Diadromous fishes of large Atlantic coast rivers have experienced severe declines, due largely to the deleterious effects of hydro dams. More than a half century of reliance on engineered fishways has failed to yield substantial recoveries. Dam removal remains the most effective option in restoring populations of these fishes, as seen with their response to the removal in 1999 of the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec
However, to date removal has only rarely occurred for hydro dams on Atlantic rivers because of energy demands. One possible long-term solution may be to find ways to open rivers for fish migration while also sustaining electrical production with on-site or off-site alternatives to traditional hydropower. This notion is called the Shared Rivers Concept (http://e360.yale.edu/feature/undamming_rivers_a_chance_for_new_clean_energy_source/2901/). Also, other new options exist for restoring runs of diadromous fishes in large Atlantic rivers, including dam trading as occurred in the Penobscot River Restoration (http://www.penobscotriver.org/). We are seeking a postdoctoral associate to help develop and vet scenarios to restore diadromous fishes to a suite of large Atlantic rivers using novel concepts such as these. One example of this type of approach can be seen as the results of an experimental course that explored such solutions for the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River (http://sharedrivers-esf-cornell.weebly.com/). This 21-month position is based at Queens College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) (http://www.qc.cuny.edu/Pages/home.aspx). Additional guidance and technical support will be provided by Dr. Karin Limburg (https://sites.google.com/a/esf.edu/limburg/) and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center's Environmental Sciences Initiative (http://environment.asrc.cuny.edu). The ideal candidate will be a broadly trained, organized, and creative researcher with a strong interest in rivers, knowledge of energy issues, interdisciplinary synthesis skills, and a talent for innovation. Candidates should have earned a Ph.D. in a related field, which may include civil engineering, landscape architecture, ecology, and environmental modeling. The position will begin early in autumn 2016. Applications should include the following materials for consideration: 1) A 2 to 3 page letter of interest that summarizes the candidate's research program, qualifications for the position, interests in sustainability science, and possible plans for addressing the positions responsibilities; 2) curriculum vitae; 3) copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts; 4) samples of research (e.g., peer- reviewed publications); and 5) names and contact information of three professional references. Dr. John Waldman Biology Department Queens College 65-30 Kissena Boulevard Queens, NY 11367 [email protected]
