M.S. ASSISTANTSHIPS IN MARINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY NICHOLLS STATE UNIVERSITY
We seek highly motivated students to fill two funded M.S. assistantships in the laboratory of Dr. Zack Darnell at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA (http://www.nicholls.edu/zdarnell <http://www.nicholls.edu/zdarnell>). Students selected for these assistantships will pursue an M.S. in Marine and Environmental Biology through the Department of Biological Sciences. Assistantships will begin in January, 2016 and each includes a stipend of $18,000 per year. The students selected for both assistantships will be fully integrated members of the project teams and will contribute to study design, collection and analysis of data, and manuscript preparation. Prior research experience is preferred. ASSISTANTSHIP 1: LINKING BLUE CRAB ABUNDANCE, GROWTH, AND MORTALITY TO MARSH FRAGMENTATION AND SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION COVER The overarching goal of this project is to determine the effects of changing coastal landscapes on blue crab populations in Terrebonne Basin, a region of coastal Louisiana supporting a large blue crab fishery but experiencing substantial marsh fragmentation and land loss. The student will conduct field surveys of blue crab abundance and field experiments examining growth and mortality across a range of fragmentation conditions. This is a collaborative project with The Water Institute of the Gulf, and the student will work closely with Water Institute personnel. ASSISTANTSHIP 2: MIGRATORY MOVEMENTS AND FISHING MORTALITY OF THE LOUISIANA BLUE CRAB SPAWNING STOCK Blue crabs support one of the largest and most valuable fisheries in Louisiana, and an understanding of the female blue crab spawning migration is critical for accurate spawning stock assessment and effective management plans that ensure the sustainability of this valuable fishery. This project investigates the timing and route of the blue crab spawning migration, spatial and temporal variation in fishing mortality during this critical phase of the life cycle, and the potential for sperm limitation in the Louisiana blue crab spawning stock. The student will work with local commercial crabbers to conduct a mark-recapture study in the Terrebonne and Pontchartrain Basins, and will use recaptured and returned crabs to examine sperm stores and reproductive potential. The student selected for this assistantship will also work closely with state and regional fisheries management agencies. ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT: Dr. Darnell is an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Nicholls State University, a comprehensive regional university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Nicholls lies in the heart of the Bayou Region, allowing for easy access to the Mississippi River, its tributaries, Louisiana’s wetlands, and the Gulf of Mexico. The Department of Biological Sciences (http://www.nicholls.edu/biology <http://www.nicholls.edu/biology>), is currently the largest department in the College of Arts and Sciences and offers an M.S. degree in Marine and Environmental Biology (http://www.nicholls.edu/biology-graduate/ <http://www.nicholls.edu/biology-graduate/>). The marine and environmental sciences emphasis within the department has been identified as a Unique Area of Excellence by the University of Louisiana System. APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Interested students should contact Dr. Zack Darnell (zachary.darn...@nicholls.edu <mailto:zachary.darn...@nicholls.edu>, 985-448-4709) for additional information or to apply. Please include a copy of your CV (including GRE scores), unofficial undergraduate transcripts, and contact information for three professional references. For full consideration, please submit all materials prior to Oct. 16. -- M. Zachary Darnell Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences Nicholls State University PO Box 2021 Thibodaux, LA 70310 Tel.: (985) 448-4709 Email: zachary.darn...@nicholls.edu http://www.nicholls.edu/zdarnell/
