We are looking for up to four undergraduates or recent graduates to join our team of interdisciplinary researchers in Northeast Iceland during this coming summer. Broadly, we study the dynamics of Lake Mývatns aquatic insect emergences and their effects on in-lake and around-lake ecosystems and communities. Interns will be expected to both assist in ongoing research at this LTREB (Long-Term Research in Ecological Biology) site and complete an independent research project.
ELIGIBILITY: Two of the four positions must meet requirements for the NSF-REU program. To be eligible for an NSF-REU, applicants must be non-graduating undergraduate students with US citizenship. We do have non-REU internships available. Please contact us if you are interested in working on this project but do not meet REU eligibility criteria. SELECTION CRITERIA AND RESPONSIBILITIES: We will consider the ability of a student to conduct a semi- independent research project, live and work with our team under field conditions in rural Iceland, benefit from the experience, and contribute to our overall research project. The research focuses on understanding the population dynamics of midges in Mývatn and the role they play in the dynamics of the aquatic and surrounding terrestrial food webs. The students will participate with international faculty, post-docs and graduate students conducting research in Iceland. This includes collecting and processing arthropod, zooplankton, sediment, and plant samples and conducting lab and field experiments. Roughly half the research will be conducted in aquatic systems, and half in terrestrial. Relevant skills and experience include previous lab and (especially) field research, strong work ethic, microscope proficiency, enjoying working outdoors, experience on boats, operation of power tools and small-engine machinery, foreign travel/cross-cultural experiences, strong interpersonal skills, and ability to work both in a team and independently. APPLICATION COMPONENTS: 1. Cover letter Your cover letter should outline your background and the reasons why you would be a good candidate for this position. Include a discussion of why you want this position and how it relates to your career goals. Also, be specific about experiences and skills you are bringing to the position. Make your case for why you should get the position, highlighting details from your CV or other pertinent information that might not appear on your CV. 2. Resume / Curriculum vitae Submit a current resume that details your education and work experience. Include references on your resume. Please provide the names and contact information for at least two people who we can contact to ask specific questions about your background and qualifications for the position. Submit your application as a single pdf file (only 1), including cover letter and resume/CV. Send your pdf by e-mail to Kyle Webert, Department of Zoology, [email protected]. Include your surname in the file (e.g., Smith_Iceland_application.pdf). Put 2013 Summer REU in Iceland in the subject line of the email. After initial screening of materials, finalists will be contacted for interviews in mid-March. DEADLINE: For full consideration for summer 2013 internships, please submit your application by March 3, 2013. OTHER DETAILS: All internship positions (REU and non-REU) include travel expenses to and from Iceland, food and lodging, and a small stipend. Interns are expected to join the research team in Iceland from early-June to late-August. A critical part of the program is conducting your own research project with our guidance. We also expect the student to take the lead ommunicating the results of that work. Past summer research interns have completed their projects as senior research theses or have presented their work at national conferences. We are excited about this research and our 2013 field season! If you have any questions about the position, or our work in general, please dont hesitate to email us. More information about our work and field experience can be found at our blog, http://uwmyvatn.blogspot.com/ Contacts: Kyle Webert (graduate student) [email protected] Cristina Herren (graduate student) [email protected] Tony Ives (professor) [email protected] Claudio Gratton (professor) [email protected]
