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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Aquatic Science Graduate Fellowships

The Great Lakes WATER (Wisconsin Aquatic Technology and Environmental Research) Institute of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) is seeking outstanding applicants for several multi-year fellowships, including the James E. Dutton Fellowship and the James D. and Dorothy Shaw Fellowships in Freshwater Science, to support graduate study at the doctoral level. The Great Lakes WATER Institute is located directly on Lake Michigan and is the largest U.S. institution of its kind in the Great Lakes region. Scientists at the Institute conduct research in aquatic ecology and technology, biogeochemistry, aquaculture, fisheries, and environmental health, focusing on the Great Lakes and other freshwater systems. Interested students can look at the Institute website (www.glwi.uwm.edu/) for specific research descriptions and scientist profiles. Under the direction of Institute scientists, graduate degrees can be pursued through programs with existing campus departments in biological sciences, chemistry, geosciences, and engineering. Students are encouraged to contact Institute scientists directly concerning their specific interests in graduate studies. For information concerning how to apply for the fellowships and graduate studies at UWM, contact Dr. Harvey Bootsma (hbootsma@uwm.edu), Great Lakes WATER Institute, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53204.

Winter Limnology Graduate Research Assistant

Winter Limnology: A Master of Science Research Assistantship is available at Clarkson University for participation in a winter limnology research program on Lake Erie funded by New York Sea Grant. The project will examine the phenomenon of plankton productivity in Lake Erie during winter and the ecological fate of plankton biomass. The projects will involve field work on a coast guard ice breaker during ice conditions and on major research vessels during ice-free conditions.

The research assistant will form his or her thesis on measurements of primary and bacterial productivity in the field and contribute to a team of researchers involved with linking winter productivity to summer hypoxia in Lake Erie.

Selected individuals will enroll in Clarkson University’s Environmental Science and Engineering Program.

Qualifications
Minimum qualifications include a BS in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Engineering or related field. The ability to conduct field work on ships is necessary; this entails no food allergies and physical fitness appropriate for rigorous field work.

Assistantships include 24-months of stipend ($20,670 per year), full tuition coverage, and benefits.

The starting date is negotiable but will be from January 2009 until a suitable candidate is selected.

Clarkson University is an affirmative action equal opportunity employer.

For more details please contact:
Michael Twiss, mtwiss@clarkson.edu

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Graduate Student Assistantships, Fish Ecology

Graduate student (PhD and MS) assistantships available to participate in research projects exploring ecological dynamics of fish in Lake Michigan and inland lakes in Indiana. These projects involve an integration of field studies, laboratory analyses, controlled experiments and quantitative modeling analyses.

Specific research topics include:

1) Early life stage and recruitment dynamics (linking early life growth and survival to physical processes)
2) Intra-specific life history trait variation (inter-population variation of maturation schedules, growth rates, and egg characteristics)
3) Ecological effects of eutrophication (effects of nutrient loading and resulting hypoxia on fish behavior, growth, and survival).

Selected individuals will enroll in Purdue University’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (www.fnr.purdue.edu) in West Lafayette, IN.

Minimum qualifications include a BS (for MS position) or MS (for PhD position) in Biology, Ecology, Fisheries Science, or related field; GPA of 3.2 or greater; and above average GRE scores (at least 50th percentile for quantitative and verbal; at least 4.0 for analytical writing).

Assistantships include 12-month stipend, full tuition coverage, and insurance.

Exact start date is negotiable (can start sometime from April-August 2009).

The positions will remain open until filled. For full consideration, please respond by 19-December-2009 and submit cover letter, CV, GRE scores (unofficial is fine), transcript (unofficial is fine), and names and contact numbers of three references to Tomas Höök (thook@purdue.edu; 765-496-6799; www.fnr.purdue.edu/faculty/hook/index.shtml).

