Ph.D. research assistantship available in Turtle Ecology and Conservation at University of Rhode Island on a USDA-funded project that will examine how forest fragmentation and creation of early-successional habitats affect turtle demography and movements. Field research includes trapping, marking, and conducting radio-telemetry on turtles at numerous wetlands in Rhode Island. “Laboratory” work will include using a geographic information system to identify suitable wetlands and model turtle movements relative to proximity and size of forest fragments, as well as quantifying the demographic consequences of forest loss near wetlands for turtle populations.
Selected student must be able to start by January 2013. Applicants should be hard-working, self-motivated field biologists with a strong interest in wetlands and turtle conservation. Field experience with turtles and radio-telemetry, and proficiency in the use of geographic information systems are required. Experience in handling snapping turtles will be looked upon favorably. Driver’s license is necessary. Applicants must have successfully completed a research master’s degree in ecology or related field, have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, and must have taken the GRE. International students for whom English is not their first language will need to have taken the TOEFL. Strong writing, oral communication, and statistical skills are required. Research assistantship provides a stipend of approximately $25,000/yr (3 years of RA support guaranteed; potential for two additional years of TA support), health insurance, and a tuition waiver. To apply submit the following by email: a letter stating your qualifications and research interests, CV, copies of college transcripts and GRE scores, and contact information for three references (not letters) by no later than 5 September 2012 (early application is encouraged!) to Dr. Nancy E. Karraker, Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881 (401-874-2916; [email protected]). See the following websites for further information about the research and training program of the Department (http://nrs.uri.edu/), of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences (http://www.uri.edu/cels/), and of the University of Rhode Island (http://www.uri.edu/). Note: I will be attending the 2012 World Congress of Herpetology in Vancouver in August. If you will attend the conference and would like to meet to discuss the position, please email me as soon as possible at [email protected]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nancy E. Karraker Assistant Professor of Wetland Ecology Department of Natural Resources Science University of Rhode Island 105 Coastal Institute at Kingston Kingston, Rhode Island 02881 USA Email: [email protected] Phone: 401-874-2916 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
