*Summer internship: marine ecology in mangroves & marshes* Location: *Atlantic coast of Florida*; lab work in Fort Pierce with field sampling from Stuart to Jacksonville
Timeline: ~*12 weeks between mid-May and early September *(start and end dates negotiable) Compensation: *$10/hour for up to 12 weeks* Affiliation: *University of Maryland & Smithsonian Institution* Application deadline: *May 1st, 2013* Applications are being accepted for a summer intern to assist with ongoing doctoral research on crustacean use of mangrove and saltmarsh habitats. Research goals: survey patterns of larval and juvenile crab and shrimp settlement into vegetated habitats and determine the influences of structural complexity on habitat use and species interactions. Research activities include sample sorting, ID, and counts under dissecting scopes, experimental array set-up and break-down, and behavioral observations in the lab as well as plankton tows, trap deployment, manual capture, and vegetation surveys in the field. Lab work is based at the Smithsonian Marine Station. Research assistance will be structured around interns’ particular interests and skills whenever possible, and interns are encouraged to develop an independent but complimentary project after a period of satisfactory assistance. Field work can be strenuous, so applicants should be willing and able to kayak for several hours - often against winds and tides, carry 5 gallon buckets of sand and water, haul nets, and generally assist with heavy and unwieldy equipment. Lab spaces are handicap accessible. All applicants should be comfortable working in and around water. Both day and night work may be required (e.g. plankton collection of larvae recruiting during the full moon). Extended collection trips will require occasional camping. *Applicants should send a resume, including any prior experience – professional/scientific as well as general outdoor (camping, boating, etc), references, and a statement of circumstances, goals, and/or interests to Cora Johnston at <c...@umd.edu>.* Please include your dates of availability within the summer window indicated above. -- C. Johnston Doctoral candidate Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, & Systematics University of Maryland, College Park Gruner Lab <http://grunerlab.umd.edu/> CJohnston Research Site <http://ecocora.blogspot.com> "Science is the process that takes us from confusion to understanding in a manner that's precise, predictive and reliable - a transformation, for those lucky enough to experience it, that is empowering and emotional. We must embark on a cultural shift that places science in its rightful place...as an indispensable part of what makes life worth living." -B. Greene