For more details please contact:
Tomas Höök
thook@purdue.edu

Purdue University is an affirmative action equal opportunity employer.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Graduate Student Position: stream and watershed biogeochemistry

Funding is available for a either a M.S. or Ph.D. student in the Department of Biology and Wildlife at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The student will join a broader research project examining stream and watershed hydro- biogeochemistry in the boreal forest of Alaska. Discontinuous permafrost underlies much of the boreal forest of interior Alaska and has a major effect on watershed carbon and nutrient fluxes by controlling watershed hydrology and the storage of organic matter in soil. With climatic warming, permafrost is thawing, which will alter watershed hydrology and release soil carbon and nutrients to streams and the atmosphere. Our research examines the implications of climate change on watershed hydrology, nutrient fluxes and stream biogeochemistry. This work is funded through the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Program (http://www.lter.uaf.edu/) and is focused in the Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watersheds (CPCRW) located near Fairbanks. Additional information about research in my lab can be found at http://users.iab.uaf.edu/~jay_jones/.

Review of applications by the Department of Biology and Wildlife at the University of Alaska Fairbanks begins January 15. For more information, please contact Dr. Jay Jones at ffjbj@uaf.edu or 907- 474-7972.

Graduate Student Opportunities, Aquatic Ecology

We are seeking 3 graduate students to work as part of a multidisciplinary team on an NSERC-funded strategic research program in the area of Aquatic Biogeochemistry and Ecology. The project is intended to determine the sensitivity of key biogeochemical processes of aquatic ecosystems to patterns of urbanization. The graduate positions would be based at Trent University as part of the Environmental and Life Sciences (ELS) Graduate Program. Financial support will be provided through a combination of research and teaching assistantships. Interested candidates should have a background in ecology, environmental science, physical geography, hydrology, biology and/or environmental chemistry and be able to develop and conduct independent scientific research. For more information on the ELS graduate program at Trent University please see http://www.trentu.ca/els/.


The positions would ideally begin between January and September 2009. The graduate positions are intended to be funded at the Ph.D. level but we will consider exceptional M.Sc. candidates. For consideration, please send to the appropriate contact below (e-mail is preferred): a letter of intent, a statement of interests, a c.v., and the contact information for 3 references.


1) Carbon and nutrient burial in urban aquatic ecosystems. This graduate project will study how the rates and efficiency of elemental (C, N, and P) retention in urban aquatic ecosystems relate to key ecosystem and watershed properties. The student will be primarily supervised by Dr. Paul Frost (http://people.trentu.ca/paulfrost/).


2) Water budgets and export of elements from urban catchments. This project investigates how the timing and quantity of hydrological flow affects the delivery of C, N and P to urban aquatic ecosystems. The student will be primarily supervised by Dr. James Buttle (http://www.trentu.ca/academic/geography/Buttle.html).


3) Greenhouse gases fluxes in urban aquatic ecosystems. This project will examine the magnitude of carbon and nitrogen greenhouse gas losses to the atmosphere from urban aquatic ecosystems and the biological and physico-chemical processes that control these fluxes. The student will be primarily supervised by Dr. Marguerite Xenopoulos (http://people.trentu.ca/mxenopoulos).


To apply or for more information please contact the potential supervisor associated with project of interest:

Dr. Paul Frost
Department of Biology
paulfrost@trentu.ca

Dr. James Buttle
Department of Geography
jbuttle@trentu.ca

Dr. Marguerite Xenopoulos
Department of Biology
mxenopoulos@trentu.ca

TWO GRADUATE STUDENT POSITIONS, POPULATION ECOLOGY AND GENETICS OF INVASIVE ASCIDIAN TUNICATES

Subject to the success of a pending grant application, positions will be available in early 2009 for two PhD students to conduct thesis research on the population ecology and genetics of invasive ascidian tunicates in Newfoundland coastal waters. An MSc in one of either Biology, Marine Biology, Biological Oceanography, Ecology, Molecular Biology or Genetics is required for each of these positions, as appropriate. The students will join a research team working on the genetics and population dynamics of invasive ascidians in Newfoundland. This work is highly relevant to scientific and management concerns of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and will be done in collaboration with DFO scientists. One of the students will conduct field work on the population dynamics of invasive ascidians and the other will use a variety of molecular techniques, such as DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction, and DNA sequencing and sequence analysis to develop species-specific molecular probes and quantitative PCR assays for native and invasive ascidians.

