Undergraduates seeking research experience in forest ecology are invited to apply for an expense-paid summer internship at Bartlett, Jeffers Brook, and Hubbard Brook Experimental Forests, New Hampshire.
About the Project: Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE) is an NSF-funded collaboration between researchers at the State University of New York, Cornell University, and Miami University of Ohio. The project involves large-scale additions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium to 13 stands of different ages. More information on the project is available at http://www.esf.edu/melnhe, including a blog from previous field crews. Internship Description: Interns will gain experience in the field with tree identification, fertilizer application, soil respiration measurements (LiCor LI-8100), stem mapping, leaf litter collection, and more. Laboratory duties include weighing leaves, sorting roots from soil, and entering and documenting data. Interns are encouraged to design their own summer projects, and will have access to previously collected datasets. Interns will have the opportunity to present their work to a group of leading ecosystem scientists at the annual Hubbard Brook Cooperator’s Meeting in July. Interns are provided with shared housing at Bartlett Experimental Forest; tenting is optional. Typical weekdays begin at 8:00 AM and end at 4:30, but may be shorter or longer depending upon the task. A stipend of $200 per week is provided for living expenses. Food is prepared communally by the interns and graduate student researchers, and costs generally run between $7-8 per day. Interns willing to drive personal vehicles for fieldwork will be reimbursed for mileage at $0.54mile. Unfortunately, we are unable to reimburse for travel to and from New Hampshire. Desired Qualifications: The ideal applicants have strong interests in forest biology, ecology or biogeochemistry, and are pursuing an undergraduate degree in a related field. Recent graduates will also be considered. A positive attitude is necessary and a sense of humor is a plus. Candidates should be able to perform tasks with attention to detail under harsh conditions (heat, rain, biting insects). They should also be willing to perform repetitive tasks in the lab. Applicants should be flexible in their expectations, but an estimated breakdown of the summer is: 60% fieldwork, 25% labwork, and 15 % independent project. To apply please send a brief letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three references in a single doc or pdf file to Craig See at [email protected]. Please include all previous work experience (not just research) on your resume. Please include dates of availability in the cover letter. We will begin reviewing applications on March 7th.
