Below find the latest graduate assistantships and other funding opportunities posted across the web in the last week in ecology, conservation and related environmental fields.
Master’s Opportunities
MS Assistantship – Microbial Ecology and Carbon Cycling of Coastal Alaskan Wetlands
Utah State University | Yukon-Kuskoksim Delta, AK
Program: Ecology – MS
Understand the role of herbivory, climate change, and wetland ecology and management in affecting microbial communities and carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide and methane) exchange in wetlands of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska.
Stream Ecology MS Research Assistantship Macroinvertebrate Communities in Gulf Coastal Plains Streams of Arkansas
University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR
Program: Biology – MS
Study macroinvertebrate assemblages across Gulf Coastal Plains streams in relation to land use in Arkansas.
Fish Ecology MS Assistantship: Fish Ecology in Gulf Coastal Plains Streams of Arkansas
University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR
Program: Biology – MS
Study variation in fish assemblages across Gulf Coastal Plains streams in relation to land use.
Spacial Ecology MS Position
Colorado State University Pueblo | Pueblo, CO
Program: Biology – MS
Monitor a range of species, including golden eagles, using telemetry. Look at a range of disturbance and vegetation treatment effects on community movement.
Graduate Assistant in Urban Sustainability
University of the District of Columbia | Washington, D.C.
Program: Urban Sustainability – PSM
Assess the current condition and survival of oak trees in the District of Columbia including the evaluation of the presence of pests and pathogens, and measurement of abiotic factors that may negatively impact urban trees.
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MS Assistantship in Applied Forest Ecology
Iowa State University | Ames, IA
Program: Forestry – MS
Work on a continuing study of drought resilience in singleleaf pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla), the most dry-adapted pine species in North America. Identify traits and strategies that confer seedling tolerance to drought, using common garden experiments that compare performance of seedlings from different populations of origin.
Graduate Opportunity: Community Ecology
University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD
Program: Geography & Environmental Systems – MS
Focus on community ecology and the factors that promote species coexistence in space and time, both in aquatic and urban ecosystems. Understand the role of native plant biodiversity in enhancing ecosystem services on urban vacant land.
Graduate Research Assistantship in Algal Biology
New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, NM
Program: Molecular Biology – MS
Work on algal biology and ecology projects, with opportunities to (1) study field-reared cultures of the microalga Nannochloropsis and (2) work with industrial partners.
Graduate Position to Join the Evolutionary Neuroecology Group
University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington, NC
Program: Marine Biology – MS
Study the neuroecology of marine vertebrate vision, centering on topics that include the sensory basis of dynamic skin color change, deep-sea bioluminescence, and the visual ecology of gamefish and whales.
MS or PhD Positions in Aquatic/Fisheries Ecology
Ohio State University | Columbus, OH
Program: Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology – MS
Conduct research on the following topics: 1) ecology of western Lake Erie’s yellow perch population; 2) ecology of blue catfish and channel catfish in Ohio reservoirs; and 3) impacts of cyanobacteria blooms and hypoxia on Lake Erie’s food webs and fisheries.
MS or PhD Position: Underlying Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity
University of Dayton | Dayton, OH
Program: Biology – Biology – MS, PhD
The student will be expected to develop an independent research program that expands or compliments current research in the lab.
PhD or MS Assistantship: Gizzard Shad Sampling in Reservoirs
Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK
Program: Natural Resource Ecology & Management – MS
Develop a protocol for sampling gizzard shad with hydroacoustics and trawls in large highland reservoirs with the freedom to develop project objectives to address larger questions related to forage management or sportfish-prey balance in reservoirs.
MS Research Assistantship to Study Asian Carp Invasion Biology in South Dakota
University of South Dakota | Vermillion, SD
Program: Biology – MS
Document presence/absence and seasonal use patterns of Silver and Bighead Carp in three tributaries of the Missouri River: the Big Sioux, Vermillion, and James Rivers, using acoustic telemetry and environmental DNA (eDNA) and determine if the carp occur upstream of putative barriers on the study rivers.
PhD and Master’s Students in Conservation Science
University of Tennessee Knoxville | Knoxville, TN
Program: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology – MS
This growing research program is seeking applications from prospective graduate students in conservation science. Outstanding students interested in either pursuing a Ph.D. or research-based Masters should apply.
MS Research Assistantship Thornforest Restoration
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Brownsville, TX
Program: Biology – MS
Beginning Jan 2021 (Summer 2021 latest) Seedling conditioning study aimed at enhancing thornforest seedling field performance and restoration success.
MS or PhD Assistantships in Environmental Toxicology
Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX
Program: Environmental Toxicology – MS, PhD
Beginning Spring 2021 applicants may conduct research in a variety of areas depending on interest.
Fisheries Ecology MS Graduate Assistantship
Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX
Program: Wildlife, Aquatic & Wildlands Science & Management – MS
Study the ecology of invasive fishes, conduct a population assessment of invasive Bigheaded carps in the Sulphur River as it flows through Texas and Arkansas.
