The McLaren Lab at the University of Texas at El Paso is looking for graduate students interested in working at the intersection of ecosystem and community ecology. A PhD position is available on an NSF-funded project examining the role of small mammals on carbon cycling in arctic tundra. This project will use a combination of field experiments with manipulations of mammal densities, measurements of plant and soil responses, and modeling and is a collaboration with faculty at Columbia University, Towson University, University of New Hampshire and the Marine Biological Laboratory. The project will involve summer field work in Alaska at Toolik Field Station, Barrow and Nome. The PhD student will assist with data collection for the larger project while developing his/her own dissertation project in conjunction with our research questions. The student will be support through a combination of RAships and TAships.
Qualified candidates should have a B.S. or M.S. (preferred) in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Science or related field, and show a strong interest in plant ecology, ecosystem ecology or biogeochemistry. Ideal candidates will have some previous research experience in field ecology, a strong work ethic, be able to work independently and with a field crew, and availability to begin in June 2017. More information about my lab at UT El Paso is available at www.jenniemclaren.com More information about the Department of Biological Sciences and its graduate programs can be found at http://science.utep.edu/biology/ and http://science.utep.edu/eeb/. Applications for graduate school are due Feb 1 but students are encouraged to contact me well in advance of that date. Interested students should send a c.v. and short statement of research interests to Jennie McLaren at jrmcla...@utep.edu prior to applying.