Two years ago, we discovered several species of invasive ascidians in several Newfoundland harbours, and our continued survey work is adding to our knowledge of the geographic distribution of these species on the Newfoundland coast. Invasive ascidians are a major threat to species diversity globally and to the economic viability of aquaculture farms both in Canada and abroad. Our work has resulted in the first report of invasive ascidians in Newfoundland, and one of our objectives is to obtain the scientific knowledge required to anticipate the potential for further invasion and to know when and where to apply mitigation measures.

The Ocean Sciences Centre of Memorial University of Newfoundland is located on the open coast of the North Atlantic Ocean, 10 km from main campus. The OSC consists of approximately 125 faculty, students and staff housed in three research buildings. There are more than 50 graduate students conducting thesis research at the OSC. For more information on the OSC please click on . Memorial University is located in St. John's, the provincial capital. St. John's is a vibrant city with a metropolitan population of ca. 200,000 and an exciting cultural and civic life. The climate is cool maritime, strongly influenced by the Labrador Current, which flows just offshore. Memorial University, the largest post-secondary institution in Canada east of Montreal, has an international student body of > 15,000 students and ca. 2,000 graduate students. For more information on Memorial Univeristy and St. John's, please click on .

Please send a letter of interest and your curriculum vitae, preferably via email, to the following address to indicate your interest in either of these positions.

Dr. Don Deibel
Ocean Sciences Centre
Memorial University
St. John's, Newfoundland A1C 5S7

Ph.D. Student Position – Stream biogeochemistry in the Alaskan Arctic

Applicants are invited to apply for a Ph.D. student position in Dr. James McClelland’s lab at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) to work on a collaborative study of stream biogeochemistry on the North Slope of Alaska. Recent climate change has dramatically impacted the Arctic, and oxidation of organic carbon stored in permafrost may create a positive feedback to global warming. We are specifically investigating relationships between chemical weathering phenomena and organic carbon export with the aim of developing new proxies for tracking arctic climate change, permafrost stability, and carbon export at the watershed scale. This year’s deadline for applications to become a graduate student at UTMSI is December 1, 2008. Field work will begin in 2009. UTMSI is an organized research unit of the University of Texas at Austin, and is located on the Gulf Coast in Port Aransas.

For more information, please contact Dr. McClelland at jimm@mail.utexas.edu or 361-749-6756.

$30,000 PhD Fellowships

PhD Fellowships Available $30,000 NSF stipend plus tuition and fees IGERT in Adaptive Management

The Center for Environmental Policy at the University of Florida has received an NSF-IGERT grant and is offering PhD Fellowships. Our IGERT program in Adaptive Management focuses on research and training experiences for doctoral students that integrate the physical, biological, chemical, and social sciences to address the chosen research theme, Wise Use of Water, Wetlands, and Watersheds. The program links four colleges, fifteen departments, and three research centers at the University of Florida with international wetlands research centers in Africa, India, and south Florida. A core set of interdisciplinary team taught courses are a key part of the educational experience of our fellows. In addition, fellows will spend each summer at one of the international research centers researching and exploring, first hand, Adaptive Management and the science, engineering, and policy frameworks that are necessary to drive it.

IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Our NSF-IGERT fellowship awards include tuition waivers, funds for travel and some supplies. In accordance with NSF policy, applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.

