*Research Assistant positions supporting development of Ecosystem and
Ocean Health Indices*
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), UC Santa
Barbara
TIMEFRAME: 1 year starting as soon as possible; with funding for an
additional year likely
Two research assistants are sought to work closely with the ecosystem
health working group (EHWG) and Ocean Health Index (OHI) projects,
funded through NCEAS (see below). Each research assistant will support
the work being conducted by a post-doctoral researcher assigned to one
of the two projects.
*/Specific responsibilities, Research Assistant: /*The Research
Assistant will be expected to help with all research tasks of the
post-doctoral researcher. S/he will conduct specialized database
searches and provide concise summaries of these searches under direct
supervision of a post-doctoral researcher tasked with developing and
testing indicators of ecosystem condition. S/he will help prepare
reports and communications (memos, presentations), under direction
supervision, for presentation to the larger, multi-institution OHI
collaboration. S/he will help occasionally with logistics and planning
project meetings.
/Minimum requirements/: Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in
Ecology, Environmental Studies, Statistics, or related fields. Must work
well in a collaborative research environment. A Master’s degree in one
of the above fields is desirable.
To apply, please visit the Human Resources website for UCSB
(https://jobs.ucsb.edu <https://jobs.ucsb.edu/>) and click on ‘Search
Positions’ in the upper left corner and then search keyword ‘ocean’.
Applications are due by Feb. 4, 2010.
* *
*Background on the Ecosystem Health Working Group (EHWG)*
Under the leadership of Karen McLeod (COMPASS / Oregon State
University), Larry Crowder (Duke University), Mike Fogarty (NOAA
Fisheries), and Andy Rosenberg (University of New Hampshire), this
scientific working group will develop a succinct set of metrics to
ascertain the status of coastal and ocean ecosystems. The focus is on
narrowing the current suite of potential indicators to a tractable,
meaningful, representative subset that can serve as critical tools for
monitoring, planning, and policy with applicability across a range of
systems and geographic scales. Specifically, this effort will bring
together leading scholars and practitioners from ecology, fisheries,
oceanography, economics, and the applied social sciences to develop
ecosystem health metrics for the Arctic, coral reefs, estuaries,
continental shelves and coastal upwelling regions. The resulting set of
vital signs will serve as concrete concepts to help catalyze political
will, pave the way for policy-making at all levels of government,
provide critical tools to communicate the state of marine systems to the
public, and facilitate much-needed integration across the social and
natural sciences.
The working group will meet several times over the coming two years,
starting Winter 2009/2010.
* *
*Background on the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis*
Both positions will be based at the National Center for Ecological
Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), a research center at University of
California Santa Barbara (UCSB). NCEAS, located in downtown Santa
Barbara, is a research center of the University of California, Santa
Barbara (see also www.nceas.ucsb.edu). NCEAS supports cross-disciplinary
research that uses existing data to address major fundamental issues in
ecology and allied fields, and their application to management and
policy. NCEAS is a unique institution with an explicit mission to foster
synthesis and analysis, turn information into understanding and, through
effective collaboration, alter how science is conducted. Since its
inception, NCEAS has become known as the leading facility for innovative
analysis and synthesis of existing environmental data, and for research
in the management of ecological information (ecoinformatics). The
resident community at NCEAS is unique and very dynamic; 15-20
post-doctoral researchers, several sabbatical faculty, and several other
researchers are at the center at any given time, supported by a large
administrative and IT staff. Additionally, hundreds of scientists from
around the world pass through the center for a week at a time as part of
research working groups, making for a exciting and scientifically
stimulating work environment.
*Background on Ocean Health Index (OHI) project*
The Ocean Health Index (OHI) is a new quantitative way to measure
whether the ocean’s health improves or declines over time. It is a
composite index based on indicators drawn from international agreements,
intergovernmental panels and other high-level recommendations regarding
marine conservation and resource use. Its indicators measure the most
critical ocean stressors (climate change, fisheries, habitat
destruction, pollution and invasive species) as well as their effects on
the ocean’s ability to provide ecosystem services and to support human
well-being. Its results will be published in a simple, dramatic,
accessible format, maximizing their utility to the public, ocean
managers and stakeholders; and energizing transformative change in
attitudes and behaviour regarding ocean use and conservation. Trends in
the value of OHI and its indicators will stimulate deliberate,
performance-based ocean improvement by helping managers and the public
to (1) identify unfavorable ocean trends, (2) select the most strategic
goals and actions to reverse them, and (3) evaluate the success of
remedial actions through data-driven outcomes assessment. The OHI will
thus play a focal role in efforts to re-build the ocean’s ability to
support abundant populations, rich biodiversity, robust ecosystem
services and improved human well-being.
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Benjamin S. Halpern
Associate Research Biologist
Project Coordinator, Ecosystem-based management of coastal-marine systems
Nat'l. Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
735 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
phone: 805.892.2531
fax: 805.892.2510
[email protected]
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