom we can contact to ask specific
questions about your qualifications for the position. Our lab and the University of Wisconsin are
committed to supporting scientists from historically underrepresented backgrounds
(https://integrativebiology.wisc.edu/diversity-inclusion-statement/).

Please send this information by 15 October, 2024, to

Tony Ives (professor) arives@wisc.edu


https://ives.labs.wisc.edu/

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Graduate Opportunities

2. Ph.D. Position in Insect Macroecology at the University of North Carolina

I am seeking a new PhD student to begin in the Fall of 2025 at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill. Specifically, I am looking for a student interested in asking questions about large-
scale patterns of foliage arthropod abundance, composition, and phenology using data from the
citizen science project that I run, Caterpillars Count!.
How are climate change, urbanization, and invasive species influencing foliage arthropods across
North America? How are these relationships influencing population trends and phenological
mismatch with forest birds? Student projects might also involve integrating data from large-scale
datasets like iNaturalist and [ebird.org]eBird. There are many creative directions to go in.
The ideal candidate has previous research experience, demonstrated writing ability, some
programming experience (e.g., R, Matlab, or Python), and a willingness to also conduct field work.
Students will ideally be supported on some combination of teaching and research assistantships
contingent on lab funding. Applicants with strong research and academic records may be
considered for a University fellowship, and of course you should already be considering an
application for a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
Read more about research in the Hurlbert Lab here, and if interested, please send an email
to caterpillarscount@gmail.com with a cv or resume and a description of your general research
interests and ideas for potential projects. I am looking to see that you have an understanding of
some of the important, unanswered questions in ecology and that you can conceive of novel
approaches for getting at those questions in the context of large-scale patterns in foliage arthropod
data.
Sincerely,
Allen Hurlbert
University of North Carolina

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Graduate Opportunities

3. Two graduate students (PhD or Master’s level) in computational hydrology (Fall 2025)

I am recruiting two graduate students (PhD or Master’s level) to join the a.c.t. hydro lab in
the Department of Geological Sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo in Fall
2025! I am seeking students interested in computational hydrology with a specific interest on
developing and applying numerical modeling or AI/ML techniques to understand the changing
hydrologic cycles in land-atmosphere interface as well as assessing the risks for water-related
sectors.
The specific research topics are flexible, but interests should fall within the current research themes
in the lab. Check out our recent publications to see if your interests align with the lab. Given the
quantitative focus of our research, I am particularly interested in recruiting students with a strong
quantitative, statistical, mathematical, and/or computational background, or a strong motivation to
learn and apply these skills in graduate school.
If you are interested, please reach out to me with a brief description of your background and
research interests plus a CV (ycheng46 at buffalo dot edu). Interested candidates must
apply online.

The deadline for online application (including recommendation letters) is December 15, 2024.

Link: https://acthydro.com/join.html#graduate-student

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Graduate Opportunities

4. Five fully-funded PhD Positions at Florida International University, Department of Civil


and Environmental Engineering
Multiple PhD positions are available in Ebrahimian’s research group at the Department of Civil
and Environmental Engineering, Florida International University (FIU). One position will be
primarily based in the Department of Earth and Environment. These are fully funded (tuition,
stipend, and health insurance) positions starting as early as Spring 2025. Successful applicants
will also receive travel support to attend national conferences. Projects are federally funded and
focus on areas including, but not limited to, watershed modeling (hydrology and water quality),
and identification, characterization, distribution, and fate of emerging and traditional pollutants
in stormwater (e.g., microplastics, sediments, and nutrients) from urban and coastal watersheds.
Additionally, projects will explore flood and pollution mitigation strategies using gray and green
stormwater infrastructure. Research methods include sensor-based field monitoring, laboratory
experiments, hydrologic and water quality modeling, image processing, and AI (machine
learning and deep learning) techniques. Successful applicants will work with a cross-disciplinary
group of engineers and scientists from the Institute of Environment (https://environment.fiu.edu/)
and Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences
(https://www.cis.fiu.edu/) in collaboration with various governmental and non-governmental
organizations and industrial partners.
General requirements: All positions need an MS degree with research thesis but strong
candidates with BS degrees will also be considered. Professional writing, presentation, and
communication skills are also required.

