MSc in Wildlife (Avian) Ecology We are seeking an outstanding student to pursue a MSc in Wildlife Ecology in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology (FWE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The student’s thesis will involve studying the nesting habitat associations and population status of the federally threatened Marbled Murrelet. The successful applicant will be responsible for: (1) conducting two field seasons of murrelet survey work in northern California; (2) analyzing and interpreting a long-term population trend dataset collected on private and public lands; and (3) developing a spatially-explicit habitat suitability model for marbled murrelets in the region. Fieldwork involves dawn surveys to count murrelets in forested habitats and identify potential nesting areas.
The successful applicant will be funded through TAships in the Spring and Fall semesters in ornithology and lower-division a conservation biology course, and as a field technician during the summer. The student will be co-advised by Dr. Zach Peery (website: http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/peery/) and Dr. Anna Pidgeon (website: http://silvis.forest.wisc.edu/people/anna-pidgeon). Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree in wildlife, conservation biology, ecology or closely related field. Applicants with strong quantitative skills and a background in avian ecology (including bird identification) will be given preference. To be considered for this position, please send a cover letter outlining your interests and research background, a curriculum vitae (including GPA and GRE scores), and contact information for three professional references (name, email, phone, address) as either a PDF or MS Word file to [email protected]. The selected student is expected to enroll at the UW-Madison in the Fall Semester of 2016 or Spring Semester of 2017. More details on the graduate programs can be found at http://forestandwildlifeecology.wisc.edu/graduate-overview. Application materials will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found. For more info, contact: Zach Peery Associate Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin, Madison Madison, WI 53706 [email protected]
