Ph.D. Research Assistantship in Remote Sensing of Deforestation in Mexico University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
One position is available for a highly motivated graduate student at the PhD level to conduct a research project focusing on deforestation monitoring with remote sensing in Mexico. The successful applicant will have a strong interest in remote sensing, GIS, landscape ecology, and land use science. This Phd project is part of a larger study to examine the effectiveness of governmental programs to pay for ecosystem services, in this case support given to landowners to keep forest on their land. The main questions of the larger project are how effective such programs are in mitigating deforestation on enrolled properties, how this effectiveness varies with socioeconomic characteristics, and if spillover effects, i.e., increasing deforestation in neighboring areas, limit their effectiveness. The study will focus on a major payment for ecosystem services program in Mexico. Any estimation of program impact requires accurate detection of deforestation for large areas with remote sensing, and this is the focus of the Phd position advertised here. However, the entire research team is highly interdisciplinary and includes economists, social scientists, and conservation biologists, and this Phd position thus offers great potential to link remote sensing science with these fields. Working under Dr. Volker Radeloff and Dr. Jennifer Alix Garcia, the PhD student will join the research team in the SILVIS Lab in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology (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/ ). Candidates should bring the following: - Educational background in geography, forestry, environmental economics, environmental science, conservation biology, landscape ecology, or a related discipline; - Strong English writing and verbal communication skills; - Spanish language skills not required, but desired; - Strong background in remote sensing, GIS, and statistics; - Motivation to work independently and to publish in peer-reviewed journals; - Proficiency with remote sensing, GIS and statistical analysis software; - Applicants with a Masters degree are preferred but exceptional candidate without Masters degree will be considered. All application received by March 15th are guaranteed consideration. Applicants should submit the following (electronically, preferred) to Sara Rock at [email protected]. For questions about the application process or the position, please contact Volker Radeloff at [email protected]. - Cover letter summarizing research interests and academic and professional background - Resume/CV - Copies of transcripts (unofficial transcripts sufficient at this point) - GRE scores, if available - Names and contact information for three references (no letters needed at this time) There is no need to apply formally to the department or the UW Graduate School at this point. The PhD assistantship is funded by a 3ie grant, available for 3 years period and includes an annual stipend of $20,184, health insurance, and a tuition waiver. Please 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 and to our departmental PhD program. 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. UWMadison has a long history of excellence in theoretical and applied ecology, conservation biology, geography, and remote sensing science. The city of Madison ranks as one of the top places in the U.S. to live and work. For information about the campus and city of Madison, please see http://www.uc.wisc.edu/profile/