Position 1: Watershed modeling


Requirements: Demonstrated experience in watershed-scale, hydrologic and water quality
modeling using SWAT and other tools considering surface water and groundwater interactions.
GIS and programming (e.g., Python) skills. MS and BS in civil/environmental/water resources
engineering or related areas.
Position 2: Green stormwater infrastructure
Requirements: Ability to work in the field and proficiency in using tools for field installations.
Demonstrated experience in water and soil sampling, sensor-based monitoring, and associated
data analysis related to surface water, groundwater, and/or soil systems (preferably green
stormwater infrastructure). Understanding of unsaturated zone hydrology, soil hydraulic
characteristics, and pollutants in stormwater runoff. MS and BS in civil/environmental/water
resources engineering or related areas.

Desired (but not required) skills: Experience with microplastics in water and/or soil systems.
Programming and stormwater modeling skills. Experience in surface/subsurface hydrologic
modeling.

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Graduate Opportunities

Position 3: AI-based particle image processing


Requirements: Strong programming skills in Python. Strong background in deep learning and
machine learning methods. Demonstrated experience in particle image processing, pattern
recognition, and/or application of deep learning/machine learning in image-based geo-
environmental or material problems. MS and BS in geo/materials sciences/engineering or related
areas.
Desired (but not required) skills: Understanding of unsaturated porous media characteristics in
green stormwater infrastructure or other geo-environmental problems.

Position 4: Microplastics in stormwater


Requirements: Demonstrated experience in microplastic sampling, processing, and detection
methodologies to assess source, distribution, or fate and transport of microplastics in freshwater
systems. Laboratory work experience for sample processing and microplastics analysis using
analytical techniques, including FTIR/Raman spectroscopy, epifluorescence microscopy, and
particle size characterization. MS and BS in bio/geo/chemistry sciences or related areas.
Note: This position will be primarily based at FIU’s Department of Earth and Environment.

Position 5: Greenhouse gas emissions from soil-water-plant systems

Requirements: Deep understanding of greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide and methane) emission
processes, dynamics, and drivers in soil-plant systems. Demonstrated field, laboratory, and/or
modeling experience with the measurement and/or analysis of GHG emissions from soil-plant
systems. Introductory GIS and programming (e.g., Python) skills. MS and BS in geo-
environmental engineering/sciences or related areas.
Desired (but not required) skills: Experience with field measurements of GHG emission from
green stormwater infrastructure. Expertise in analysis or simulation of unsaturated porous media
in green stormwater infrastructure or geo-environmental problems.

Please read the following instructions carefully and apply, if interested and qualified.

If you are qualified and highly interested, please immediately send a single pdf containing the
following documents to Dr. Ali Ebrahimian as email attachment (alebrahi@fiu.edu): 1) CV
(including graduation dates and GPAs for MS and BS, list of publications, technical skills

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Graduate Opportunities

including programming and software, and breakdown of TOEFL/IELTS scores for international
applicants), and 2) unofficial copies of BS and MS transcripts. Subject line of the email must be
“PhD application Spring 2025 Position #”. Please carefully follow the instructions, include the
position number in the subject line, and do not include links or multiple attachments in your
email. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.

Source: AGU

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Graduate Opportunities

5. Ph.D. Positions in Quantitative Ecology at Temple University


A PhD graduate student position is available for Fall 2025 with Dr. Jocelyn Behm at Temple
University’s Integrative Ecology Lab (http://www.iecolab.org) within the Center for Biodiversity.
The PhD student will work on the Multifunctional Urban Landscapes project which explores
how local and landscape-scale drivers affect bird diversity and the ecosystem services and
multifunctionality birds provide along an urban-to-rural gradient in southeastern
Pennsylvania. The student will be supported in developing their own research project based on
their interests within the context of the larger Multifunctional Urban Landscapes research
theme.

Activities performed may include:


- field biodiversity surveys
- field and lab ecosystem service strength experiments
- analyses of large datasets
- quantitative method development
- GIS
- mentoring undergraduate research assistants

Applicants must have prior research experience and a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in
biology, environmental science, or other quantitative field. Ideal applicants are those with prior
ecological fieldwork experience plus familiarity GIS, statistics, and R. Most importantly, the
successful applicant will be well-organized, able to work both independently and in a team
setting, and motivated to learn.

Full applications are due to Temple’s Graduate School on December 15 (November 15 for
international applicants). However, interested applicants should initially contact Dr. Behm
(jebehm@temple.edu) by September 30, for priority consideration. Include in this initial contact
your CV, unofficial transcript, and a brief statement of interest that describes your relevant
background experiences, why you are interested in the position, and questions you have about
the research, etc. Applicants are strongly encouraged to first peruse the lab website and
publications prior to contact (http://www.iecolab.org).

