POSTDOCTORAL POSITION AVAILABLE TROPICAL FOREST SUCCESSIONAL VEGETATION DYNAMICS
A postdoctoral position is available to work with an international team of tropical plant ecologists on a comparative study of long-term vegetation dynamics during secondary succession in tropical forest areas of Mexico, Costa Rica, Bolivia, and Brazil. Project investigators work in NE Costa Rica (Robin Chazdon, Bryan Finegan), Chiapas, México (Miguel Martínez-Ramos, Frans Bongers), Manaus, Brazil (Rita Mesquita, Bruce Williamson), Oaxaca, Mexico (Jorge Meave), and Bolivia (Lourens Poorter). The postdoctoral associate will be supervised by principal investigator Robin Chazdon, but will work closely with all project investigators and graduate students. The major duties of the postdoctoral associate are to: 1) coordinate data analysis, writing of manuscripts, and timely publication of joint research by all project participants 2) develop new line of research in collaboration with project investigators using data from multiple study areas 3) collaborate with project investigators on comparative studies 4) update and standardize vegetation dynamics databases from each study area 5) work with project investigators to assemble a database on functional traits and demographic responses for species in the study areas 6) update the project website (http://www.neoselvas.org), including posting updated databases, metadata, and project results Requirements: A Ph.D. degree in ecology, forestry, or related field, research experience and publication record in tropical forest ecology, proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese. Experience with data analysis using R and database management is strongly encouraged. Travel to study areas in Latin America will be required. The postdoctoral position is guaranteed funding for two years through an NSF grant to the University of Connecticut. Start date is flexible, but preferably before 1 January 2013. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Review of applications will begin on May 31, 2012 Application materials: Detailed CV, reprints of publications, statement of research interest and goals (1-2 pages), and names and contact information for 3 references. Please send application materials or inquiries to: [email protected] Robin L. Chazdon Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Unit 3043 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT 06269-3043 Phone: 860-486-4057 Fax: 860-486-6364