Application deadline: February 15, 2009

Additional information and application guidelines are on-line
at http://amw3igert.ufl.edu

CONTACT:
Dr. Mark T. Brown, Director, Center for Environmental Policy
University of Florida
P.O. Box 116350
Gainesville, FL 32611
Email: mtb@ufl.edu
Phone: (352) 392-2425

Graduate Opportunities for River and Wetland Engineering Research

The departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech have openings for several highly qualified and motivated graduate students interested in stream, wetland, and river science and engineering beginning August 2009. We study the interaction among stream, wetland, and river hydrology, geomorphology, biogeochemistry, and ecology and their application to aquatic ecosystem restoration and watershed planning. Depending on interests and qualifications, students would work with one or more of the following faculty:


• Panos Diplas, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Baker Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory, pdiplas@vt.edu, http://www.hydraulicslab.cee.vt.edu/: Potential projects include: 1) Bridge foundation scour, 2) Incipient particle movement under turbulent flow conditions, 3) Impact of unsteady river flow on bank erosion, 4) Wetland hydrodynamics, 5) Hyporheic flows, 6) In-stream flow control structures


• W. Cully Hession, Biological Systems Engineering, chession@vt.edu, http://twosweet.bse.vt.edu/Cully: Potential projects include: 1) understanding linkages between channel morphology and aquatic habitat/ecosystem health; 2) quantifying the influence of streamside vegetation on stream channel morphology; and 3) developing constructed wetlands for stormwater runoff control.


• Erich Hester, Civil and Environmental Engineering, ehester@vt.edu, http://filebox.vt.edu/users/ehester/website/index.html: Potential projects include 1) evaluating how channel morphology, hydraulics, and vegetation patterns control inundation patterns, surface water-groundwater (hyporheic) exchange, light, and temperature in streams and rivers, 2) evaluating the impact of human-caused temperature change on river organisms, and 3) developing techniques to reduce human temperature impacts. Work will entail field work, numerical modeling, and possibly lab work.


• Durelle Scott, Biological Systems Engineering, dscott@vt.edu, https://filebox.vt.edu/users/dscott/web/: Examples of current opportunities: Coupled carbon and nitrogen cycling within forested watersheds, Impacts on riverine export in response to hydrologic variability (e.g. flood magnitude & frequency), Water and nutrient export across a gradient in watershed glacier coverage, Engineering enhancement of in-stream nutrient retention within stream networks. All projects involve a combination of fieldwork, laboratory experimentation, and numerical modeling.


• Tess Wynn, Biological Systems Engineering, tesswynn@vt.edu, http://twosweet.bse.vt.edu/Tess/index.asp: A current opportunity exists to develop a wetland water budget model for use in wetland creation/restoration design. This is a collaborative project with soil scientists and geologists; the student would be responsible for developing and testing the surface water component and assisting with field work in support of the modeling project. Other potential projects include investigating the role of roots in streambank erosion and exploring the interaction between hydrology, carbon sources, and microbial communities in stormwater bioretention cells (aka rain gardens).


Students should have a B.S. in a relevant engineering or science field by the start date (M.S. preferred for Ph.D. program). Highly developed quantitative skills (numerical methods, modeling, fluid dynamics, computer programming) are preferred for modeling projects. Students capable of rigorous field work are necessary for the field studies, and field or laboratory experience is preferred. Interest, motivation, and writing skills are also important. Openings are available for both M.S. and Ph.D. students, depending on the skills, background, and interests of the student. Those without engineering backgrounds may need to take a number of undergraduate math or engineering courses either before enrolling or at Virginia Tech as part of the graduate program. Interested students should contact those faculty whose projects most closely match their interests (see email addresses above), and include a CV, statement of research interests, reasons for pursuing a graduate degree, and contact info for at least 2 references. Please include GPAs, summary of relevant courses, and GRE scores (including percentiles) on your CV, or include a pdf of your transcript(s).

Virginia Tech is in Blacksburg VA in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia. It has a small town feel and great access to outdoor activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, etc. See http://www.vt.edu/where_we_are/blacksburg/index.html for more information.