The Integrative Ecology Lab is located within Temple’s Center for Biodiversity and housed in a
new LEED-Gold certified building on Temple's main campus in historic Philadelphia. Temple
University, founded in 1884, is a public R1 university with a diverse student body of ca. 30,000
students.

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Graduate Opportunities

6. PhD Assistantships/Fellowships at Michigan State University

Fellowships/assistantships are available for self-motivated students to pursue PhD degrees and
conduct innovative and high-impact research in the Center for Systems Integration and
Sustainability (CSIS) at Michigan State University (http://csis.msu.edu).
Applications are welcome from students with a variety of backgrounds and in a wide range of
disciplines, such as anthropology, artificial intelligence, behavioral science, biology, computer
science and engineering, conservation, data science, demography, ecology, economics,
environmental science and engineering, geographic information science, geography, geosciences,
land science, remote sensing, sociology, sustainability science, and other related fields.
Research topics may include telecoupling (telecoupling.org), giant pandas, food system resilience
and sustainability, sustainability science, protected areas, UN Sustainable Development Goals,
coupled human and natural systems, systems integration (e.g., integration of natural sciences such
as ecology with social sciences such as economics, policy, and technology), biodiversity
conservation, ecosystem services, food-energy-water-climate nexus, human well-being, nature-
based climate solutions, forest and landscape ecology, global change, wildlife ecology and
conservation, land change science, applications of AI and machine learning, and computer
modeling and simulation (e.g., agent-based modeling). Studies on these and other related topics
by faculty and students at CSIS have been published in journals such as Science and Nature.
With flexible start dates (e.g., spring, summer, or fall of 2025), successful candidates can build on
previous studies and explore new frontiers.
Application materials include: (1) letter of application, (2) CV or resume, (3) transcripts, (4) GRE
scores, (5) TOEFL scores (for non-native English speakers only), and (6) list of 3 referees (names
and contact information). Unofficial copies of GRE scores, TOEFL scores, and transcripts are OK
initially. Applicants are encouraged to submit their application materials as soon as
possible. Applications and questions about these opportunities should be emailed to:
Professor Jianguo (Jack) Liu
Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability
Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48823-5243, USA
liuji@msu.edu (email)
http://csis.msu.edu/people/jianguo-jack-liu

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Graduate Opportunities

7. Graduate Assistantship at UVA in Forest Response to Climate


We have two PhD openings in the Blumstein Lab in Environmental Sciences at UVA.
Lab: https://blumsteinm.github.io/index.html
Please check out the University of Virginia Environmental Science Department’s website for more
information on applying and requirements. If you are interested in joining the lab, please reach out
to me by email prior to the application due date (January 2025) with a short statement of interest
and a copy of the resume/CV. I also welcome students interested in collaborating on an NSF
Graduate Research Fellowship application (reach out if you want to learn more!).
About the Lab
We use tools from both ecological and evolutionary fields to examine how forests trees will
respond to the next century of stress and beyond. Below are two great references that give a
broad overview to the types of tools and questions utilized by the lab.
1. Cocciardi, J., A. Hoffman, D. Alvardo-Seranno, J. Anderson,. , M. Blumstein, …, M. Avolio.
2024. Nature Ecology & Evolution. The value of long-term ecological research for evolutionary
insights.
2. Blumstein, M. 2024. American Journal of Botany. The drivers of intraspecific trait variation
and their implications for future plant productivity and survival.

Please be in touch if you are interested in joining!


Meghan Blumstein
She/her
Assistant Professor
Environmental Sciences & Landscape Architecture
ycv4vb@virginia.edu
610.331.6584
University of Virginia
Environmental Sciences
291 McCormick Rd
Clark Hall 216
Charlottesville , VA 22904
blumsteinm.github.io

