Ph.D. Assistantships to Study Conservation Policies, Land Use Change and Ecosystem Services in Central America
We seek sincere, motivated, creative individuals to apply for two exciting Ph.D. assistantships newly funded by NASA to conduct an interdisciplinary analysis of the impact of land tenure and conservation policies on forest cover change and ecosystem services in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. Both students will join a dynamic team of researchers from the University of Idaho and the Center for Tropical Research and Education in Agriculture (CATIE) in Costa Rica. The Ph.D. assistantships include tuition, fees and health insurance; both students will complete their degree programs in the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resources. In addition, this project is part of the NASA Land Use/Land Cover Change program, offering myriad opportunities for interdisciplinary networking and professional growth. One assistantship will focus upon ecological analysis and remote sensing in tropical landscapes. Within the interdisciplinary team context, the selected student will specifically contribute to (1) remote sensing of land cover change, (2) construction of geospatial data sets, and (3) field-based measurements of aboveground carbon and biodiversity. While we welcome and encourage all motivated individuals to apply, desired skills for this position include interdisciplinary problem solving skills, experience with geospatial, statistical, and ecological analyses, and Spanish language skills. To inquire about this position, send your CV and a 1-page letter describing your qualifications and career objectives by December 15, 2012 to Dr. Lee Vierling at [email protected]. The second assistantship will focus upon the impacts of land tenure and conservation policies on land cover change. Within the interdisciplinary team context, the selected student will contribute to (1) construction of socioeconomic datasets, (2) field-based household surveys in and around conservation areas, and (3) statistical analysis of drivers of land use change. While we welcome and encourage all motivated individuals to apply, desired skills for this position include interdisciplinary problem solving skills, experience with geospatial, statistical, and economic analyses, and Spanish language skills. To inquire about this position, send your CV and a 1-page letter describing your qualifications and career objectives by December 15, 2012 to Dr. Kelly Wendland at [email protected]. After initial inquiries, full applications should be completed on the University of Idaho Graduate Admissions website: http://www.uidaho.edu/graduateadmissions. Positions will start as early as May 2013 but no later than August 15, 2013. Applications will be reviewed as received, with a preference towards those completed by February 1, 2013. For additional information or questions about this posting please contact: Dr. Kelly Wendland [email protected] (208) 885-7044
