Ph. D. Research Assistantship Native Warm-Season Grass Pastures for Livestock, Wildlife & Ecosystem Services
This is a multi-disciplinary project to evaluate native warm season grasses as both forage and wildlife habitat in the Southeast. Collaborators include faculty from Wildlife and Fisheries, Plant and Soil Sciences, and Animal Science. Successful applicant will have the opportunity to collaborate on studies involving pollinators, predators, forage quality, animal health, plant diversity, carbon sequestration and biofuel potential. Responsibilities: Evaluate breeding bird response to grazing treatments on experimental pastures in the Black Prairie region of northeast Mississippi. Student will be responsible for conducting field work (bird counts, nest searches, sampling other vertebrates, and vegetation sampling), supervising field technicians, assisting with various master’s student projects, analyzing data, and preparing technical reports and peer-reviewed publications. There is also potential to serve as teaching assistant for ornithology courses. Qualifications: Passion for integrating wildlife objectives into productive agricultural systems. M.S. in biology, wildlife ecology, wildlife management, or related field. Experience with birds is strongly desired, especially counting and nest monitoring techniques. Student must be able to work as part of an integrated team and be willing to work cooperatively with other students on related projects. Starting Date: August 2010 or January 2011 Stipend: Starting $21,000 per annum plus complete waiver of tuition fees. Closing Date: Until position is filled. Inquiry emails are welcomed and should be directed to Dr. Sam Riffell (Co-Project Leader, sriff...@cfr.msstate.edu) or Dr. Wes Burger (Co-Project Leader, wbur...@cfr.msstate.edu). Application: Submit: 1) transcript(s) and GRE scores (unofficial copies fine initially), 2) vita, 3) contact information for 3 references, and 4) letter of application which (a) describes your interest in the position, (b) describes your career goals, and (c) details your work or educational experience that is most relevant to this position. To: Dr. Sam Riffell, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS 39762 Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer. -- Sam Riffell, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Box 9690 Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: (662) 325-0392 FAX: (662) 325-8726 Email: sriff...@cfr.msstate.edu Physical Address for overnight shipment: Rm 213a Thompson Hall 775 Stone Blvd. Mississippi State, MS 39762