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Graduate Opportunities

8. Graduate Position in Landscape Ecology (to start Fall 2025):


I am seeking a graduate student to join my lab to conduct research on the geospatial dynamics of
ephemeral wetlands as a function of land-cover change, with subsequent characterization of
dynamic landscape connectivity.
Prospective students will be funded by a 9-month/year departmental Teaching Assistantship (3
years for M.S. students, 5 years for Ph.D. students) and possibly by additional graduate school
fellowships with awards ranging from $2500 for 1 year to $30,000/yr for 3 years.
Preference will be given to students with experience/coursework in landscape ecology, remote
sensing, and GIS.
Skills that will be acquired:
• Experience with ArcGIS
• Experience with Google Earth Engine
• Experience with R
• Connectivity analyses
• Curation of spatial datasets
• Scientific communication
To apply to my lab:
https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/join-my-lab
Applications are due by 1 January 2025
but space is limited, so early applications
are encouraged!
Nancy McIntyre, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
Tel. 1-806-834-7977
nancy.mcintyre@ttu.edu
https://sites.google.com/view/nancy-e-mcintyre/home

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Graduate Opportunities

9. PhD Position in Ecosystem Ecology at University of Texas at El Paso UTEP


The McLaren Lab at the University of Texas at El Paso is looking for graduate students interested
in working at the intersection of ecosystem and community ecology. A PhD position is available
on a USDA-funded project examining interactions between shrub encroachment and permafrost
dynamics and their effects on carbon cycling in coastal sub-arctic Alaska. The project will involve
summer or fall field work in Unalakleet, Alaska. The PhD student will assist with data collection
for the larger project while developing his/her dissertation project in conjunction with our research
questions. The student will be supported through a combination of RAships and TAships.
Qualified candidates should have a B.S. or M.S. (preferred) in Ecology, Biology, Environmental
Science or a related field, and show a strong interest in plant ecology, ecosystem ecology or
biogeochemistry. Ideal candidates will have some previous research experience in field ecology, a
strong work ethic, be able to work independently and with a field crew, and availability to begin
in June 2025 or earlier.
More information about my lab at UT El Paso is available at www.jenniemclaren.com More
information about the Department of Biological Sciences and its graduate programs can be found
at https://www.utep.edu/science/biology/ and https://www.utep.edu/science/eeb/
Applications for graduate school are due Nov 1, 2025 for Spring 2025 admission, and Feb 1, 2025
for Fall 2025 admission, but students are encouraged to contact me well in advance of that
date. Interested students should send a c.v. and short statement of research interests to Jennie
McLaren at jrmclaren@utep.edu prior to applying.

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Graduate Opportunities

10. Ph.D. Positions in Forest Hydrology at Louisiana State University

Research assistantships in the School of Renewable Natural Resources at Louisiana State


University (LSU SRNR) are available starting Spring and/or Fall semester 2025. Students will
work with Dr. Jun Xu with a research focus on forested wetland dynamics and forest hydrology in
southeast Louisiana. Wetland forests in this region play a key role in protecting coastal ecological
integrity and ecosystem services, but they are seriously impacted by sea level rise, saltwater
intrusion, and extreme weather conditions associated with climate change. Students will develop
projects that addresses these challenges through field monitoring and spatial analysis of long-term
existing data. Funding, including a competitive annual stipend and tuition waiver, is available for
PhD students through the LSU SRNR Gilbert Foundation Research Assistantship.
Qualifications: Completion of an MS degree with a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.6 on a 4-point
scale (or equivalent) is required. GRE test score requirements are 310 overall and 153, 144, 4.0 on
the verbal, quantitative and writing sections, respectively. Research experience in forest hydrology
and spatial analysis (i.e., GIS/RS) is preferred. For international students with English as a second
language, minimum scores are TOEFL, 550 (paper-based exam), 213 (computer-based exam), 79
(internet-based exam); IELTS, 6.5; or Pearson (PTE), 59.
Inquiries should be sent to Jun Xu (yjxu@lsu.edu). Email a letter of interest, CV including GRE
scores (required), and unofficial transcripts. Applications for the funding are due October 1, 2024
to be considered for enrollment in Spring 2025 and February 1, 2025 to be considered for
enrollment in Fall 2025.

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Graduate Opportunities

11. MS Position- Nutrient and Microplastic Transport in Urban Headwaters


Biology Department, Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University.

The Ecosystems in the Anthropocene Lab at Central Michigan University is recruiting for an MS
position. The successful applicant will work with Dr. Amanda Suchy
(https://www.cmich.edu/people/AMANDA-SUCHY) to complete a project quantifying the
deposition, retention, and mobilization of nutrients and microplastics in suburban watersheds in
Grand Rapids, MI. This project will involve both field and lab work, with field sites in suburban
neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, MI.
Qualifications:
B.S. in biology, ecology, environmental science, or a closely related field with a GPA > 3.0. A valid
driver’s license is necessary to travel to and from the field sites. Field work for this project will
require interaction and coordination with homeowners, so strong written and verbal
communication and organizational skills are necessary. Prior field or lab experience with urban
ecology, water chemistry, nitrogen cycling, soils, or microplastics is an asset.

