Graduate Research Assistantship in Human Dimensions of Watershed Management Department of Forestry at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) Posted September 26, 2007
A M.S. level graduate research assistantship is available beginning fall 2008 in the Department of Forestry at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). Students with an interest in natural resource issues within the context of community development and community capacity are strongly encouraged to apply. The Department of Forestry offers graduate students an interdisciplinary learning experience in natural and social sciences, including fields such as land use planning, watershed management, forest recreation and community-based conservation. Project Title: Evaluating Watershed Health Risks through Integrated Water Quality Analyses, Community Capacity Assessments, and Outreach Appraisals Project Description: This project is an interdisciplinary investigation of water quality and community capacity for planning and conservation with the overall goal of evaluating and communicating watershed and community health risks in eight subwatershed communities. Research questions include, What is the capacity of urban and rural communities in the subwatersheds to engage in watershed planning and adopt comprehensive conservation strategies? What capacity indicators are most strongly correlated with positive ecological, economic, and social outcomes? What barriers or constraints to coordinated planning and cooperative conservation exist? Specifically the student will join a collaborative team of scientists to conduct community capacity assessments in two urban and six rural subwatersheds in the Lower Kaskaskia River of southern Illinois. Community capacity indicators will be examined including community leadership, institutional support, community resources, social cohesion, shared vision, and collective action. Specific tasks are to: : (1) conduct a literature review, (2) assist with the development of the survey questionnaire for the communities within the watersheds, (3) assist with the administration and management of the mail survey and quantitative data (4) assist with quantitative data analyses and communicate study findings to the research team, community stakeholders, and other scientists. The graduate research assistant will work with a team of researchers including social and watershed scientists from SIUC and Illinois State University. The team is also currently recruiting one Ph.D. level graduate research assistant on this project. If you are interested, please contact: Dr. Erin Seekamp Department of Forestry Southern Illinois University 1205 Lincoln Dr., MC 4411 Carbondale, IL 62901 Phone: (618) 453-7463 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Students are urged to apply as soon as possible. Minority students are encouraged to apply. For information about Southern Illinois University Carbondale, visit http://www.siuc.edu/ For information about the Department of Forestry, visit http://www.coas.siu.edu/
