A position is available for a PhD or Masters student interested in modelling landscape connectivity in forested environments. Boreal woodland caribou are a species-at-risk in Canada, and provincial jurisdictions are faced with the challenging task of planning for this species while maintaining the industrial, recreational and conservation values of the boreal forest landscape. Network models describing the arrangement and connectivity of habitat for caribou can be powerful tools to achieve these ends: they can help us examine the amount, the quality and the connectivity of habitat in an integrated framework, and enable us to predict how proposed changes to land use might impact populations.
We are seeking a student to join our landscape ecology and informatics lab (http://ecologics.ucalgary.ca) at the Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada to take the lead on a caribou landscape connectivity project. In this role, you will consult with wildlife managers, analyze spatial data, and build network models of habitat. A major goal of this work will be the development of tools that are helpful for decision-support. In addition to making applied contributions in landscape ecology, your task will also be a design exercise with the goal of creating and evaluating tools that are practical, accessible and informative for end users in wildlife management and landscape planning. Applicants from any educational background are welcome, although those with degrees in ecology or geography are particularly encouraged. Please email in PDF: (1) a CV; (2) a short cover letter in which you mention your GPA, discuss your research goals, and explain how these intersect with landscape connectivity research; (3) the names and contact information for two academic referees; and (4) a sample of your best written work. A good grasp of GIS and the R programming language will be essential to succeed in this task. In your application please discuss your experience using these software packages. If you do not have relevant experience, do not be discouraged. Rather, demonstrate convincingly that you are likely to be successful at learning how to use these tools, given appropriate training opportunities. Don't hesitate to contact Dr. Paul Galpern, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary for more information. Please submit your application to him by email on or before April 15th, 2015 ([email protected]). Stipend support is available.
