FYI...Stefanie ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Graduate Fellowships to Study the Biology of Small Populations at the University of Maryland and Smithsonian Institution The Research Training Group in the Biology of Small Populations at the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian Institution is a collaborative enterprise to explore the implications of rarity in organisms. It was established by a grant from the National Science Foundation in 1996 to support research and training in the biological implications of small population size. The underlying philosophy is that a broad, basic science approach is required if we are to understand the factors that influence whether rare species persist or go extinct. The program provides fellowships for postdoctoral and graduate study leading to a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Participants have access to facilities at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center on the Chesapeake Bay, the National Zoological Park, and the Laboratory of Molecular Systematics at the National Museum of Natural History. Graduate trainees are required to complete four advanced courses in ecology, evolutionary biology, behavior, and statistics, as well as an integrative course on the biology of small populations. A graduate seminar and short technical training sessions are offered annually on different topics related to the biology of small populations. Each year a spring symposium features presentations by invited experts and trainees. The Training Grant also awards fellowships on a competitive basis; these provide financial support for study leading to a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in any of the three participating programs: the Department of Zoology, Department of Biology, and the Marine and Estuarine Environmental Sciences Program (MEES). Receiving a fellowship does not commit you to a research project on an endangered or threatened species. It only requires that some aspects of your Ph.D. research consider the implications of reduced population size. Such questions are often studied most easily in common species. Participating Faculty University of Maryland: Department of Zoology: Peter Abrams, Gerry Borgia, Lin Chao, Jim Dietz, Michelle Dudash, Charles Fenster, Doug Gill, David Inouye, Ulrich Mueller, Margaret Palmer, Gerald Wilkinson Department of Entomology: Robert Denno, Dave Hawthorne MEES: Peter Abrams, Jim Dietz, David Inouye, Margaret Palmer, Anson Hines Smithsonian Institution: Jon Ballou, Rob Fleischer, Devra Kleiman (National Zoological Park); Mike Braun (Laboratory of Molecular Systematics); Anson Hines (Environmental Research Center) Fellowships for doctoral research include tuition remission, health insurance, and a 12-month stipend of $13,642 before and $14,147 after advancement to candidacy. Successful applicants receive two-year fellowships, are guaranteed financial support for FIVE years and receive research and travel allowances. The program encourages the submission of applications from minorities underrepresented in science, including women. Application deadline: Postmarked by January 31, 1998 Fellowship recipients must be US citizens or permanent residents. How to apply: 1. Contact one or more potential faculty sponsors from the above list: you must have a faculty advisor to be admitted to a graduate program. 2. Write to the director of graduate studies at the appropriate department or program listed above to obtain application forms; this will include the University of Maryland Graduate Application Form. Follow the instructions on the forms. 3. Send the following materials to Kara Paintner, RTG Coordinator, Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 postmarked by January 31, 1998: A) A copy your University of Maryland Graduate Application B) A cover letter indicating research and advisor preferences and a statement of 25 words or less about your interest our program. C) A statement (not more than two single-spaced pages) describing why you are interested in the Small Populations Program. For more details send a request to our email address, [EMAIL PROTECTED] or call (301) 405-4552 or check out our web page http://www.life.umd.edu/bsprtg/index.html ------------------------------------------------------ Kara J. Paintner, Coordinator Behavior, Evolution, Ecology, and Systematics Biology of Small Populations Research Training Program 301-405-4552 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.life.umd.edu/bsprtg/index.html ************************************ Dr. Stefanie S. Rixecker Department of Resource Management Lincoln University, Canterbury PO Box 56 Aotearoa New Zealand E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 64-03-325-3841 ************************************
