M.S. position in Biology at Arkansas State University – Factors for Bergmann’s rule in the context of climate change Description: The Rolland Lab is inviting applications for an MS student position to start in the fall semester of 2019 in the Biological Sciences program at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro campus. The student will be expected to develop their own thesis project with the overall goal of identifying patterns and factors of influence (e.g., food availability, life history traits) for Bergmann’s rule under climate change among avian species of North America. Long-term data will be central to this project but the use of natural history collections and/or the contribution to collections will also be encouraged. The successful applicant will interact with the US Geological Survey Bird Banding Lab and the Institute for Bird Populations to obtain data, and may need to collaborate with museums. This position includes a teaching assistantship but funding is otherwise provided by the National Science Foundation through their Collections in Support of Biological Research and Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs. Therefore, suitable candidates must be US citizens, permanent residents, nationals, or refugees. Scholarship recipients must also demonstrate financial need through a FASFA form. Applicants who are first-generation college students or underrepresented minority students are highly encouraged to apply.
Qualifications: Applicants must have a BS in ecology, conservation, evolution, or related field with ≥ 3.0 GPA. Applicants should also have a strong interest in natural history collections and biodiversity. Finally, applicants with experience in handling and measuring wild birds or with museum specimens will be given preference. Application documents: Please send the following documents to Dr. Rolland by January 15, 2019: 1) A cover letter describing your interests, career goals, relevant research experiences and skills. 2) Your curriculum Vitae (not a resume) with the contact information of at least three references 3) A copy of your academic transcripts 4) A copy of GRE scores Contact: Dr. Virginie Rolland vroll...@astate.edu 870-972-3194 For more information: • MS Biological Sciences program: http://www.astate.edu/info/academics/degrees/degree-details.dot?mid=3ee79ec1-24ed-48f8-9c73-7bea39c83b77 • Scholarship program: http://www.astate.edu/a/biodiversityscholar/ • Rolland lab: www.virginierolland.wixsite.com/rollandlab