Expectations: The selected applicant is expected to complete high-quality research, present their
research at regional or national conferences, and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Timeline: The expected start date is August 2025 with the possibility to begin May 2025.

Funding: Funding will consist of a combination of research and teaching assistantships for two
years. A 12-month stipend and full tuition waiver will be provided.

How to apply: Interested students should apply by submitting the following in 1 PDF file to Dr.
Amanda Suchy (suchy1a@cmich.edu)
1) Short statement of research interests, qualifications, and career goals (no longer than 1 page)
2) CV
3) Copies of unofficial transcripts with GPA
4) Contact information for three professional references.

Please include: “Urban headwaters MS” and your name in the email subject.

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Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until 10/21. I will contact you to
discuss your research interests and goals for graduate school to determine if you would be a good
fit for the lab. If selected, a full application must be submitted to the Biology Department at Central
Michigan University. Please do not apply to the CMU Graduate School/ Biology Department
without first contacting Dr. Suchy.

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Graduate Opportunities

12. Ten (10) Plant Biosecurity Ph.D. Opportunities in Australia


We currently have 10 PhD projects with AU$40,000/year tax-free scholarships open in the newly
funded ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity. Students in the Training Centre will be joining
a research partnership between three universities and over 20 partner organisations that is funded
by the Australian Research Council (ARC).
We encourage expressions of interest from students with Honours or Masters by Research degrees,
or who are currently completing their qualification, as well as people with an equivalent level of
research expertise. Please contact plantbiosecurity@anu.edu.au for more information. We are
accepting expressions of interest until 30 September 2024. See the website for more details.

All projects are designed to prepare students for a career. Students will gain the skills and networks
to land a job in government, industry, or academia upon graduation, with the confidence to move
up to leadership roles that are diverse, rewarding, and with great earning potential.
Non-Australian citizens can be considered for most projects. More PhD projects as well as four
post-doc positions will be announced in the next few months.
Link: https://plantbiosecuritycentre.edu.au/phd-opportunities/

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Graduate Opportunities

13. PhD position in the Sensory Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Lab at the AMNH
We seek applicants for a PhD position in the Sensory Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Lab
(SEEC) at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) with an interest in moths, bats,
sensory ecology, and conservation. Our current program is focused on understanding how light
pollution changes insect-bat interactions.

The AMNH’s Richard Gilder Graduate School PhD Program in Comparative Biology is an
accelerated and well-resourced 4-year doctoral degree in evolutionary biology, including a
competitive stipend. Our research will be conducted in the museum, using the world-class
Lepidoptera collections of the AMNH, and in the field at the AMNH’s Southwestern Research
Station (SWRS), using 3D high-speed videography and ultrasonic bioacoustics to document
moth-bat battles in an outdoor flight facility.

Please contact Jesse Barber, head of the SEEC Lab, with a letter of interest that describes your
background and research interests in sensory ecology and a copy of your CV:
barber.jesse@gmail.com. We are especially interested in candidates experienced in data analysis
and dissemination of research findings via peer-reviewed publications. The deadline
to submit your application is Nov. 1, 2024, prior to formal submission
to our graduate program. Position open until filled.

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Graduate Opportunities

14. Grad Assistantship in Forest Growth Modeling at the University of Montana


The University of Montana’s Department of Forest Management and the Inland Northwest
Growth & Yield Cooperative invite applications for a graduate assistantship on a project focused
on quantitative forest modeling. Regulation of tree density early in stand development has
important ecological and economic consequences for forest management. Despite this, there is a
lack of reliable, quantitative tools to characterize the short- and long-term response of trees and
stands to forest spacing or thinning treatments in the mixed-conifer forests of the inland
northwest. This project will draw on and extend a broad network of long-term experimental
installations distributed across western Montana and north Idaho to characterize the impacts of
density manipulation on tree and stand attributes as well as to develop decision-support tools for
forest managers.
The graduate student will research to develop models of tree and/or stand response to early
thinning, to identify key drivers, and to compare outcomes against projections from regional
growth models. They will also participate in field research to extend the measurement schedule
of existing experimental trials. Responsibilities include collaborative work with UM faculty and
staff, as well as with cooperating researchers and land managers; communicating results through
presentations and other formats; and publication of results in peer-reviewed journals.