Masters Assistantship Examining Perspectives on Forest Adaptation and Restoration Strategies
University of Vermont | Burlington, VT
Program: Natural Resources – MS
Examine forest stakeholder perspectives on restoration, adaptation, and transition management techniques at fostering forest health and productivity in the face of novel climate, insect, and disease threats.
MS in Biology Studying Plant-Insect Interactions for Species Found in Puerto Rico
Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA
Program: Biology – MS
Study the network structure of various taxonomic and functional groups (pollinators, specialists, introduced species) or in different environments (wet forest vs. dry forest).
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To post a graduate opportunity to our next Funding Update, please email us:
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Doctorate Opportunities
PhD Position: Amphibian Conservation and Synthetic Biology – Australia
University of Melbourne | Melbourne, AUS
Program: Veterinary Medicine – DVM
Investigate advantageous genetic traits against the disease chytridiomycosis and use that knowledge and synthetic biology to increase disease resistance in declining frog species.
PhD Position in Department of Environmental Studies
University of California Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA
Program: Environmental Studies – PhD
Understand and predict how global environmental changes alter ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as their consequences for human well-being.
PhD Assistantship Studying Fish Transcriptomics
Purdue University | West Lafayette, IN
Program: Forestry & Natural Resources – PhD
Conduct studies evaluating the transcriptome responses of Florida Pompano Trachinotus carolinus to different salinities.
PhD Graduate Positions: Evolutionary Ecology
University of Louisville | Louisville, KT
Program: Biology – PhD
Study how populations respond to rapid environmental change and the consequences of adaptation, divergence, and species interactions.
PhD Assistantships in Evolutionary and Microbial Ecology
Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, LA
Program: Biochemistry – PhD
Use experiments, analysis of existing datasets, and mathematical modeling to understand the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that direct community assembly and ecosystem functions. Explore the eco-evolutionary dynamics in plant microbiomes to predict microbial impacts on plant fitness. Explore the eco-evolutionary responses of plant-microbiome systems to emerging environmental stressors.
PhD Position: Research in the Conservation and Coexistence Group
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI
Program: Environment & Sustainability – PhD
Develop new and detailed knowledge of tiger movement, space use, and behavior in response to road infrastructure in order to develop effective road mitigation strategies. Other areas of study within the lab are also available.
PhD Position in Plant-Insect Ecology
Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI
Program: Entomology – PhD | Integrative Biology – PhD
Research how heterogeneity—including biological diversity and climate variability—influences interactions among plants, insect herbivores, and predators. Work in natural and agricultural ecosystems and strive to answer fundamental questions that have relevance for agricultural sustainability or global change biology.
PhD Position in Applied Ecology
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences | Koppang, NOR
Program: Applied Ecology & Biotechnology PhD
Study the influences of habitat and landscape parameters on pine martens. Use available data collected through different Scandinavian research projects to examine factors that influence European pine marten abundance and movements along a gradient from areas dominated by extensive non-forested areas with high anthropogenic influence to larger tracts of relatively undisturbed forest in Norway and Sweden.
PhD Assistantship Studying the Nutritional Ecology of Climate Change: Impacts on Northwest Atlantic Fish
University of New Hampshire | Durham, NH
Program: Biological Sciences – PhD
Work to understand how warming oceans, species distributions, and feeding habits interact to impact the Northwest Atlantic ecosystem.
PhD Graduate Fellowship
Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH
Program: Ecology, Evolution, Environment & Society – PhD
Work at the Dartmouth Organic Farm that borders the Connecticut River and Dartmouth-owned forest, including active maple-sugar bush or on Chinatown urban food supply networks on the east coast. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, critical transition theory, complex hysteretic patterns and land-use change dynamics.
PhD Graduate Assistantship: Quantitative Fisheries Science
Cornell University | Ithaca, NY
Program: Natural Resources – PhD
Contribute to native fish restoration in the Finger Lakes region. Potential projects will be able to leverage acoustic tag telemetry, eDNA, and foodweb modeling to advance understanding of inland lake ecosystem dynamics.
MS or PhD Positions in Aquatic/Fisheries Ecology
Ohio State University | Columbus, OH
Program: Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology – MS
Conduct research on the following topics: 1) ecology of western Lake Erie’s yellow perch population; 2) ecology of blue catfish and channel catfish in Ohio reservoirs; and 3) impacts of cyanobacteria blooms and hypoxia on Lake Erie’s food webs and fisheries.
MS or PhD Position: Underlying Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity
University of Dayton | Dayton, OH
Program: Biology – MS, PhD
The student will be expected to develop an independent research program that expands or compliments current research in the lab.
