Sunday, November 28, 2010

National Academies Research Associateship Programs

The mission of the NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP) is to promote excellence in scientific and technological research conducted by the U. S. government through the administration of programs offering graduate, postdoctoral, and senior level research opportunities at sponsoring federal laboratories and affiliated institutions.

In these programs, prospective applicants select a research project or projects from among the large group of opportunities listed on this website. Prior to completing an application, prospective applicants should contact the proposed Research Adviser to assure that funding will be available if their application is recommended by NRC panels. Once mutual interest is established between a prospective applicant and a Research Adviser, an application is submitted through the NRC WebRap system. Reviews are conducted four times each year (next one is Feb. 1) and review results are available approximately 6-8 weeks following the application deadline.

See http://national-academies.org/rap for more information.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Postdoc positions available in Armsworth lab

I am currently looking to recruit post-docs to my research group in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Two 12-month positions are currently advertised, one focused more on ecological theory and the other more on data analysis related to conservation problems (see below).

POSITION 1: Post-Doctoral Research Associate -Ecology & Evolutionary Biology-Pay Grade 00, - Salary DOE&Q - Full Time -Postdoctoral research Associate in biodiversity conservation. A 12 month position beginning January 1, 2011. The PDRA will help collate and analyze spatial data on conservation investment patterns in the US. The project aims to determine the relative effectiveness of different conservation investment strategies in different ecological and socioeconomic contexts. The PDRA will be expected to contribute to grant development and writing, writing papers or reports, giving presentation and other duties required by the Department or Principal Investigator. Ph.D. in Biology or related field is required. Proficiency in English required. Experience with GIS and analysis of spatial ecological data, strong quantitative skills required. Relevant scientific publication experience desired. Relevant grant-writing experience is also desired. To apply: Please send CV and references to Dr. Paul Armsworth, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1610

POSITION 2: Post-Doctoral Research Associate -Ecology & Evolutionary Biology-Pay Grade 00, - Salary DOE&Q - Full Time -Postdoctoral research Associate in biodiversity conservation. A 12 month position beginning February 1, 2011. The PDRA will contribute to the development of mathematical models of animal movement and /or models of community dynamics of plant-pollinator networks. The PDRA will be expected to contribute to grant development and writing, writing papers or reports, giving presentations and other duties required by the Department or Principal Investigator. Ph.D. in Biology, Mathematics or related field is required. Proficiency in English required. Must be able to program in mathematical programming languages. Research experience applying models to examine dispersal behavior and/or community ecology is required. Relevant scientific publication experience desired. Relevant grant-writing experience is also desired. To apply: Please send CV and references to Dr. Paul Armsworth, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1610.

Dr. Paul R. Armsworth
Assistant Professor
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
569 Dabney Hall
Knoxville, TN 37996-1610
p.armsworth@utk.edu
http://web.utk.edu/~parmswor/

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

OTS Research Experiences for Undergraduates

With funding from the National Science Foundation, the OTS Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program provides a unique, intensive opportunity for field research to undergraduate students from throughout the United States.

The OTS Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) was designed for advanced biology students interested in conducting field research under the supervision of an experienced tropical ecologist. OTS will support ten undergraduates, selected through a competitive application process, for an eight-week research program at the world-renowned La Selva Biological Station in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. In collaboration with a research mentor, students will design, conduct, and present field research projects at La Selva. The program will provide students with a first-hand look at the challenges and rewards of tropical field research. Students will participate in a rich academic field environment, including research presentations, discussions, an ethics component focusing on issues in tropical biology and conservation. In addition, participants will have access to the social, cultural, and recreational activities of the rural communities surrounding La Selva.

See program website and introductory flyer.