Four semesters and two summers of support are available, including salary, tuition, mandatory
fees, and health insurance. Travel funds are available for fieldwork and scientific conference
presentations.

Required Qualifications
- Ability to meet the requirements for admission to the relevant graduate degree program
- Ability to implement applied statistical analyses in R or Python
- Excellent communication and time management skills
- Ability to work independently and to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines

Preferred Qualifications
- Academic background in forestry or familiarity with silvicultural practices and forest stand
dynamics
- Experience with forest measurements and field sampling, including logistics and off-trail
navigation
- Advanced training and coursework in statistics and mathematics
- A record of publication in the peer-reviewed literature

Application Procedure
Please send a single PDF file containing a cover letter describing your interest and how you meet
the position qualifications, current CV, unofficial transcripts, and names and contacts of three
professional references to Dr. David Affleck at david.affleck@umontana.edu. Submit your
materials by 10 January 2025 for full consideration.

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Graduate Opportunities

15. Ph.D. Position in Plant-Microbiome Symbiosis, LSU


Link: https://www.tanlabecology.com/home
Our research focuses on plant-microbiome symbiosis, with an emphasis on the fitness impacts of
microbial communities on plants in the context of climate change. We use synthetic community
approaches, involving isolating and cultivating diverse plant-associated microbes, and employ
high-throughput plant phenotyping systems to investigate the mechanisms driving species
interactions within microbiomes, microbiome assembly, and biodiversity-ecosystem function
relationships.

We invite applications from highly motivated individuals interested in pursuing a PhD in our lab
starting in Fall 2025. Incoming students will have the opportunity to develop their research projects
and contribute to our existing research efforts. Competitive stipends are provided through research
and teaching assistantships, with additional fellowships available for exceptional candidates. GRE
scores are no longer a requirement for our graduate program admissions. For more details about
our graduate program, application process, and deadlines, please visit our graduate program page.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to reach out to Jiaqi Tan at jtan7@lsu.edu with their CV,
unofficial transcripts, and personal statement.

Information about our graduate


program: https://www.lsu.edu/science/biosci/programs/graduate/index.php

Jiaqi Tan
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Louisiana State University
Email: jtan7@lsu.edu

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Graduate Opportunities

16. M.S. Graduate Research Assistantship in Juvenile Salmon Ecology at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks “Juneau Campus

Responsibilities: “The successful applicant will be part of a multi-disciplinary study to link


hydrologic variation with juvenile salmon movement, foraging, and growth in Southeast Alaska
streams. In the coming decades, regional watersheds are predicted to experience more dramatic
low flows due to diminished snowpack and seasonal droughts interspersed with larger and
potentially more frequent high flow from storms (atmospheric rivers) and rain-on-snow events.
Such changes will influence the food webs that support juvenile salmon, and how these fishes
move and forage in freshwater before migrating to the ocean.

The student will be tasked with developing a high-resolution mechanistic study to examine how
the sequence of high and low-flow events that a watershed experiences influences aquatic food
webs and juvenile salmon movement, foraging, and growth. Results will develop and inform
hypotheses regarding how ongoing and future changes in stream flows in the Gulf of Alaska
rivers may reshape fish growth and life history, which can inform broader-scale studies and
monitoring. The project is part of a partnership between the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the
Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, the University of Alaska Southeast, and the
U.S. Geological Survey “providing a unique mentorship opportunity for the graduate student.

Qualifications: B.S. in fisheries biology, ecology, or a closely related field. Experience


conducting field and/or lab research in freshwater ecosystems and interest in ecohydrology are
preferred.

Benefits:” highly competitive stipend, plus tuition waiver and student health benefits for 2 years.

Closing date: “Applications will be accepted through Friday, September 23, 2024. The start date
will be early January 2025.

Contact: “Send a cover letter describing your professional interests and experience, CV, copies of
unofficial transcripts, and contact information for three references to Drs. Ryan Bellmore
(james.r.bellmore@usda.gov) and Curry Cunningham (cjcunningham@alaska.edu).

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Compiled by Okikiola Michael Alegbeleye
Graduate Opportunities

17. PhD Positions in Quantitative Ecology at the University of Kentucky


The Quantitative Population Ecology group in the Department of Biology at the University of
Kentucky is recruiting a PhD student for Fall 2025. Current research projects in the group
include, but are not limited to:
- Detection of inverse stochastic resonance in cyclic population dynamics using neural odes
- Scaling of group size in cooperative predators
- Developing methods to validate ecological forecasts.

Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology (or related field), Statistics, or Applied Math (or
related - field).
- Ability to demonstrate strong quantitative skills.

The Biology Program at the UK


The Department of Biology guarantees each PhD student support upon their acceptance to the
program. Support includes a stipend ($28,520 for a 9-month appointment), tuition/mandatory fee
waiver, and health insurance.

Applications are due Dec. 15, interested individuals should reach out to Jake
(jake.ferguson@uky.edu) to discuss potential projects well in advance of this deadline. More
information on the graduate program and application process is available
at https://biograd.as.uky.edu/.

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Compiled by Okikiola Michael Alegbeleye
Graduate Opportunities

18. Three/Four Graduate Positions in Saunders’ Lab at Purdue University


The Saunders’ lab at Purdue University has several open assistantships, all with a potential start
date of January 2025 or August 2025. These assistantships include:

1. HEE Digital Forestry “ This project can support either two M.S. students or one Ph.D.
student. The research will focus on synthesizing digital data streams with nearly two decades of
existing ground-based forest inventory data at the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE) in
southern Indiana (https://heeforeststudy.org). The exact research topic can vary a bit, but the
effort will need to summarize both the growth and carbon storage of the HEE treatments over the
first 20 years of the study. The student(s), depending on level, will be expected to develop 1-3
other lines of inquiry; these could range from developing approaches for the use of lidar in young
hardwood forests (<30 years old) to testing new lidar and multispectral platforms for modeling C
dynamics. This work will be in collaboration with Drs. Brady Hardimann (forestry) and Jinha
Jung (civil engineering) and housed within the Institute of Digital Forestry
(https://ag.purdue.edu/digital-forestry/). Simply put, I expect this research to be a silviculture-
based project with a digital forestry flair.

2. HTIRC White Oak Artificial Regeneration: “This project will support a Ph.D. student (or a
very ambitious M.S. student). The research will quantify the growth and survival of planted
white oak seedlings in enrichment/underplanting contexts. This study continues monitoring
replicated underplanting/enrichment plantings after gap-based harvesting at southern Indiana
sites. In addition, this project will expand the network of plantings at several FNR properties
(Miller, Ochata, SEPAC, Martell) throughout the state. It is expected that the student will help
install and maintain several of these white oak plantations. The individual will likely also assist
in shade house and greenhouse studies with white oak near campus, likely in cooperation with
Dr. Morgan Furze (botany and plant pathology).

3. Carbon Modeling - The project will support an M.S. student. The research is associated with a
large oak ecosystem restoration effort on the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape. This
individual will be in charge of collecting ground-based forest inventory data from private lands
that will be treated to remove invasives and regenerate oak. The individual will then project
future forest growth on these sites using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (or similar growth and
yield model) to estimate how much these treatments affect C stocks. The individual will work
closely with another MS/PhD student and collaborate closely with Dr. Songlin Fei; both will be
collecting imagery from the same sites to estimate C sequestration and then projecting treatments
across a much broader spatial scale in southern Indiana.

Assistantships are awarded at $28,500 (MS) or $31,000 (PhD) per year and include a subsidized
insurance plan. Positions are funded for 2.5 (MS) or 4 (PhD) years and will be based at Purdue
University’s West Lafayette campus. Field sites are located across the state, but mostly south of
Indianapolis. Therefore, the position will require travel between campus and the field throughout
the year depending on data needs. The individual may occasionally collect field data in adverse
environmental conditions typical of southern Indiana.
______________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by Okikiola Michael Alegbeleye
Graduate Opportunities

Qualifications:
1. B.S. or M.S. in Forestry or a closely-related field
2. Minimum GPA of 3.0 (3.2 preferred)
3. 6 months of ecological research fieldwork experience
4. Strong oral and written communication skills
5. Valid driver’s license with a good driving record
6. FAA 107 certificate for UAS operations (preferred, not required)
7. Demonstrated technical and scientific writing
Please contact Dr. Mike Saunders before submitting a formal application to Purdue’s Graduate
School (http://www.purdue.edu/gradschool/). Applications will be reviewed as they are received;
please indicate what position(s) you are interested in.

Mike Saunders
Professor of Silviculture
msaunder@purdue.edu
765-430-1440

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Compiled by Okikiola Michael Alegbeleye

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