Ecology REU / Internship in Iceland Summer 2014 We are looking for four undergraduates or recent graduates to join our team of interdisciplinary researchers in Northeast Iceland during this coming summer. Broadly, we study the dynamics of Lake Mývatns aquatic insect emergences and their effects on within-lake and around-lake ecosystems and communities. Interns will be expected to assist in both ongoing research at this LTREB (Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology) site and to complete an independent research project.
ELIGIBILITY: We expect these internships to include both REU and non-REU positions. To be eligible for a NSF-REU, applicants must be non-graduating undergraduate students with US citizenship. SELECTION CRITERIA AND RESPONSIBILITIES: We will consider the ability of a student to conduct a semi- independent research project, live and work with our team under field conditions in rural Iceland, benefit from the experience, and contribute to our ongoing research project. The research focuses on understanding the population dynamics of midges in Mývatn and the role these populations play in the dynamics of the aquatic and surrounding terrestrial food webs. The students will participate with international faculty, post-docs, and graduate students conducting research in Iceland. This includes collecting and processing arthropod, zooplankton, sediment, and plant samples and conducting lab and field experiments. Roughly half the research will be conducted in aquatic systems, and half in terrestrial systems. Relevant skills and experience include previous lab and, especially, field research. Competitive candidates will have a strong work ethic, microscope proficiency, enjoy working outdoors, experience on boats, comfort in operating power tools and small-engine machinery, foreign travel/cross-cultural experiences, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to work both in a team and independently. APPLICATION COMPONENTS: 1. Cover letter Your cover letter should outline your background and the reasons why you would be a good candidate for this position. Include a discussion of why you want this position and how it relates to your career goals. Also, be specific about experiences and skills you are bringing to the position. Make your case for why you should get the position, highlighting details from your resume or other pertinent information that might not appear on your resume. Please include your citizenship and your current and future educational plans. 2. Resume Submit a current resume that details your education and work experience. Please provide in your resume the names and contact information for at least two references that we can contact to ask specific questions about your background and qualifications for the position. Submit your application as a single pdf (only 1 file), including cover letter and resume. Send your pdf by e-mail to Kyle Webert, Department of Zoology, [email protected]. Include your surname in the file (e.g., Smith_Iceland_application.pdf). Put 2014 Summer Research in Iceland in the subject line of the email. After initial screening of materials, finalists will be contacted for interviews in mid-March. DEADLINE: For full consideration for summer 2014 internships, please submit your application by March 2, 2014. ADDITIONAL DETAILS: All positions include travel expenses to and from Iceland, food and lodging, and a small stipend (around $1,000 for the summer). Interns are expected to join the research team in Iceland from the first week of June to late August. A critical part of the program is conducting your own research project under our guidance. We also expect the student to take the lead communicating the results of their work. Past summer research interns have completed their projects as senior research theses, or have presented their work at national conferences. We are excited about this research and our 2014 field season! If you have any questions about the position, or our work in general, please dont hesitate to email us. More information about our work and field experience can be found at our blog, http://uwmyvatn.blogspot.com/ Contacts: Kyle Webert (graduate student) - [email protected] Cristina Herren (graduate student) - [email protected] Tony Ives (professor) - [email protected] http://www.zoology.wisc.edu/faculty/ive/ive.html Claudio Gratton (professor) - [email protected] http://gratton.entomology.wisc.edu/category/ecosystem-linkages/
