Graduate position in restoration/rangeland ecology: Utah State University

School: Utah State University

Location: Logan, UT

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Salary: $24,000

Start Date: 08/15/2017

Last Date to Apply: 03/15/2017

 

Description:

    I am recruiting a student interested in pursuing a graduate degree in ecology at Utah State University. My research emphases include plant community ecology, plant-herbivore interactions, restoration ecology, and rangeland ecology and management (http://qcnr.usu.edu/directory/veblen_kari).
The overall project is aimed at developing techniques for restoration of native plant species in alkali semi-desert areas, where restoration research historically has focused largely on non-native species. The graduate student will perform soil and vegetation mapping, followed by implementation of experiments testing establishment of native grasses, forbs, and shrubs in different types of vegetation patches and under different site preparation treatments.    

    This project is best suited for students with genuine interest in generating practical restoration approaches for land management agencies. The student will have the freedom to further develop and test broader restoration concepts including, but not limited to: 

1) Efficacy of high-effort restoration approaches (e.g., plantings vs. broadcast seeding)

2) Establishment of ‘restoration islands’ or ‘nucleation plantings’ to encourage colonization and persistence beyond the initial planting areas. A PhD student will have the most freedom to pursue these concepts (or others), given the time constraints of an MS degree.
   The project will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Janis Boettinger (https://psc.usu.edu/htm/people/faculty?memberID=23), Dr. Tom Monaco (https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/logan-ut/forage-and-range-research/people/dr-thomas-monaco/), and the Pocatello Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The home base for the student will be Utah State University, which has a strong natural resources program; its location in the beautiful Cache Valley provides easy access to world class outdoor recreation. Students in my lab typically earn degrees through the Ecology Center (http://www.usu.edu/ecology/), but could alternatively earn a degree through the Department of Wildland Resources http://www.cnr.usu.edu/. 

Qualifications:

    Interested students should have a degree in ecology, biology, soil science, natural resources, or a related field. Students must be prepared to work in remote field conditions. Past independent field research experience and evidence of excellent written communication skills are strongly desired; experience working with both soils and vegetation also is desired. Minimum requirements for entry into USU’s Graduate Program are a cumulative 3.0 GPA and 40th percentile on GRE, but the most competitive applicants will exceed these minimums. MS and PhD candidates must apply to USU’s School of Graduate Studies (http://www.usu.edu/gradsch) and may be interested in applying to the interdisciplinary Climate Adaptation science program (https://climateadaptation.usu.edu/. PhD students are required to apply for the USU Presidential Doctoral Research Fellowship (https://rgs.usu.edu/pdrf/) and S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney Ph.D. Fellowships Program (announcement forthcoming).
    Before beginning the formal USU application process potential students should send:

1) a letter of interest and qualifications

2) CV

3) Unofficial transcripts

4) GRE scores

5) Contact information for three references to Dr. Kari E. Veblen (kari.veblen@usu.edu). Review of applications will begin Dec 12 and continue until the position is filled.