MS Positions Available Arctic Systems Ecology South Dakota State University Department of Natural Resource Management
Two MS research assistant positions are available (Jan. 2017) in the Leffler Lab of the Department of Natural Resource Management for students interested climate change, plant ecology, plant-animal interactions, or range ecology of the far north. Students will participate in a NSF-funded multidisciplinary project examining the future of caribou forage in northern Alaska. All research will be based at Toolik Lake LTER in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range. Students will examine how a long-term climate change experiment has altered the quantity and quality of forage for arctic caribou and how vegetation quantity and quality varies on the North Slope of Alaska. This is an opportunity to get involved with a large-scale project that include ecologists, remote-sensing specialists, snow hydrologists, ecosystem modelers, and others interested in human/caribou relationships. I seek students with strong backgrounds in ecology, quantitative skills, and a willingness to work in remote Alaska. Experience with plant identification, vegetation sampling techniques, dataloggers, and data manipulation/analysis using R is desired. Students must commit to three field seasons (ca. late-May to mid-August) in Alaska. The MS assistantships include a stipend of ca. $17k/year, tuition waiver, and room and board at Toolik during summer. The Department of Natural Resource Management at South Dakota State University combines Range, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Ecology within the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. SDSU is the Land Grant University for the state and has approximately 13,000 students. SDSU is located in Brookings, SD ca. one hour north of Sioux Falls and four hours east of the Twin Cities, and offers a low cost-of-living in a small college-town atmosphere. Toolik Lake LTER (68˚ 38 N, 149˚ 36 W) is located in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range, just west of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The station is the premier arctic research site in the USA. It is home to caribou, ptarmigan, snow geese, and up to 150 researchers at peak season. It features laboratories, comfortable accommodations, great home cooking, quality internet, and the best 4th of July parade youll ever experience. To apply, send a single PDF with CV; unofficial transcripts; a letter describing your experience, research interests, and career goals; and contact information for three professional references to Josh Leffler ([email protected]).
