An opportunity exists for a MS-Level student in a collaborative analysis of an outstanding example of old-growth mixed mesophytic forest in southeastern Kentucky. Research will be conducted at the Lilley Cornett Woods Appalachian Research Station. The student will be based at Eastern Kentucky University in the Cumberland Laboratory of Forest Science ( http://people.eku.edu/pedersonn/clfs.php), but will be jointly advised by Dr. Neil Pederson (EKU) and Dr. Ryan McEwan from the University of Dayton ( http://academic.udayton.edu/RyanMcEwan). We are seeking a motivated student who is eager to work in steep, forested, terrain in all weather conditions. This student will conduct a highly rigorous ecological analysis of historic permanent plots established in 1971, and will be responsible for management of these and other related data sets. Field dendrology skills are required, and must be balanced by an eagerness to learn and implement complex statistical analyses using large data sets. Students with proven research expertise in these areas are encouraged to apply.
The student will be supported by a teaching assistantship through the Department of Biology at Eastern Kentucky University. We would prefer if the student could start in Summer '09. One paid Old-growth Forest Internship will be set aside for the successful applicant: http://people.eku.edu/pedersonn/kyog/LCWogInternship.php Interested individuals are encouraged to view the following web sites: Department of Biology (EKU): http://www.biology.eku.edu Cumberland Laboratory of Forest Science: http://people.eku.edu/pedersonn/clfs.php** Laboratory of Environmental Ecology: http://academic.udayton.edu/RyanMcEwan Dr. Shannon Galbraith-Kent, assistant professor at Thomas More College and the last MS student to collect from the permanent plots, will also be involved in the project: https://www.thomasmore.edu/biology/faculty.cfm?faculty_id=542 EKU is located in Richmond, Kentucky, on the border of Kentucky's Bluegrass Region and the Cumberland Plateau. Abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation exist in the surrounding region, including perhaps the best rock climbing in the country at the Red River Gorge. Richmond is a city of 30,000 and is located 25 miles southeast of Lexington, KY, which has abundant cultural amenities. Priority applications are due February 15th, 2009. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact either Neil or Ryan prior to applying. -- Ryan McEwan The University of Dayton http://academic.udayton.edu/RyanMcEwan