Dear Colleagues: Would you please bring the advertisement posted below to the attention of qualified applicants? Thanks very much, Kevin Gutzwiller
PhD Assistantship in Landscape Dynamics/Wildlife Habitat The Department of Biology at Baylor University seeks an outstanding PhD student to study the effects of climate change, fuels management, and fire suppression on the fire regime, landscape dynamics, and wildlife habitat in two regions of the western United States, the Northern Rocky Mountains and the Southwest. The goal of the project is to simulate a range of scenarios to examine effects of three factors (climate change, fuels management, and fire suppression) on landscape dynamics in several large and ecologically distinct landscapes. The project will quantify the relative impacts of these three factors on fire disturbance regimes, including frequency, size, and severity of wildfire, and on ecosystems, including area and configuration of vegetation types. Objectives include quantification of extent, fragmentation, and quality of habitat for several wildlife species of concern. The student will consider multiple scenarios (~20) involving a combination of climate change, fuels management, and fire suppression in each study landscape (~6 landscapes). To develop simulation parameters, the student will visit each study landscape and meet experts in disturbance and wildlife ecology from each landscape. The student will simulate landscape dynamics and wildlife habitat under each scenario, and lead the spatial analysis of model output. Simulation analyses will involve stochastic landscape dynamic simulation modeling (RMLANDS); landscape pattern analysis (FRAGSTATS); a variety of statistical modeling methods, including occupancy modeling and multi-scale habitat modeling using logistic regression; and computer simulation of gene flow. The position provides up to five years of teaching assistantship funding at $15-21K per academic year (depending on qualifications) plus up to five years of summer salary at approximately $3-4K per summer. Tuition for 20 semester hours per year will be waived, and health insurance at a discounted price will be available. Extensive experience with statistical analyses of ecological data, and proficiency in ArcGIS and the R statistical language, are required. Experience with dynamic landscape simulation, climate change scenarios, and landscape pattern analysis is especially desirable. The student must have a M.S. degree in a relevant field, and preference will be given to students who have published quantitative ecological research. To be competitive, applicants must have undergraduate and graduate GPAs > 3.4 and a general GRE score > 1200. The student must have or acquire a valid US driver’s license. Applicants should create a single pdf that includes a letter of interest that specifically addresses the position’s qualifications and preferences, a resume, unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts, unofficial general GRE scores, and a list of three references and their contact information (institution, email address, phone number). This pdf should be sent to both Dr. Kevin Gutzwiller ([email protected]; http://bearspace.baylor.edu/Kevin_Gutzwiller/www/) and Dr. Sam Cushman ([email protected]; http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/wildlife/genetics/cushman.htm) via an email with Landscape Dynamics–Wildlife Habitat in the subject line. Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue through the deadline of 8 December 2011. Applications that do not include all of the requested information will not be reviewed. By mid January, Dr. Gutzwiller will invite the most qualified applicant to apply formally to the Ph.D. Program in Biology for the teaching assistantship. Admission and an offer of an assistantship are decided by the Baylor Graduate School and the Baylor Biology Graduate Committee. Information about the Department of Biology and Baylor University can be found at http://www.baylor.edu/biology/ and associated links.
