Post-doctoral fellowship in functional biodiversity of managed forest ecosystems Purdue University West Lafayette, IN
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE), coordinated by Purdue University, is a 100 year, landscape-level study designed to monitor the effects of forest management on the dynamics of plant and animal communities. The project is a collaboration between the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and researchers at Purdue University, Ball State University, Indiana State University, Indiana University and Drake University. It encompasses nine research units spread across more than 3,000 hectares of state-owned forestland in southern Indiana. The project began in 2006 with initial timber harvesting treatments being implemented in 2008 – 2009. Data have been collected for a wide array of vertebrate, insect and plant taxa throughout this time period, with some inventories having been conducted annually for six or more consecutive years. We are seeking a post-doctoral fellow to stimulate a novel research program that integrates these data across taxa and links multi-scale disturbances to changes in ecosystem structure and function. Particularly, the fellow would help develop metrics to assess functional diversity in different communities at various temporal and spatial scales. These metrics would then be used to develop descriptive and predictive models quantifying, in the context of ecosystem resistance and resilience, variations in functional diversity that occur in response to planned and stochastic disturbances and associated resource pulses. Candidates should have a strong analytical background and have experience with quantifying characteristics of a wide range of ecological communities at the landscape level. Candidates should also have a demonstrated publishing record in ecology and some experience with grant-writing. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will help develop proposals to enhance long-term funding of the HEE project. Funding for this position will be provided, in part, through a new initiative of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) at Purdue University to support an internationally-recognized post-doctoral fellowship program (see announcement: https://ag.purdue.edu/fnr/Pages/NRPostdocScholars.aspx). The successful candidate will be selected based on the merits of a proposal submitted by the candidate and faculty mentors to a department-wide competition. Two positions will be funded, each with a duration of two years and a salary of $45,000 plus benefits and a discretionary fund of $5,000/yr. To apply, candidates should first contact a FNR faculty member to see if they are willing to serve as a post-doc mentor. Potential HEE mentors from the FNR faculty include Dr. Barny Dunning (765.494.3565, [email protected]), Dr. Mike Jenkins (765.494.3602, [email protected]) and Dr. Mike Saunders (765.430.1440, [email protected]). The HEE faculty will review potential applicants and select 3 – 5 to prepare a draft 3 page proposal of their work. This draft is due to the HEE faculty by 28 Sept 2013. We will select one candidate’s proposal to be forwarded to the department competition (each faculty group is limited to one nomination to the department). HEE faculty will work with the selected candidate in the development of the draft and final proposal documents. The full department application consists of the proposal, an NSF-style CV, a statement of support from the proposed mentor, and two letters of reference. This is due to the department by 15 October 2013. Additional HEE faculty who will be active participants in the selection process and proposal development while also acting as informal mentors throughout the duration of the postdoctoral fellowship include Dr. Jeff Holland (Purdue University, Department of Entomology), Dr. Joy O’Keefe (Indiana State University, Department of Biology) and Dr. Keith Summerville (Drake University, Environmental Science and Policy Program). More information about the project is available on the project’s website, http://heeforeststudy.org. A list of HEE publications to date is available in the Publications link on the project’s website. The USDA-Forest Service General Technical Report entitled “The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment: a framework for studying responses to forest management” (http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/42882) provides a broad synopsis of HEE research sites, project objectives and experimental design, as well as in- depth descriptions of the numerous projects that constitute the HEE. Additional information regarding the project or the application process can be attained by contacting one of the HEE faculty listed above. Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer, fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce.
