The School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, seeks a motivated Ph.D.
student to conduct field and greenhouse experiments near Flagstaff, Arizona
starting in Fall 2015. The student will be co-advised by Matthew Bowker and
Pete Fulé. The student will explore the feasibility of using greenhouse
cultured soil mosses as a restoration material to reduce erosion and restore
hydrological function after severe wildfire. The project will: 1. Develop
best practices for ex-situ cultivation of a multi-species fire moss
inoculum. 2. Determine field establishment rates of greenhouse-produced fire
moss inoculum on burned soil. 3. Document the ecological roles of fire
mosses in post-fire succession in Arizona ponderosa pineforests. 4. Conduct
a preliminary economic feasibility analysis of a hypothetical post-fire
restoration technology based on mosses. Four years of funding are available
to the student (Annual stipend of $19,950, tuition remission, and student
health coverage) in addition to modest project costs. The student will be
strongly encouraged and helped to seek additional resources (grants,
scholarships, etc.) to help extend the project.
Research Environment: The School of Forestry is one of the top Forestry
Schools in the nation, and a productive research environment, with faculty
members specializing in a variety of ecological topics such as landscape
ecology, ecological restoration, plant ecophysiology, entomology, hydrology,
and soil ecology among other topics.
Preferred Qualifications: Master of Science in Forestry, Biology,
Environmental Science or related field, or a Bachelor of Science in these
fields supplemented with research experience (undergraduate thesis, capstone
or internship, or employment-related experience). Candidates with field
research experience will be strongly favored, especially in maintenance and
construction of field experiments. Candidates with previous experience in
soil ecology and/or fire ecology will also be favored. Field work will take
place in remote areas, elevation 7000-9000 feet, with steep and rugged
terrain. The candidate must satisfy all requirements set by the School of
Forestry, and Northern Arizona University.
Admissions requirements (Deadline March 15, 2015):
GPA of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale in all college and university work
GRE scores in the top 40th percentile
If English is not your native language:
a score of at least 80 on the internet-based TOEFL or
550 on the paper-based TOEFL or
213 on the computer-based TOEFL
Three letters of recommendation
How to apply: First contact us directly ([email protected],
[email protected]) to state your research interests, and motivations for
attending graduate school, with fire moss graduate student inquiry in the
header. Please provide a resume or C.V., and provide your GRE scores and
GPA. If we agree that you are a good match for the position, we will
encourage you to apply to the program.
Useful Links
Dr. Bowkers web page - http://[email protected]
Dr. Fulés web page -
http://nau.edu/CEFNS/Forestry/Faculty-and-Staff/Directory/Fulé/
School of Forestry - http://nau.edu/cefns/forestry/
SOF Ph.D. program - http://nau.edu/CEFNS/Forestry/Degrees/PhD/
