Grad Assistantships

The University of Maine is launching the Sustainable Solutions Initiative with a $20 million, five year grant from the National Science Foundation’s EPSCOR program Sustainability Solutions Initiative One project supported by SSI is an interdisciplinary research program on vernal pool ecology and conservation as a model system for developing more effective approaches to natural resource and community planning. The core research team consists of ecologists, economists, and communication specialists including 7 professors and 4 Ph.D. students. This graduate fellowship focuses on economic and planning aspects of conservation is a part of this team effort. Pending final funding, this project support includes a fellowship of $20-25,000/year for four years, a tuition waiver, subsidy for health insurance, and some funds for field research.

Doctoral Fellowship: There will be 1 Ph.D. fellowship available beginning January 2010 at the University of Maine to participate in community-based sustainability science research. The research team is actively investigating economic aspects of natural resource conservation planning, including efforts focused on vernal pools, in five Maine communities. The overarching goal of this economics and planning research is to assess the cost-effectiveness of various potential conservation strategies. The ultimate project goal is to advance innovative solutions to conflicts arising over the conservation of natural resources and open space on private lands - solutions that jointly sustain economic and ecological aspects of Maine communities. This doctoral fellowship will support dissertation research of alternative conservation planning approaches, including study of the range of options available to communities and the economics of conservation planning. The successful candidate will start by working closely with 5 Maine communities and then be asked to consider the transfer of insights from these communities to a much broader set of communities statewide. The results from this dissertation research project will be integrated with concurrent research examining collaborative management of natural resources and the persistence of pool-breeding amphibian populations in human-dominated landscapes.

Qualifications: a Master’s degree in planning or a related field; excellent GPA and GRE scores; an interest in collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches to problem solving; and substantial practical experience. Preference will be given to candidates with natural resource planning experience, training or experience in economics, and GIS skills. The successful candidate will be expected to build a diverse program including courses in economics, ecology, and policy. Application Procedures: Interested applicants

Application Procedures: Interested applicants should submit the following information to WildEco@umenfa.maine.edu with subject line “SSI Planning Fellowship”.

1) a letter detailing your interest in this position and the goals of the SSI in general.
2) a resume.
3) photocopies of GRE scores and transcripts.
4) names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three references familiar with your academic history and practical experience.

Review of materials will begin in mid-November and continue until the position is filled.

Two doctoral fellowships in amphibian population ecology

The University of Maine is launching the Sustainable Solutions Initiative with a $20 million, five year grant from the National Science Foundation's EPSCOR program Sustainability Solutions Initiative. One project that SSI may support would be an interdisciplinary research program on vernal pool ecology and conservation as a model system for developing more effective approaches to natural resource planning. The core research team consists of ecologists, economists, and communication specialists including 7 professors and 4 Ph.D. students.

Graduate Fellowships: There will be 2 Ph.D. fellowships available beginning January 2010 at the University of Maine to participate in studies of amphibian population ecology. One fellowship will support a PhD student to work with Mac Hunter to study the movement of amphibians through different environments (e.g., forests, clearcuts, lawns, pavement) to better understand population persistence in complex landscapes. A second fellowship will support a Ph.D. student to work with Aram Calhoun and Cynthia Loftin to examine amphibian movements and habitat use in wetland-limited, remote landscapes in western Maine. The results from these dissertation research projects will be integrated with concurrent research examining collaborative management, economics of conservation, and community engagement in vernal pool conservation to develop guidance for management policies that consider the socio-economic needs of Maine citizens while also conserving amphibian populations.

Qualifications: a degree in a related field; excellent GPA and GRE scores; an interest in collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches to problem solving; and substantial field experience. Support includes a fellowship of $20-25,000/year for four years, a tuition waiver, subsidy for health insurance, and funds for field research.

Application Procedures: Interested applicants should submit the following information toWildEco@umenfa.maine.edu with subject line “SSI Amphibian Fellowships”:

1) a letter detailing your interest in one or both of these positions specifically and the goals of the SSI in general;
2) a resume;
3) photocopies of GRE scores and transcripts; and
4) names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three references familiar with your academic and research history.

Review of materials will begin in mid-October and continue until the position is filled.

PhD Graduate Assistantship in Fisheries Ecology

Summary: Atlantic salmon and brook trout are two important native fishes in Maine waters that share a coevolutionary history, and when sympatric, partition habitats and coexist with minimal interference. Exotic smallmouth bass have spread throughout Maine watersheds, and are either established firmly in, or encroaching on, Atlantic salmon and brook trout habitat. Aside from competing directly with both Atlantic salmon and brook trout, smallmouth bass may act as a “competitive facilitator” between these two salmonines by interrupting natural niche partitioning mechanisms. Furthermore, the negative effects exerted by smallmouth bass as competitor and competitive facilitator should increase with increasing summer temperatures and decreasing summer stream flows driven by climate change. We will begin a research project to test these hypotheses in controlled laboratory and open field experiments.

Responsibilities: The student will quantify changes in habitat use and foraging behavior in Atlantic salmon and brook trout as a function of smallmouth bass presence and temperature. The student will help design and build experimental stream channels for controlled laboratory studies, and design and run experiments. Field experiments in local streams will require direct observations via snorkeling. The student will use bioenergetics modeling to explore the energetic implications of interspecific interactions. Most likely, the student will serve as a teaching assistant for 1 - 2 semesters.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will be motivated and hard-working, and possess strong quantitative skills and the ability to work independently. Minimal academic credentials include GPA > 3.4 and combined GRE > 1200. The candidate should possess his/her M.S. in an aquatics or fisheries-related program, but exceptional B.S. students will be considered. Experience with snorkeling is helpful but not required, and the ability to work in the field under challenging conditions (e.g., biting insects) is necessary.

Salary: Stipend ~ $17 - $18 K per year; tuition waiver; health insurance

Closing date: until filled; Start date: September 2010

Contact: Send email of interest, CV / resume, and unofficial GPA / GRE summaries to Dr. Steve Coghlan at Stephen.coghlan@umit.maine.edu No phone inquiries, please.