Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship: Succession in Freshwater Fish and/or Invertebrate Communities: University of Alabama

School: University of Alabama

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Website: http://bama.ua.edu/~jghoweth/index.html

Salary: Competitive with health benefits

Start Date: 05/15/2017

Last Date to Apply: 12/05/2016

 

Description: The Howeth Lab (http://bama.ua.edu/~jghoweth/index.html) in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alabama invites applications for one or two Ph.D. students in community ecology beginning January, May, or August 2017 (January or May start-date applicants will receive priority). Highly motivated and qualified students with a B.S. or M.S. in Biology/Ecology are sought to conduct studies to understand the role of succession in metacommunity and food web structure using replicate successional pond mosaics. Projects will focus on fish, macroinvertebrate, and/or zooplankton community composition and ecosystem properties among beaver-formed ponds in different stages of succession. This work will utilize field-based approaches in the streams and beaver ponds of the Talladega National Forest in Alabama, including the NSF NEON Domain 8 core site. The project will also involve dendrochronology, GIS, stable isotope analyses, and experiments at the University of Alabama Tanglewood Biological Station. This is a NSF-funded research project.

Applicants with a strong background in related research topics and venues are particularly encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will be dedicated students who are highly motivated to conduct research in the field and in a laboratory environment. Students will be funded on teaching and research assistantships, which include a competitive stipend, health insurance, and a tuition waiver. Highly qualified applicants will be considered for departmental Aquatic Biology Fellowships, which offer a research assistantship during the student’s first year.

 

Qualifications: B.S. or M.S. in Biology/Ecology. Interested students should send an e-mail to Dr. Jennifer Howeth (jghoweth@ua.edu) no later than November 1 with "Graduate Assistantship" in the title, and include a (1) cover letter, (2) CV, (3) statement of research interests and experience, (4) scientific writing sample (e.g., laboratory report, thesis, manuscript), (5) GRE scores (if available), (6) unofficial copies of transcripts, and (7) contact information for two references in biology/ecology.

Qualified applicants will be invited to apply to the Department of Biological Sciences by the December 5, 2016 departmental deadline for Summer or Fall 2017 admission. Those interested in a January 2017 start date will be invited to apply by mid-fall 2016.

 

Contact Person: Jennifer Howeth

Contact Email: jghoweth@ua.edu