Postdoc and PhD positions - Global change

Postdoctoral Position

The lab of Jason Fridley at Syracuse University(http://plantecology.syr.edu/fridley) is recruiting a postdoctoral associate to work on aspects of the vegetation of Eastern North

America in the context of global change. Specific research objectives are flexible but will ideally take advantage of vegetation and environmental databases from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Projects combining existing data with new field surveys of soil characteristics, plant trait data, or microclimate surveys are particularly encouraged.  Other research emphases in the Fridley lab include global change impacts on grassland vegetation, comparative studies of native and invasive forest species, and biogeographic studies of successional ecosystems.  The position is available as early as January 2012, and includes two years salary support (annual minimum $38,500), including full benefits.  A PhD in ecology or related discipline is required.  Preferred qualifications include 1) evidence of strong quantitative and writing skills; 2) statistical or GIS-based programming experience (e.g., R, GRASS-GIS); 3) relevant

field experience and taxonomic skills.  Those with expertise in plant-soil relations are particularly encouraged to apply.  Applicants should send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae and the names and full contact information (email and phone numbers) of three potential

references to Jason Fridley (fridley@syr.edu; 315-443-3098) no later than November 1, 2011.



PhD Fellowships

Two graduate (PhD) fellowships are available for students to work on aspects of the vegetation of Eastern North America in relation to global change.  At least one of the fellowships will involve a comparative analysis of old field succession patterns across

the Eastern U.S., using experimental and survey-based techniques in a 4-yr project with colleagues at Duke University supported by the National Science Foundation.  Other research emphases in the Fridley lab include global change impacts on grassland vegetation, vegetation-environment relationships in the Southern Appalachians, and comparative studies of native and invasive species in Eastern U.S. forests.  Successful applicants will join a growing plant ecology and evolution group at Syracuse University and a larger ecological community that includes SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry.  Fellowships are available beginning in Fall 2012 as 2-yr research assistantships, commonly used in the first and third years of graduate study; support through teaching assistantships is guaranteed in other semesters pending satisfactory progress toward the degree.

Current graduate student stipends are $25,167/yr, with full benefits and tuition remission.  Full applications to the SU Biology PhD program are due by January 31, 2012; applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a statement of interest, curriculum vitae, and GRE scores before applying to Jason Fridley (fridley@syr.edu;315-443-3098).  General information about the Biology graduate program at Syracuse is available at http://biology.syr.edu/grad/graduate.htm.