Ph.D. Research Assistantship in Remote Sensing and Avian Ecology University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Forest Ecology and Management
One position is available for a highly motivated graduate student at the PhD level. The successful applicant will have a strong interest in remote sensing applications to avian ecology, landscape ecology, monitoring and conservation. Research areas include assessing and modeling the relationship between image texture, vegetation structure, and breeding bird species richness, abundance, and presence. New tools are needed for monitoring biodiversity and the ecological integrity of landscapes. It is generally impractical to implement traditional field methods for identifying where specific bird species and where hotspots of species richness or abundance occur over broad regions, yet there is evidence that monitoring and management is most effective when it incorporates broad scales. Traditional methods can be limiting because of difficulties associated with habitat classification in some ecosystems. Thus new methods are needed to predict avian patterns of distribution and abundance. In this project the PhD student will explore the usefulness of image texture as a source of information about biodiversity, and a conservation tool. The focus of this study is Fort McCoy, WI, located about 90 miles northwest of Madison. Initial models will be developed using existing data on bird occurrence and digital orthophotos, with field validation to follow. The person selected for this Fort McCoy project will coordinate closely with a similar project conducted in parallel on Fort Bliss, NM (see http://www.silvis.forest.wisc.edu/projects/texture_analysis.asp). Working under Dr. Anna Pidgeon and Dr. Volker Radeloff the student will join the research team in the SILVIS Lab in the Department of Forest Ecology and Management (http://forest.wisc.edu) at UW-Madison. A listing of current members of the lab and research projects can be found at the SILVIS Lab website (http://www.silvis.forest.wisc.edu/silvis.asp). Candidates should have the following skills: - Educational background in landscape or avian ecology, geography, forestry, environmental science, or a related discipline; - Interest in remote sensing, biodiversity monitoring, and conservation; - Experience and/or some background in techniques of remote sensing analysis; - Motivation to work independently and to publish in peer-reviewed journals; - proficiency with GIS and/or statistical analysis software; - students with Masters degree is preferred but exceptional candidate without Masters degree will be considered.. - Strong English writing and verbal communication skills are required. Potential applicants should submit the following (electronically, preferred) to Anna Pidgeon at [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Or mail materials to this address: Department of Forest Ecology and Management 1630 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706-1598 - Cover letter summarizing research interests and academic and professional background - Resume/ CV - Copies of transcripts (unofficial transcripts acceptable at this point) - GRE scores, if available - Names and contact information for three references (no letters needed at this time) This PhD assistantship is available for a 3.5-year period and includes an annual stipend of $18,120, health insurance, and a tuition waiver. See http://www.wisc.edu/grad/ for further information about the Graduate School at UW-Madison. Any offer of an assistantship is dependent upon acceptance to the Graduate School. The University of Wisconsin Madison is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. The University of Wisconsin is a major research university in the United States ranking 2nd in research expenditures among all U.S. universities and first among public universities. Total student enrollment is 41,000 of which 11,400 are graduate and professional students. UW-Madison has a long history of excellence in theoretical and applied ecology, conservation biology, geography, and remote sensing science. Madison, Wisconsin ranks as one of the top places in the U.S. to live and work. For information about the campus and city of Madison, see http://www.uc.wisc.edu/profile/
