MS position: Modeling the impacts of sea level rise on coastal ecosystems The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science has an open position for a motivated MSc student interested in studying the impacts of sea level rise on coastal ecosystems. The student would join a team of ecologists, geomorphologists, and remote-sensing scientists working to develop novel approaches to quantify how sea level rise could alter patterns of biodiversity in coastal marshes along the Potomac River (see http://www.umces.edu/al/project/predicting-vulnerability-sea-level-rise for details). There are numerous opportunities for a student to extend the broader project objectives to include specific ideas the student is interested in pursuing.
This is an ideal project for an individual interested in working at the interface of theoretical and applied ecology, while developing the following set of skills: - statistical modeling generally and species distribution modeling in particular - spatial analysis, including GIS - remote sensing - Computer programming, with an emphasis on the R statistical language The project is based at the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, Maryland, with Matt Fitzpatrick, Andrew Elmore, and Katia Engelhardt. Student support has been secured through funding from the National Park Service. The student will matriculate through the Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences Program (MEES) at the University of Maryland, College Park. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled, with an anticipated start date of Fall semester 2012. To apply, please email as a *single pdf* document: (1) a statement of interest, (2) a CV, and (3) contact information for three referees to [email protected].