PhD or MS Assistantship: Gizzard Shad Sampling in Reservoirs
Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK
Program:Natural Resource Ecology and Management – MS
Develop a protocol for sampling gizzard shad with hydroacoustics and trawls in large highland reservoirs with the freedom to develop project objectives to address larger questions related to forage management or sportfish-prey balance in reservoirs.
PhD Graduate Position in Fish Ecology and Conservation
University of Clemson | Clemson, SC
Program: Wildlife & Fisheries Biology – PhD
Work closely with agency ecologists on research aimed to improve barrier removal prioritization for stream fish passage in the Southeastern US.
PhD and Master’s Students in Conservation Science
University of Tennessee Knoxville | Knoxville, TN
Program: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology – MS
This growing research program is seeking applications from prospective graduate students in conservation science. Outstanding students interested in either pursuing a Ph.D. or research-based Masters should apply.
MS or PhD Assistantships in Environmental Toxicology
Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX
Program: Environmental Toxicology – MS, PhD
Beginning Spring 2021 applicants may conduct research in a variety of areas depending on interest.
PhD Position Understanding the Role of Dust in Catchment Biogeochemistry
Utah State University | Logan, UT
Program: Watershed Science – PhD
Explore the role of atmospheric dust in watershed biogeochemical cycles and aquatic ecosystems. The project is primarily focused on understanding the fate and mobility of dust within watersheds.
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PhD Graduate Student Positions on the Social-Ecological Dynamic of Fisheries
Virginia Tech/Indiana University | Blacksburg, VA
Program: Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences – PhD
Study the social-ecological dynamics of freshwater fisheries as part of an interdisciplinary project with Virginia Tech and Indiana University.
PhD Position in Seagrass Biodiversity
University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA
Program: Environmental Science – PhD
Study the patterns and drivers of seagrass biodiversity at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term Ecological Research Project.
PhD Position in Ecological Synchrony of Kelp Forests
University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA
Program: Environmental Sciences – PhD
Study ecological synchrony in giant kelp forests across California, and Baja California, Mexico.
PhD Position in Plant Functional Ecology and Trait Variance
Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA
Program: Integrative Life Sciences – PhD
Study plant functional ecology and trait variance across spatial and temporal scales using a combination of publicly available data (NEON, FIA, etc.) and field-collected data across our sampling sites in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Virginia.
PhD Position in Sustainable Agroecosystems
University of Wisconsin-Madison | Madison, WI
Program: Soil Science – PhD
Investigate the impact of land management strategies on the sustainable production of bioproduct agroecosystems on poor quality agricultural land across the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA.
Flexibility. One of the biggest advantages of attending school online. Whether you need to be close to home or want the ability to travel, you can earn a degree without committing yourself to a specific geographic location.
Flat-rate tuition. For many schools, there is no in-state or out-of-state tuition when you enroll in an online program. Each student pays a flat tuition rate to be in the program whether they are physically living in the state of the university or in a different country. This allows traditional “out-of-state” students to earn a degree from a highly respected, regionally accredited school in their field, and not have to pay more than another student.
Expanded networking. Unique opportunities for networking exist when physical proximity isn’t a factor. When enrolled in a program where students attend from all across the United States and abroad a more wide-spread network is available – for example, if for example – you are interested in salamanders and have been studying them in the New England area, and you encounter a student who has years of experience studying a related species in the deserts of Arizona. You have the opportunity to share knowledge and resources you might not have otherwise.
Simpler application process. Are you dreading the Graduate Record Exam (or GRE)? Good news, many online graduate programs don’t require you to submit GRE scores. But make sure to read all your program requirements. Some programs may require work experience minimums instead. Additionally, unlike many research-based master’s programs, online programs don’t require you to be accepted by an advisor first. You just apply to the school or program.
Isolation. Depending on the person and the program, online school can feel isolating. You may never have the opportunity to get to know your professors and the interactions you have with other students may be limited.
Networking challenges. You may notice that networking is a pro and a con. Although technology can increase the range of people for networking, the lack of direct contact can also make it more challenging. Networking in an online program can require more initiative. It is increasingly important in the professional world to have connections, particularly in competitive environmental fields. But with little opportunity to meet casually, online students need to be savvy and proficient technological communicators.
Technology know-how. As an online student, you will need to navigate technology, virtual presentations, and new online platforms to complete your coursework. If computers and unfamiliar software make you queasy, and you haven’t taken college courses in a while, then you may find it challenging to jump immediately online.
Motivation and work ethic. In order to be successful, students need to be motivated, communicate well and have the ability to fully manage their time. All responsibility is on the student to stay on schedule and complete all necessary assignments and tasks. For self-starters and introverts, this learning style could be perfect. However, for those that are energized by those around them, being alone in a room with just a computer can create hurdles. A graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Environmental conservation master’s program says,
Alyson Morris is the communications specialist for CJB Network and writes on environmental career development. She is also a graduate student at the University of Oregon and is pursuing her Master’s in Strategic Communication.