Graduate Research Assistant – Tropical Land Use and Sustainable
Bioenergy – The University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Gibbs Lab group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has funding
for a Graduate Research Assistant starting Fall 2011 to conduct
research on carbon emissions, tropical deforestation and bioenergy
issues. Ideally, the student will focus on tropical land-use
transitions in response to global economic drivers such as bioenergy
mandates and demand-side pressures from Greenpeace and other NGOs.
The research will likely involve a combination of GIS and database
analysis along with statistical modeling. Questions include – What
are the drivers of agricultural land-use change? Do bioenergy
subsidies in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere influence rates of forest
clearing? What role might the soy or oil palm moratoria play in
mitigating causes and drivers of deforestation? How have tropical
land-use patterns changed over the last three decades? What does this
mean for carbon emissions?
Preference will be given to students with work experience and / or
time spent in the tropics. GIS and statistical training are ideal.
Applicant must be accepted into the Department of Geography or the
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies graduate program.
Typically, graduate students in our research programs have
undergraduate GPAs above 3.5, and GRE scores in the 80th percentile or
higher. Benefits include stipend, tuition remission and eligibility
to participate in the Graduate Student Health Insurance Program.
Madison is widely recognized for its high quality of life, vibrant
culture and arts scene, and easy access to natural areas. Costs of
living are moderate, and public transportation or bicycle paths are
easy transportation options.
For more information:
Gibbs webpage: http://www.sage.wisc.edu/people/gibbs/gibbs.html
Nelson Institute: http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/
Department of Geography: http://www.geography.wisc.edu/
To apply, please submit a cover letter detailing qualifications and
research interests, CV, and email addresses of three references to
Holly Gibbs [email protected]. Candidates should also submit an
application to the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
(Environment and Resources program preferred) and / or the Department
of Geography (People and Environment program preferred).
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Holly K. Gibbs, Ph.D.
David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow
Stanford University
Cell: 513.720.2784
http://fse.stanford.edu/
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(after August 2011)
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography & Nelson Institute
University of Wisconsin-Madison
